Administration

Head of School – Tamela Irons

Tamela Irons has been involved in education for the last 28 years. She received a B.S. with Honors in Elementary Education and a Minor in Spanish. She holds a Teacher Certification in Education K-8 with and Spanish K-12. Tamela received her Montessori Elementary 1 training at the Education Center of the Rockies and has experience teaching at the primary, lower and upper elementary levels. She has worked as a teacher trainer and has been a Field Consultant mentoring new teachers. Tamela was awarded one of the top 20 under 40 awards spotlighting Montana’s top young business professionals. She also was awarded “Excellence in Education” as one of the most influential teachers through the Bozeman Schools Foundation.

In addition to Tamela’s extensive teaching background, she loves to travel and has lived and taught in six continents. Tamela and her husband love living in Montana with their daughter who attended BSS.

Business Manager – Cressie Ivers

Cressie has lived in Bozeman since 2003 and graduated from Montana State University in 2007 with a B.S. in Business / Marketing. Prior to joining BSS, she was the Finance Officer at Bozeman High School. Cressie has three young boys who are the center of her universe. When not at work Cressie enjoys gardening, camping, biking, and exploring Montana as a family. 

Administrative Manager & Enrollment Coordinator – Elizabeth Eilen

Originally from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Liz moved to Bozeman in 2017, to pursue a degree in Elementary Education from MSU. Throughout her life, she developed a strong affinity for working with children. Her experience spans several years working at summer camps in Wisconsin and Montana, and years in the Bozeman and Livingston schools working as a paraprofessional, outdoor education, and math teacher. She was a classroom teacher at BSS for three years and is excited to move into school administration with her wealth of classroom and teaching knowledge. Beyond work, Liz loves to cycle, rollerblade, cook, and is actively involved in Eagle Mount’s adaptive ski program.

Upper Elementary

Lead Teacher – Kate Colson

Kate grew up on a farm outside of Ryegate, Montana. She earned her dual bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Special Education from Montana State University, as well as her master’s degree in Leadership and Organization Development from the University of Idaho. Kate has spent several years teaching in Montessori classrooms of varying ages and is enthusiastic about guiding each child to find their own passions while becoming lifelong learners.  Additionally Kate tutored peers in math, biology, government and education, was an orientation leader coordinating and supervising student programming, worked as a Break Away trip leader with a focus on sustaining the environment, an Adventures MSU mentor and a camp counselor! Kate is studying with the Instititute of Montessori training focusing on the Upper Elementary classroom materials, pedagogy, and philosophy. Her training will result in a MACTE accredited degree which accompanies her dual bachelor’s degrees. In her free time, Kate loves being outdoors with her friends and family. 

Lower Elementary

Lead Teacher – Mikal Begnoche

Mikal earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education from Montana State University in 2002 and holds a K-8 Montana Teaching License. She has over 12 years of experience teaching in Montessori schools at the primary and elementary levels,  ten of which were at Middle Creek, Montessori in Bozeman.  She is an avid outdoors woman and is especially passionate about teaching zoology, botany, and reading. During her free time, Mikal enjoys spending time with her husband, Armand, daughter, Violet, and son, Hans who attend BSS. She also enjoys reading and playing in the woods.  Mikal is a lifelong learner and finds everyday excitement in her role as a mother, wife, citizen, and teacher.

Assistant Teacher – Nora Tripp

Nora Tripp was born and raised in Bozeman and is a recent graduate from Middlebury College in Vermont. She completed her BA in January of 2026 with a degree in English and couldn’t wait to return to Bozeman and her family that lives here. Nora got her first taste of Montessori education in the Spring of 2026 and is thrilled to be a member of the Bozeman Summit School team. Nora has over seven years of experience working with children and young adults through summer camps, nannying, and working as a volunteer peer educator with Bridgercare and Haven. 

Outside of school, Nora loves reading and being outdoors- even better when she can combine the two! She holds a great appreciation for Montana and all the wonders it has to offer. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends and hopes to always continue learning and exploring the world. 

Early Childhood

Lead Teacher – Jen Heinemann

Jen, a lifelong Montessori Educator, was raised on the East Coast by a blended family. She chased her father’s Montana roots after receiving her BA from Colorado College and her Pre-Primary Certification from the American Montessori Society from MECR, also in Colorado.

Jen has worn many hats throughout her enriched Montessori early childhood career. She has been a Teacher, a Consultant, a Director, and a Parent Volunteer. She is honored to continue to represent Dr. Montessori’s principles and practices at Bozeman Summit School in the EC Classroom.

Jen is a proud mom of two young adults. Both children benefited from Montessori schooling when young along with making lots of mud pies and noise. In her spare time, Jen and her husband, Stefan, spend as much time outside as possible enjoying road trips, hiking, biking, skiing, conversations and sunsets.

Assistant Teacher – Emily Thayer

Originally from Hailey, Idaho, Emily recently moved to Bozeman to follow her passion for Montessori Early Childhood Education. After graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with BA’s in Environmental Protection and Anthropology and a minor in Spanish. Not feeling at home in a desk job, she found work as a Naturalist on an expedition travel vessel in Southeast Alaska. Here she had her first taste of being an educator and fell in love with sharing the wonders of the natural world with others. After the expedition company went out of business, she became an Assistant Teacher at Pioneer Montessori School in Ketchum, Idaho where she found herself pleasantly surprised to love education and more specifically the Montessori method. 

Coming from a mountain town fostered her love for the environment and great curiosity for nature’s interconnectedness. Her love for spending time with children and experiencing the world through their eyes has also been an inspiring constant in her life. She is so grateful to have found Montessori as it so perfectly combines these passions. Outside of school Emily recharges by throwing pottery, baking, playing with her foster cats, watercoloring, and exploring the mountains with her twin sister via ski, hiking boot, bike, or paddleboard.