Meet the Mississippi Valley Team
Shalene Jahn, Head of School
Ms. Laurie, Admin Support and Float Teacher
I was born in North Dakota and raised on a farm in the Red River valley. Growing up without the Internet or cable television spurred us to make our own fun and I love doing that with children as well.
I have worked with implementing Sunday School-style programming, youth camps, and youth activities for fifteen years. I have also taught preschool for eleven years and enjoy being involved with children’s learning.
I have a diverse educational background in cosmetology, and landscape design, and a business degree from Concordia College in St. Paul. These experiences all come together in many ways when interacting with children. My hobbies include traveling, gardening, crafting, and reading. My husband and teenage children also keep my family life busy as well as keeping me on my toes.
Ms. Bailey, Guide CH1
I am a Pennsylvania native who first moved to the Twin Cities to attend Macalester College, where I studied Education and Sociology. I joined the staff of MVMS as a classroom assistant in August 2015. Since that first experience in a Montessori environment, I have spent 5 years in AMI Montessori classrooms, both in Oregon and Minnesota.
I returned to MVMS in 2019 after finishing my AMI Primary Montessori diploma and Master’s degree at Washington Montessori Institute and Loyola University Maryland.
I love to be outside—hiking, biking, camping, gardening, and paddling. I also love to read, quilt, write letters, and bake.
Ms. Alissa, Guide CH2
I was born and raised in Minneapolis Minnesota, where I attended a Montessori preschool and an arts elementary school. In 2015 I graduated from the University of Minnesota (Twin Cities) with a bachelor’s degree in Gender and Women’s Studies. Upon graduation, I began working as an assistant in a Montessori classroom. I then went on to obtain an AMI Primary Diploma from the Montessori Center of Minnesota in 2021. I was fortunate enough to do my student teaching at Mississippi Valley and am honored to now be a part of this community!
In my free time, I enjoy rock climbing, singing, ice skating, and traveling!
Ms. Malorie, Assistant Teacher CH2
I love this opportunity to work with all the MVMS families. I have been in childcare classrooms for almost 15 years, and this will be my 4th in a Montessori style, both of which I have worked with all age groups. I have also worked in a therapy setting with children on the autism spectrum. I have a background in psychology and childhood development from the University of St. Thomas.
I have lived in St. Paul my whole life, and now live in West St. Paul with my husband and our son. We love exploring our hometown of the Twin Cities by going to sporting events, concerts, and restaurants. We also love camping and fishing up north and spending as much time as possible with our closest family and friends. I also love to read, quilt, write letters, and bake.
Ms. ,Rachel, Assistant Teacher CH1
This is my first year at Mississippi Valley Montessori School, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work with the amazing MVMS students, families, and staff. For the past seven years, I have worked in childcare and as a special education paraprofessional in a variety of schools across the metro area, gaining valuable experience in education and student support. In 2020, I obtained an Associate of Arts in Education from Century College, followed by a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Metropolitan State University in 2022
I grew up in Roseville and I currently reside in Eagan. In my free time, I love exploring the cities, trying new restaurants, being outdoors, and spending quality time with friends and family. I also enjoy card games, puzzles, and listening to audiobooks.
Ms. Liz, Guide Trained Assistant Teacher CH2
Montessori was new to me until one of my daughters attended Mississippi Valley in 2014. This method of teaching was an eye-opener. My daughter thrived, and we have been a Montessori family since! It was my daughters’ love for learning in this environment that led me to take a position at Mississippi Valley. Most recently I have completed the AMI Assistant Teacher’s Course at the Montessori Center of Minnesota. Seeing children learn in a Montessori environment firsthand is amazing, and I feel so lucky to be a part of it.
My husband and I have three incredible children. We recently moved back to Minnesota after living in Seattle, WA for a year and a half. It was quite an adventure for our family. While we have many fond memories and new friends in the Pacific NW, we are happy to be back home in Minnesota. As a family, we love going out to the movies, to Twins games (Go Twins!), exploring the magic of the Twin Cities, and having summertime BBQs with friends. Game nights, playing cards, bike rides, and reading books are also favorites of ours.
Thank you for the opportunity to get to know each and every one of your amazing children. They are a gift! I look forward to learning more and being a positive role model for MVMS.
Ms. Carrie, Support Staff
I grew up in Southern California and Minnesota, earning a degree in English as a Second Language Education with a minor in Intercultural Studies. For 15 years, I've been a dedicated language teacher in Burnsville, Minneapolis, Bloomington, and most recently, Moreland Elementary in West St Paul.
My trauma-informed teaching and sensory tools training and teaching have enabled me to create nurturing learning environments for Mississippi Valley students as a student support staff. I’ve also done extensive learning with the Laura Petix from the OT Butterfly to support my own child more effectively and the students I serve. I was invited to share my insights on Laura Petix's podcast, discussing strategies to support my child with sensory needs. I am deeply committed to helping children regulate and thrive academically. I’m so excited to be a part of the team at MVMS and I love getting to know the kids.
Beyond my role at MVMS, I serve as an educational consultant for Yup'ik/Yutun and Tlingit language teachers in Alaska. I facilitate workshops with language educators as they develop language assessments for their indigenous languages. My love for languages extends to Spanish, which I enjoy speaking and learning about.
In my free time, I love spending time outside, visiting state parks, and bouldering with my husband and two children: Will, a recent MVMS graduate, and Ava, who currently attends MVMS.
Ms. Astreja, Assistant Teacher CH1
Astreja is your child’s assistant teacher in Children’s House 1 and is new this year to MVMS. Astreja is a former AmeriCorps member and served as an early learning tutor this past school year out of Pine City Elementary School.
Astreja is currently in the process of obtaining her CDA and continuing her education in early childhood education. Outside of school, Astreja is a mother of two daughters and works part-time doing promotional work.
In her free time, Astreja loves to spend time outdoors and at local parks with her family as she is new to West St. Paul. Astreja enjoys reading new books with her book club and loves to learn new things.
