Teachers define the quality of the Missoula International
School. Our faculty and staff are a professional team of
educators and administrators who are committed to every
student's education.
At MIS,
teachers embrace the values of respect and kindness toward
other individuals, other cultures, and diverse ideas. The
IB framework for student learning complements this as it
emphasizes critical thinking, challenging academic
standards, and exposure to diverse points of view that
develop and nurture intercultural understanding. Teaching in
another language provides a conduit to the development of
these values and prepares our students to meet the
challenges of a future where English is only one of many
languages used in daily life.
Jenny Ferguson
3/4 Preschool Teacher
|
Jenny received a B.A. in history and women’s studies
from Oberlin College. She has worked as an early
childhood literacy advocate, as well as an ESL
teacher for organizations in Montana and Oregon.
Jenny is a Montana native who learned to speak
Spanish as an adult. |
Adriana Cardozo
3/4 Preschool Teacher
|
With a B.A. in Social Work with a minor in Human and
Family Development, Early Intervention, Adriana
joined the MIS Preschool Teaching Team in 2007 after
a year of substitute teaching at MIS. She is a
Colombian native and brings lifetime of Spanish
language and Colombian culture to MIS’s youngest
students. |
Jenny Gómez
4/5 Preschool Teacher
|
Jenny comes to
Missoula from Bolivia where she taught for seven
years prior to moving to the US. Jenny has worked at
MIS in a variety of teaching support positions since
2002. Jenny brings a warm presence and a lifetime of
Spanish language experience to the MIS 4/5
preschool. |
Jessica Eirkson
4/5 Preschool
& PE Teacher
|
Jessica joined MIS in the fall of 2008. Jessica has
a B.A. in Environmental Education from Western
Washington University in Bellingham, WA and an M.A.
from UM in Elementary Education. Jessica has spoken
Spanish since childhood; her mother who is Puerto
Rican and she has studied abroad in Ecuador, Peru
and China. She brings a rich background of
experiences in working with young children. |
Rocío Muhs
K/1st Grade Multiage Teacher |
Rocío is a native of Ecuador, but her international
experience extends throughout Europe and South
America. Rocío has two B.A.’s; one from La
Universidad Equinoccial in Quito, Ecuador and the
other from Evergreen College in Olympia, WA. She
brings fifteen years of teaching experience to MIS,
where she has taught since 2005. |
Krista Drendel
K/1st Grade Multiage Teacher
|
Krista returned to MIS during the 2007-2008 school
year after teaching in CA for three years. She
taught at MIS for two years prior to that. Krista
earned a B.A. in Elementary Education from the
University of Wyoming and spent two year as a Peace
Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic before
coming to MIS. |
Karim Del Pozo
Middle School Spanish Teacher
|
Karim joined MIS’ K/1 team in the fall of 2008.
Karim was born and raised in Peru. She graduated
from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania with
Highest Honors. She holds a degree in Education and
Spanish Literature. She has been involved in
teaching for over 10 years and has taught in a
variety of settings. |
Lynn Hudorovich
2nd/3rd Grade Multiage Teacher & Middle
School Spanish Teacher
|
Lynn is a Montana native, but she came to MIS in
2007 after seven years of teaching in Mexico. She
received a B.A. in Elementary Education from
Concordia College and an M.A. in Education from
Mexico City’s Alliant International University.
|
Gillian Kessler
2nd/3rd Grade Multiage
English Teacher
|
Gillian has two B.A.'s from Santa Clara University
in English and Theatre/Dance. She brings fourteen
years of teaching experience to her students as well
as international experiences throughout the Spanish
speaking world in Europe and the Americas. |
Sandra Patricia Cano
2nd/3rd Grade Multiage
Spanish Teacher
|
Born and raised in Tuta, Colombia, Patty has a B.A.
in Spanish and English language from La Universidad
Pedagogica y Tecnologica de Colombia. She recently
completed her M.A. in Linguistics at UM. She taught
English in Colombia for seven years prior to coming
to MIS in 2002. |
Ted Muhs
4th/5th Grade Multiage
Spanish Teacher
|
Ted is an Idaho native with both a B.A. and an M.A.
in teaching from The Evergreen State College in
Olympia, WA. In addition to 17 years of teaching
experience, Ted brings extensive international
experience to his classroom; he is part of
partnership that owns 2700 acres of tropical
rainforest in Bolivia that is held for ecological
and educational use. |
Brad Chumrau
4th/5th Grade Multiage
English Teacher
|
Brad joined MIS in the fall of 2008 when he returned
home to Missoula after teaching abroad for seven
years in the Philippines, Germany and El Salvador;
prior to that he taught in the Corvallis, MT schools
for two years. Brad’s teaching experience in Germany
was at a PYP school. He brings great experience and
training in the principles, philosophy, and
strategies for teaching effectively in a PYP
environment. |
Jeff Kessler
Middle School
English & Humanities Teacher
|
Jeff came to MIS in 2003 with a B.A. in History from
Willamette University in Salem, OR. He also has an
M.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of
Montana. Jeff has traveled throughout Central and
South America as well as Europe. |
Helena Koelle
Middle School Advisor,
Math & Science Teacher
|
Helena joined MIS in the fall of 2008. Helena is a
bilingual German/American who spent a large part of
her childhood in both countries. She is a graduate
of the Munich International School (MIS, also!) in
Germany with an IB Diploma. She completed her
undergraduate work in Environmental Analysis at
Pomona College in California and is completing her
M.A. in Education at UM next summer. |
Laura Bovard
Librarian
|
Laura received a B.S. in Business Administration and
International Studies with a minor is Spanish from
Iowa State University. While a university student,
she studied for one semester in Valencia, Spain.
Laura and her husband, Scott, are the parents of
Gillian (one of MIS's first graduates, now a
sophomore at Hellgate High School) and Andrew (a
senior at Loyola Sacred Heart High School). |
Feather Sherman
Art Teacher
|
Feather comes to MIS with a Bachelors of Science in
Art Education from Towson University in Baltimore,
MD and an M.F.A. in Integrated Arts in Education,
The Creative Pulse, from the University of Montana.
Feather is a talented and award-winning teacher and
artist who came to MIS in the fall of 2007. |