Silver Bow Montessori School

Don Kronenberger is Director of the school since 2000 and head teacher of the elementary classroom. He is a National Center for Montessori Education (NCME) certified Montessori Early Childhood Educator. He also holds American Montessori Society (AMS) teaching credentials for Elementary I and Elementary II education. He received a Bachelor of Music degree from University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI, and an MBA degree from Rice University in Houston, TX. Don is a past President of the Board of Directors of the Butte Symphony Association, a member of the Board of Directors of the Butte Community Concerts Association, and is an active performer on tuba in Butte, Bozeman, and Helena.

Jennifer Smith is Co-Teacher in the early childhood classroom. She is credentialed as an Early Childhood Educator by the American Montessori Society (“AMS”) and has five years experience at Silver Bow Montessori School, including two years as a head teacher. Jennifer moved to Montana in 2001 after nearly 20 years as an international banking human resources manager including overseas postings in Taiwan, Indonesia, Singapore, and Japan. She continued her lifelong commitment to developing human potential by volunteering at SBM, undertaking Montessori training, and interning for a year at SBM prior to becoming a head teacher during the 2007-08 school year. She has Myers-Briggs personality profiling expertise and has worked as an executive coach. She has served as a trustee on the Whitehall school board.

Gloria Cote is Co-Teacher in the early childhood classroom. She has recently completed training as an Early Childhood Educator with the American Montessori Society (“AMS”), and her credential is pending. She has eight years experience at Silver Bow Montessori School. In addition to teaching the Montessori curriculum, she is Spanish instructor at SBM. She is a native of Columbia and holds a degree in preschool education from a university in Columbia.

Katie Wright is Assistant teacher in the elementary classroom. Katie is a state credentialed K-8 teacher. She first worked with SBM students helping to outfit and facilitate the school’s earliest spring camp-outs as an Americorps Volunteer. She has coached children, student-taught in Butte schools, and served as the Teacher/Primary Provider (Lead) for SBM’s 2009 summer program.