Teacher Leaders in Montana History
The 2023-2024 MHS Teacher Leader in History Fellows include twelve returning elementary, middle school, and high school teachers and six new middle school teachers. These teachers are all experienced Montana history classroom teachers (except for one who teaches Crow language and culture). They have also received additional training on available Montana history resources and best practices in history education. The Teacher Leaders in Montana History are ready to lead by providing one-on-one mentorship and by offering presentations at regional workshops or in-school or in-district PIR trainings within their own districts and in neighboring districts. Possible presentation topics include "An Overview of Montana Historical Society Resources," “Integrating Montana History across the Curriculum,” “Teaching Montana History in Fourth Grade,” "Using Visual Thinking Strategies," "Integrating IEFA,” “Hands-on History Footlockers," "Bringing the Montana Historical Society Museum Exhibits into Your Classroom," "Art and History: Plains Indian Pictographic Art," "Teaching with Primary Sources," and more.
Looking for a presenter? Contact a nearby Teacher Leader in History directly, or contact Martha Kohl at the Montana Historical Society for a recommendation of who will best fit your needs.
Become a Teacher Leader
The Montana Historical Society is recruiting a new cohort of high school teachers to join to join the Teacher Leader Program. Successful applicants will attend an all-expenses paid summit in Helena July 10-12, 2024. Applications are due April 7. Apply here. For more information, contact Martha Kohl at mkohl@mt.gov.
Teacher Leader Fellows
Eastern Montana
Elysia Bain
9th-12th Grade US and World History, government
Ashland, MT, Rosebud County
e-bain@hotmail.com
406-784-4564
Areas of special interest: Visual Thinking Strategies, incorporating Montana History into World History, IEFA, Montana History Portal, MHS resources.
Laurie Enebo
7th and 8th Grade Montana History and US History
Glasgow, MT, Valley County
enebo@glasgow.k12.mt.us
406-228-8268
Areas of special interest: Revolutionary War-Civil War history, Montana history, IEFA
Michelle Moccasin
7th-12th Grade Crow Language and Culture
Lodge Grass, MT, Big Horn County
mmoccasin@lodgegrass.k12.mt.us
406-639-2710
Areas of special interest: Crow history and culture, place-based learning
April Wills
5th Grade/K-6th Tech and Stem, Centennial Bell Montana History Teacher of the Year, 2021
Bainville, MT, Roosevelt County
awills@bainvilleschool.k12.mt.us
406-475-5791
Areas of special interest: Adapting lessons to lower grades, place-based history, technology integration, hands-on history footlockers, collaborative research projects across grade levels
Golden Triangle
Charlie Brown
7th-12th Grade Social Studies
Fairfield, MT, Teton County
cbrown@fairfield.k12.mt.us
406-590-0744
Areas of special interest: Lewis and Clark, place-based learning, teaching with primary sources, MTHS resources
Ron Buck
7th-12th Grade
Shelby, MT, Toole County
ron.buck@shelby.k12.mt.us
Areas of special interest: Hands-on learning, ledger art, Montana history through all grade levels, technology integration
Hali Richmond
3rd-4th Grade, Centennial Bell Montana History Teacher of the Year, 2023
Sunburst, MT, Toole County
hrichmond@sunburst.k12.mt.us
406-450-1062
Areas of special interest: Teaching with primary sources, Montana history, MHS resources, differentiated instruction.
Billings/Laurel
Savannah Buckner
7th Grade Social Studies
Laurel, MT, Yellowstone County
savannah_buckner@laurel.k12.mt.us
406-628-3900
Areas of special interest: Tech integration, adapting lessons for various grade levels, teaching with primary sources.
Abbey Kochel
7th Grade Geography, Centennial Bell Montana History Teacher of the Year, 2020
Billings, MT, Yellowstone County
kochela@billingsschools.org
406-281-5836
Areas of special interest: Montana history, MTHS resources, technology integration
Johanna Trout
4th Grade
Billings, MT, Yellowstone County
troutj@billingsschools.org
406-698-4665 (text or call)
Areas of special interest: Literature tie-ins, hands-on history footlockers, teaching with primary sources.
Northwestern Montana
Jennifer Hall
7th-8th Grade History
Eureka, MT, Lincoln County
jhall@teameureka.net
406-297-5621
Areas of special interest: Planning multi-day Montana history fieldtrips, MHS resources, peer mentoring, historical thinking
Mona Shortman
K-8th Grade Colony Teacher
Cut Bank, MT, Glacier County
mshortman@cutbankschools.net
406-391-5033
Areas of special interest: IEFA, hands-on history footlockers, multi-grade classrooms.
Cynthia Wilondek
10th-11th World and US History
Bigfork, MT, Flathead County
cwilondek@bigfork.k12.mt.us
406.837.7400 Extension #4237
Areas of special interest: Visual Thinking Strategies, Primary Sources in the Classroom, Adding Montana History to an American History classroom
Kimberly Winkowitsch
6th Grade, History and ELA
Cut Bank, MT, Glacier County
kwinkowitsch@cutbankschools.net
Areas of special interest: Literature tie-ins, hands-on history footlockers, teaching with primary sources
West-Central and Southwestern Montana
Jodi Majerus Delaney
4th-5th Grade Montessori, Centennial Bell Montana History Teacher of the Year, 2017, History Teacher of the Year for Montana (Guilder-Lehrman) 2013, Teacher Leader in the Arts (MT OPI and Arts Council), National Board Certified
Helena, MT, Lewis and Clark County
jdelaney@helenaschools.org
406-461-9918
Areas of special interest: Arts Integration, Interdisciplinary Lesson Design, Hands-on History, Living History (Nevada City, MT), Elementary Social Studies Best Practices.
Dylan Huisken
6th-8th Grade Social Studies, Centennial Bell Montana History Teacher of the Year, 2019
Bonner, MT, Missoula County
dhuisken@bonner.k12.mt.us
406-258-6151 ext. 307
Areas of special interest: Literature tie-ins, IEFA, Montana history, place-based education, Civil War, U.S. government
Lauren Robbins
4th-6th Grade Social Studies
Philipsburg, MT, Granite County
robbinsl@pburg.k12.mt.us
406-560-3225
Areas of special interest: Montana history, Ranching and Mining History, Primary Sources, American Government.
Jessica Van Kerkhove
6th-8th Grade
Potomac, MT, Missoula County
Jvankerkhove@potomacschoolmontana.us
Areas of special interest: National History Day
