About Pioneer Montessori School

Board of Directors

A Warm Welcome from the Pioneer Montessori School Board

On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Pioneer Montessori School. Here you can learn more about the dedicated individuals who volunteer their time to support and guide our wonderful school.

As a Board, we are entrusted with the vital responsibility of championing our vision, ensuring the school's long-term sustainability, and fostering an environment where our students, faculty, and families can thrive. We are deeply committed to an approach that cultivates compassion, instills confidence, and awakens a conscious awareness of oneself, others, and the world around us.

It is our privilege to work alongside our exceptional Head of School, Molly, dedicated teachers, and engaged parents to ensure that Pioneer Montessori continues to provide an enriching and authentic Montessori experience true to these guiding principles.

Below you can get a glimpse into the individuals who make up your Board of Directors. We come from diverse backgrounds and bring a variety of skills and experiences, but we are united by our unwavering belief in the unique value of the Pioneer Montessori School experience.

Personally, our family's journey with Montessori started with only a little knowledge about the Montessori method. The community of happy, engaged families first pulled us in and convinced us to learn more. That exploration led us to discover that Pioneer Montessori is truly where our children belong. Today, I have the honor of serving as Board President because we have seen the magic that happens within our classrooms every day.

So, I offer you an invitation: connect with parents at various phases of their own Montessori journeys. Reach out to schedule a tour, join us for our parent education nights, or simply connect with a current family or board member. Take the opportunity to learn about the core principles of Montessori that provide a strong foundation for the incredible growth our children experience, both on and off our campus.

Warmly,
John Zook
President, Board of Directors Pioneer Montessori School

  • Suzi and I decided to move our family to the valley in September of 2017 as an experiment. Leaving our long-time home and large family support network in Seattle, we sought out a rental home and school (Pioneer Montessori) in an area we only previously knew as tourists. Several months later, we decided to jump all in. We couldn't imagine a better place to raise our kids than in the valley. Our oldest daughter, Penelope, graduated from the elementary program and our youngest, Adeline, is in Upper Elementary (4th-6th grades).

    My wife and I are both avid photographers. Shortly after joining the Pioneer Community, we were pulled in to do the school photos and have been doing it each year since. We love to travel and camp, ski (downhill or nordic) in the winter, bike and swim in the summer.

  • Amy grew up in Boise, Idaho, and earned a BA at Dartmouth College and an MA at the University of Oregon. A teacher and school administrator since 1991, she has held numerous educational leadership positions, including Head of the Jackson Hole Community School in Wyoming from 2015 to 2020. She retired from education in June 2020 and now runs her leadership coaching business. She lives in Jackson, WY, with her husband and enjoys cycling, skiing, hiking, and visiting the Sun Valley area as much as possible.

  • Jen Cohen and her family moved to the Wood River Valley in 2023. Her connection to the Pioneer community began in 2017 when her son, Jack, was enrolled in the primary and lower elementary classes while her family was on extended visits to the valley. Before relocating to Ketchum, Jen served as the Head of School at Cape Town Montessori School from 2020 to 2023. She holds a Bachelor of Business Science from the University of Cape Town. Her diverse career spans education, technology, finance, and design. Many of her projects have involved international collaborations, which have allowed her to travel across Europe and the USA. Jen feels privileged to live in Ketchum and embraces the Wood River Valley's myriad year-round outdoor activities.

  • Joanna grew up spending summers with her family in Sun Valley. She attended Middlebury College, followed by Georgetown Law School, leading outdoor adventure trips for teens and tweens in between. Joanna then practiced employment law for 15 years, until her family relocated to Idaho in June 2020. She is the Finance and Development Director for St. Thomas Playhouse in Sun Valley. Previously, she has served Pioneer Montessori as a Spring Fundraiser Co-Chair, a room parent for two elementary classrooms, Holiday Market Co-Chair, and head of the Parents Association. When not shuttling her four boys up and down Highway 75, Joanna likes to ride her mountain bike, run on trails, and ski. Joanna says: “Pioneer Montessori has been such a gift for my children and our family; we love the wonderful teachers, welcoming community, and everything about the Montessori approach.”

  • Josh was born and raised in Ketchum.  He attended Pioneer Montessori in the 80s and graduated from kindergarten in 1990.  He is thrilled his two children are experiencing the same education, although the campus has changed significantly.  He went on to attend Hemingway in grade school, WRMS for middle school, and Community School in high school.  After high school, Josh spent about a decade away from the valley, attending Pomona College with an undergraduate degree in Economics and the University of San Diego Law School.  He returned home in 2013 and established his law firm, Stanek Law.  His wife, Julie, works as a teacher at Hemingway.  His daughter, Dagny, is in Mr. Eric's Primary Room and his son, Atticus, is in the Preprimary classroom.

  • Kathryn is the Grants Officer for the Sun Valley Museum of Art and the founder and creative director of Baxter & Jackson, a textile and surface pattern design company. Kathryn has been a dedicated part of the museum team since she started as a summer intern in 2003. Having held various roles including Development Director, Director of the Sun Valley Arts & Crafts Festival, and Education Coordinator, she has expertise in donor relations, nonprofit administration, and events management. Before joining the Museum, she worked in education at the Animal Rescue League of Boston, marketing for Polar Beverages, and coaching youth sports and art classes. Kathryn is originally from Worcester, Massachusetts, and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Visual Arts from Bowdoin College. She was a member of the women’s field hockey, lacrosse, golf, and ski teams.

    Kathryn lives in Ketchum, Idaho, with her husband Matt and four children, who attend Pioneer Montessori School. She has worked with the PA as a room parent and is actively involved as the Development Chair on the Board of Directors. Kathryn values Montessori’s mixed-age classrooms, emphasis on independence, and cultivation of critical thinkers and lifelong learners.