Overnight excursions in Glacier National Park. Terry Welder’s collection of National Geographic magazines stretching back decades. A sixth-grade thesis project on the evolution of life from single-cell organisms to the modern day.
When Dan Jenkins reflects on his days as a student at Kalispell Montessori, the memories
come flooding back. What do they all have in common? “It always felt like there was an
opportunity to explore,” he says. “You never quite knew what the day was going to hold—in the most exciting way.”
The spirit of exploration stayed with Dan beyond KME as he followed his passion for the
outdoors. After studying at Montana State University, he spent 10 years in the field as a wildlife biologist before settling down to raise his two kids in Anchorage. Today, he works for Alaska’s Department of Natural Resources as a liaison on land management issues among federal, state, and Alaska Native jurisdictions. It’s a unique and complex social, environmental, and political landscape to navigate, but Dan embraces the challenge.
“I’ve approached every challenge the same way since elementary school,” says Dan. “Break it down, create a plan, and execute. At KME, we practiced self-guided learning—we learned how to take the initiative to pursue the things we found interesting.”
“KME’s mission is to foster the natural spirit of inquiry and thrill of discovery within each child,” says Sarah Brown, head of school. “It’s always so rewarding to see former students like Dan continuing to carry those things forward with them into their adult lives.”
Dan’s father, Paul, remembers watching his son develop these skills at KME. “I really saw him
become an independent thinker,” he says. “He was encouraged to progress at his own pace,
and he gained the drive and self-confidence to pursue things at a different level.”
As a former school superintendent in Kalispell, Paul has a unique perspective on the value of a Montessori education. In fact, from his position in the school system, he helped develop the second public Montessori program in Montana.
“There’s no methodology better,” says Paul. “In Montessori, teachers are trained to individualize the curriculum to meet students where they are. They observe and evaluate constantly. They work with the same students for years. They bring out the gift in every child.”
But both father and son agree that it’s not just Montessori that’s special—it’s the school itself
and the people who make up the KME community. “It’s like a family there,” says Paul, who previously served on the KME board of directors. “The kids relate to each other, the parents are actively involved, and the staff are just so passionate.”
“What I really remember about Terry and the other teachers is how much they cared about
treating each other with kindness and empathy,” Dan adds. “They really carried that into every aspect of the school.”
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