Preschool to 5th Grade
Giving the future wings
Our Staff
As the Director of DMS Jess brings love and leadership to the school. She believes in our school's mission and the importance of providing a unique and exceptional educational experience for students, families, and staff. Jess is passionate about supporting families and teachers to help children socially, emotionally, and academically build a better world. She fosters a culture where all students feel safe to learn, thrive, and make mistakes.
Jess has been involved in education for 20 years. Her work encompasses experience in experiential education with the National Outdoor Leadership School, working with adjudicated youth programs in Utah, teaching Elementary students in various public school districts, and as a Montessori Lead teacher.
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A lover of the outdoors and adventures, Jess studied Experiential Education receiving her bachelor's and a Colorado Elementary teaching certification from Western Colorado University. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Education and Linguistic Diversity from Colorado's Adam State University.
Jess grew up in Fort Collins Colorado but has lived in Durango for 20 years and it is very much her home. She and her husband have three children Nellie, Hatch, and Ailbe, her youngest is a 3rd grader at DMS.
When not at school Jess enjoys the area’s beautiful outdoors. She and her family love to fly fish on the San Juan River. Her favorite hobbies are downhill skiing, mushroom hunting, and rowing her raft down the river.
Jess Miller
Director
Jess Miller
DIRECTOR OF DURANGO MONTESSORI
Emilie has been working as a Montessori educator for the last 14 years. She is credentialed as an Early Childhood Lead Teacher but has also worked as a Lead Teacher in Lower Elementary.
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She has had the privelege of working in Montessori schools across the US, in MA, DC, CO & WY! The diversity in cultures, lifestyles and even landscapes within all of these locations influenced her time in the classroom and has made her a well-rounded Montessori educator that loves to build and foster community in the classroom.
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Emilie spoke at the 2024 Montessori National Conference on the importance of incorporating personal and spiritual development into one's own teaching journey. She has also been selected to speak at the 2025 National Conference on the topic of, Heart Centered Leadership.
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Emilie is originally from upstate NY in the Adirondack Park region. She grew up in a small, rural lake town and thinks of Durango as a big city mountain town! She loves being surrounded by mountains and water. Her favorite things to do outside are hike, nature bathe, swim in cold river water and taking dusk walks.
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Emilie Kershaw
MONTESSORI COACH
My name is Aruna Pietrack, I was born in Kolkata, India and was adopted when I was a baby. I grew up in Salida Colorado and moved to Durango to attend college at Fort Lewis. I have a BA in Business Marketing and Advertising. After I graduated, I took a job at the Campbell Child and Family Center where I was a lead educator for 10 years. During these years I went back to school and received my lead and director’s certification from Southwest Community College here in Durango. In the summer of 2020, I was a student at MECR in Boulder Colorado and received my Montessori Certification in Early Childhood.
In 2013, I married my husband (Drew) and we have been married for 9 years. I am an only child but after marriage, I gained 3 brothers, 3 sisters-in-laws, and 5 nieces. In 2021, my husband and I welcomed our first son Jett in early September. I took last school year off to be with our son and to support my husband after he had a life-threatening health scare in early November. His recovery has been miraculous! We have a sweet 6 year old Austrian Shepherd puppy named Rio.
I own my own wedding coordinating business which I do during the summer and early fall. My hobbies include soccer, Zumba, hiking, being a new mom, and just being outdoors in stunning Durango.
Throughout my years of teaching, I love watching the children grow through play and small groups. I can see their eyes light up when they find love in their learning. The connections that children have with their peers and the encouragement from their teachers is priceless. I continue to gain more understanding on how the child’s mind works and grows with every interaction. I am happy to be back in the classroom this year!
Aruna Pietrack
EARLY CHILDHOOD LEAD TEACHER
Casey Sutton
EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSISTANT TEACHER
My name is Casey Sutton, I am originally from Fayetteville, Arkansas and have lived in Durango for ten years. I graduated from Fort Lewis College with a bachelor’s degree in studio art and obtained a Masters of Art Education from Eastern Illinois University. Back in Arkansas I was a lead Montessori teacher at Fayetteville Montessori for five years, here in Durango you may
recognize me from working at Animas Brewing off and on throughout the years!
My husband (Ethan) and I got married at Vallecito Lake in 2019 and In July of 2022 we welcomed our first child, Jude Eowyn. Now, she is a wild two-year-old with lots of energy! We also have a dog named Chloe, she is an Australian Shepard, Red Heeler mix and is as sweet as can be. As a family we love to hike, camp, cook, play yard games, board games, and listen
to music. I also enjoy snowboarding, reading, and of course making art!
I am passionate about education, art, community, and the environment.
I believe that teaching our children to be passionate about and have respect for these things will help make a difference in ours and their future! As Dr. Maria Montessori said, “the greatest gift we ca give our children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.” I believe that by teaching our children responsibility to the environment, the community, and to each other and giving them the independence to succeed and create, they have the chance to change the
world!
LOWER ELEMENTARY LEAD TEACHER
Over the past six years, I’ve dedicated myself to Early Childhood Education, with a special focus on Forest School philosophies. My journey in this field has been incredibly rewarding, and it’s a privilege to help young minds explore and learn in such a dynamic way.
I’ve called Durango home for the past four years, and I absolutely love it here. The outdoors are a huge part of my life—I enjoy fishing, hiking, and riding dirt bikes whenever I can. These activities not only keep me energized but also inspire my teaching approach, as I believe in the importance of connecting with nature and incorporating it into our learning experiences.
My educational background includes studies at Fort Lewis College and Colorado Community College, where I earned my Director Certificate in Early Childhood Education. Teaching is a passion that runs in my family—my parents are both educators, and their dedication has deeply influenced my own path.
In my classroom, my goal is to create a fun, safe, and enriching environment where every child can thrive. I’m committed to fostering a love for learning and helping each student reach their full potential. I’m excited to continue this journey and to work with the incredible kids and families in our community!"
Melody Raper
EARLY CHILDHOOD LEAD TEACHER
Ellyn King
EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSISTANT TEACHER
Ellyn is the passionate assistant teacher in the new Early Childhood Classroom. She is originally from Lincoln, NE, but has been in the Durango Area for 5 years now. She graduated this past May from Fort Lewis College with a degree in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Law.
Before becoming employed with Durango Montessori, she was working with Summit Early Learning Center here in town as the Assistant Teacher for the pre-Kindergarten classroom. Through her time at this past school, her love for being a part of a young kid’s educational experience blossomed. She is excited to be a part of the teaching community at DMS. Her love and excitement for teaching at a Montessori school comes from her parents, who spent most of their young adult lives teaching at a local Montessori school back in Lincoln.
As an educator, the prospect of teaching in a Montessori school fills her with absolute joy as it embodies the values she holds dear: empathy, learning, kindness, and community. In this nurturing environment, she is thrilled to foster an atmosphere where children are encouraged to explore their interests and develop a lifelong love of learning. From a young age, she has found immense value with hands-on education, as it has allowed her to connect with the world around her in a profound and tangible way.
Whether working in the garden, exploring nature trails, or conducting experiments, these experiential learning opportunities have ignited her own curiosity and deepened her understanding of the environment and herself.She can’t wait to connect with her new group of students, as she finds that one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching is recognizing that learning is a two-way street; we can gain invaluable insights from our students just as they learn from us.In her free time, Ellyn loves running and exploring new trails throughout Durango, spending time with her boyfriend and parents that live in town, and just relaxing and enjoying all the beautiful scenery Durango has to offer.
Hello! My name is Kaitlyn and I have been working in education for eight years. I am fromAthens, Georgia - where I gained my associates in Early Childhood Education. I started teachingin children’s theater, directing shows, camps, and classes, and moved on to work in STEAM.
In 2015, I participated in the Disney College Program, where I met my partner. We moved toDenver in 2019, and I trained and worked in Reggio-Emilia. Shortly after our time in Denver, we felt the call of the mountains. We followed that to Durango, and here we are!
For the last four years, I have been working in Montessori, and I am currently completing my bachelor’s at Fort Lewis College. I love the arts and enjoy passing time in a museum or seeing a show. My hobbies include: singing, playing the ukulele, reading, and hiking/camping with my dogs, Sissy and Remy.
I believe in the multi-faceted way a child learns, and the importance of honoring that with my students. I love guiding them in their inquisitions, being present for their moments of growth in the classroom and exploring the many ways I can meet them where they are in their educational journey.
Kaitlyn Bosveil
LOWER ELEMENTARY LEAD TEACHER
Becca is the enthusiastic teaching assistant in the Lower Elementary classroom. She is originally from South Lake Tahoe, California, but has lived all over California and Oregon. She graduated last fall from the University of Massachusetts Global with a BA in Early Childhood Education. Before Montessori, she was volunteering for multiple low-income elementary schools and after-school programs in the Lake Tahoe area, so she is familiar with working with children of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. While she misses the stunning beauty of the Sierra Nevadas, the Rockies and Colorado feel like home and are a welcomed change.
She is excited to be a teaching assistant at DMS and values empathy, creativity, humor, perseverance, honesty, and curiosity for learning new skills. She will reinforce these ideas and traits in the classroom through open communication, engaging hands-on art projects, and any additional classroom resources the students will need. Becca believes that each child has their own unique abilities and ways of seeing the world, and will continue to foster the above traits in each child as the year progresses.
In her free time, Becca loves to socialize with new people and get outdoors by hiking, biking, skiing, and going to concerts at Red Rocks Amphitheater. She also loves to cook and explore nearby National Parks with her family, fiancé, and U’i the hiking cat. She looks forward to learning and growing with each of your students at DMS!
Becca Bertolona
LOWER ELEMENTARY ASSISTANT
Becca Bertolina
LOWER ELEMENTARY ASSISTANT TEACHER
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Sara Nicholson was born and raised in Wisconsin. She attended Colorado State University and Florida International University, graduating with a B.S. in Earth Science and Sustainability.
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Sarah has many years as a teacher in traditional elementary classrooms, non-traditional high schools, and in the outdoor experiential education field. She has a strong love for math, local ecology, geology, biology, hydrology, leadership, and physics. She is proud to say that she has spent 350 days in the backcountry teaching students.
Sara taught high school in the Bahamas. There, she was the director of the math and science department. As director, she oversaw the team of educators and was lead in designing the math and science curriculum. Topics include renewable energies, writing innovative environmental proposals, statistics, and calculus.
Recently Sara was teaching in Estes Park at a non-traditional school. There she was helping students who were trying to get a second chance at their high school experience. Sara taught traditional academic topics as well as directed the Outdoor Education program which utilized the outdoors as a way to enhance students learning.
Sara and her husband recently moved to Durango from Estes Park, Durango is a great fit for us. Mostly because we fell in love with Durango Montessori and Animas High School (where Sara's husband works), and of course the San Juan Mountains.
Sara has learned throughout the years that elementary education is where her heart is and Durango Montessori is a perfect fit for the kind of teacher she is – one who deeply values students and their success. Sara cares about creating an environment where they can thrive and take ownership of their learning.
Sara Nicholson
LOWER ELEMENTARY LEAD TEACHER
Sara Nicholson
UPPER ELEMENTARY LEAD TEACHER
Laurette was born in Ohio and moved to Durango in 1991. She graduated with a masters in counseling and worked as a sign language interpreter in schools across the county for many years.
Most recently she worked as a lead preschool teacher where she incorporated these experiences and gained new classroom skills in taking a primary role in the education of the students.
Laurette is an active and fun person who enjoys dancing, biking, and skiing. You can also find her curled up with a good book and a cup of tea. She loves playing the banjo and when possible, incorporates music into the classroom. She has two kids of her own, now in their twenties. Laurette is excited to begin her journey teaching at Durango Montessori.
Laurette DeVol
UPPER ELEMENTARY LEAD TEACHER
Vivienne McIntyre
UPPER ELEMENTARY LEAD TEACHER
Miss Vivienne has been providing child care and educational services to the families of Durango for over a decade. Upon completing her Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, she found joy in bringing the educational experience to families in a non-traditional way through connection with nature and community.
Miss Vivienne founded her small business, Nifty Nanny, in the fall of 2014 and has provided all kinds of programming for families throughout the years. Now a mother to a fun loving 3 year old boy, she turns her focus to support her son's educational career, his peers, and his school community.
In her spare time, Miss Vivienne enjoys mountain biking, spending time at the river's edge or on the river, camping with her family and just being outside.
Mary Polino is the Founder of Durango Montessori Elementary School started in 2005. Retired from “active duty,” she currently serves at the school as a Montessori curriculum and staff consultant. She believes that good schools are created by a practice of effective application of academics combined with a strong current of respect for each other and the process of learning, and that teachers, staff, and parents work together to create such an environment.
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Mary is also an official “empty nester” with no extra time on her hands. She now tutors elementary and middle school students, gardens, cooks constantly, eats constantly, works off what she eats with Crossfit, hiking, biking, dancing, and yoga. She is involved with Durango Devo and loves a good crossword puzzle or book at the end of the day.
