Ms. Sam
Kindergarten & Elementary 1 & 2 Teacher
Ms. Sam graduated from Holmen High School and earned her bachelor’s degree in K–6 Education, with an emphasis in Social Studies, from Winona State University. After graduation, she began her teaching career at a Montessori charter school in Minnesota. She later earned her Montessori certification through The Center for Guided Montessori Studies and went on to complete her Master’s Degree in Montessori Education at St. Catherine University.
Outside of the classroom, Ms. Sam cherishes spending time with her family. She loves being a mom to her two daughters, Blake and Payton, and a wife to her husband, Justin. She enjoys spending time outdoors and making memories. Ms. Sam also finds joy in relaxing at home and cuddling with her cats: Gilbert and Mowgli.
Ms. Q.
4-Year-Old Children's House Teacher
Ms. Q grew up in Holmen, WI and after graduating she attended the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse where she earned a bachelor's degree in early/middle childhood education. Ms. Q worked at a Montessori charter school in Wisconsin for six years. During those six years of teaching she completed her Montessori training and has enjoyed being a lead Children's House teacher. Ms. Q loves spending her time enjoying the river, gardening, and caring for her furry and feathered friends!
Ms. Alicia
Educational Assistant
Ms. Alicia graduated from G-E-T high school in 2022 and is now attending Western TC for college courses! She enjoys watching sports, spending time with her two puppies and hanging out with friends in her free time. Along with working at GRM, Alicia enjoys babysitting for many amazing families in our surrounding communities. She is super excited to continue to get to know the wonderful students here at school!
Educational Assistant
Mr. Nick
Nick grew up in Holmen, Wisconsin. He went to college at UW-La Crosse and graduated with the goal of working in sports broadcasting. After several career shifts, he decided to pursue a passion that he has had since he was in high school and experience the career of teaching. He is excited about the new adventures and challenges that will come with this career shift. In his free time Nick enjoys spending time with his family and dogs. He loves being outdoors, and listening to Brewers baseball on the radio.
Ms. Rachael
Educational Assistant
Ms. Rachael grew up in Iowa and Minnesota. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from Minnesota State University, Mankato. She has worked in a variety of educational settings throughout her career. Some of these have included Montessori classrooms. She is excited to learn more about the Montessori method and get to know the students and families that we serve!
Ms. Rachael lives in Onalaska with her husband and has 2 step children. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, volunteering, going for walks, event planning, shopping, movies, cooking, and coffee!
Ms. Deb
Educational Assistant
Ms Deb is so excited to join the Great Rivers Montessori team. She has worked in education for 18+ years. Ms Deb lives in Holmen with her daughter and two grandchildren. She has three children and five grandchildren that keep her very busy and bring so much joy to her life! In her free time she helps care for her elderly parents, loves day trips with friends, and tending to her plants and flowers. Ms Deb Is looking forward to meeting our students and families.
Ms. Sofia
Educational Assistant
Ms. Sofia is from Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, just outside of Milwaukee. She’s currently in her second year at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse studying Social Studies Education with a history minor. The past two summers, she has worked with children going into 4K and 5K at a summer day camp. She is super excited to be joining the Great River Montessori family, as this is her first year as a Teacher’s Assistant Float. She loves spending her time with her friends and family, along with boating, shopping, and going to Brewer games. .
Ms. Gayle
Educational Assistant-Substitute
Ms. Gayle is thrilled to work as a teacher's aide this school year! After taking some time off to stay at home with her kids, she decided to go back to school to get certified to be a teacher's aide. She was lucky enough to get an opportunity to work at the Montessori as a substitute over the summer, and she absolutely loved it! When she is not working, she likes to spend time as a family hiking, traveling, and going down to the river. She has been married to her husband, Nick, for ten years, and they have four kids( three of which have been students at Great River Montessori) Caiden, Charlotte, Chase, and Cambel, and one dog named Cooper.
Infant Teacher
Ms. Colby
Ms. Colby was born and raised in Onalaska, Wisconsin. She graduated from Aquinas High School in 2019 and after graduating she decided to join the workforce right away. That’s when she found out how much she loves working with children. For the past five years, she’s been part of the Great River Montessori family, helping care for and support our learners. Wanting to keep learning and improving her skills, Ms. Colby recently earned her Infant/Toddler Montessori Diploma from the North American Montessori Center. When she’s not in the classroom, she enjoys spending time with friends, family, and her golden retriever, Augie.
Ms. Abby
Toddler Teacher
Ms. Abby grew up in Holmen, WI, and graduated from Holmen High School in 2021. After graduation, she began working as a teaching assistant at Great River Montessori, where she has been for the past four years. Over the last year, Ms. Abby has been attending the North American Montessori Center and is set to receive her Diploma in Infant/Toddler Montessori Education at the end of August. She is excited to step into the role of Toddler Teacher in our new toddler program this September.
Ms. Abby looks forward to guiding young minds, supporting milestone achievements, fostering kindness, and helping children build meaningful classroom connections. In her free time, she enjoys reading, crafting, spending time with friends and family, and playing with her dog, Max
Ms. Ava
3-Year-Old Children's House Teacher
Ms. Ava grew up in La Crosse, Wisconsin, where her love for animals and nature began. She shares her home with her red Labrador, Evie, and two playful cats, Ozzy and Luna. Outside the classroom, she enjoys tending to her garden, caring for her many houseplants, practicing yoga and meditation, collecting natural crystals, and attending local live music events.
Ms. Ava graduated from Holmen High School in 2020, earning her CNA certification at the same time. She went on to complete her Associate of Arts degree at Western Technical College through a transfer program and is now pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a pre-clinical concentration. She has also completed the Introduction to the Childcare Profession certification and is passionate about creating a nurturing, engaging Montessori environment for her 3-year-old learners.
Ms. Hailey
Educational Assistant
Ms. Hailey is so excited to be your child’s teacher’s assistant this year! She’s worked with children from newborns to age six, and is also a mom to two amazing girls, ages two and six. She is CPR certified and is currently completing childcare foundational trainings to continue to grow her skills. She is a La Crosse Logan graduate and has completed over 70 general education credits at Western Technical College and UW–La Crosse. Before working with kids, she held leadership roles at Festival Foods, which taught her a lot about teamwork and communication. Outside of the classroom, she loves spending time with her family, going to church, being outdoors, playing with her dog, and staying active through exercise. Her goal is to show patience and kindness every day, helping your child grow, learn, and feel loved here at school. She believes the best way to do that is by partnering with families, so she can’t wait to get to know each of you and learn what makes your child shine. If you ever have questions or want to share something about your child, please reach out. She’s always happy to listen and work together. Looking forward to a great year!
Ms. Shelby
Educational Assistant
Ms. Shelby is a teacher aide who loves helping students learn and grow every day. She graduated from Onalaska High School and has always had a passion for supporting others—whether it’s in the work place or at home.
When she's not at school, you will usually find her spending time with her family, curled up with a suspenseful thriller, or baking something sweet in the kitchen. She's married to her best friend, Zack, and they have a wonderful daughter named Ruby who keeps life fun and full of surprises.
Ms. Barb
Educational Assistant-Substitute
Ms. Barb just retired after 42 years working in Orthodontics. On to my next adventure in life. We raise 2 amazing young ladies. Actually one of them you know it’s Ms. Q. I enjoy hanging out with our precious grandson Weston and watching him grow and enjoy life. Favorite things to do would be family time, going to music in the parks, orchards and anything outside. I’m excited to meet and get to know all your amazing children!
Ms. Beth
Educational Assistant-Substitute
Ms. Beth recently moved to the area from Rochester, MN, with her husband Dave, and lives on Brice Prairie. While in Rochester, Ms. Beth enjoyed a 37-year career at IBM. After retiring in 2017, she joined the Minnesota Children's Museum Rochester location as the Operations and Experience Manager and became Executive Director in 2018. She successfully led a capital campaign that re-imagined the museum as its own entity at a new location and opened Spark in August 2020. After retiring as the Executive Director, Ms. Beth joined Americorps through the Minnesota Reading Corps and tutored K-3 students in reading at Jefferson Elementary for the 2021-22 school year. She is also the proud parent to three adult daughters who attended the public Montessori school in Rochester, where her eight-year-old grandson will be in his last year of E1.