For the first time in several years, students and staff at La Crescent Montessori Academy will be getting used to new faces amongst its faculty. Denny Hartman was hired as the school’s director, Jessica Crusan came on as a fourth- through sixth-grade teacher, who’ll also assist grades 7 and 8, and Steve Gilman will teach math and science part-time. Hartman becomes LMA’s second director since its inception in 1999, and Crusan and Gilman take over for staff who left at the end of last school year to pursue other opportunities.

Hartman has a varied background in education. After graduating from St. John’s University, he began his career in Schofield, Wis., where he taught social studies and coached. He then went back to SJU to work in athletics before taking a job in the St. Cloud School District n all while working on an administrative degree. Following that, he worked in other school districts in central Minnesota, then moved to Lake Crystal where he was a principal for seven years. He also worked at a charter school in Minneapolis.

Though Hartman spent most of his career in a traditional public school setting, he isn’t unfamiliar with the Montessori concept n three of his own children spent time in Montessori schools.

“I believe students and parents need to have options,” he said. “Trends in education today talk about reaching out to students and meeting them where they’re at. Education has gone to the fact that it needs to have hands-on experience…and Montessori is that way.”

Crusan comes to LMA after 10 years working in respite care, and as a classroom program assistant for Chileda in La Crosse. Then, after working for La Crosse Daycare Centers, she took positions as a fifth- and sixth-grade and kindergarten through third-grade special education teacher, and a first-grade teacher in Plainview.

Crusan decided to move from the traditional school to a Montessori Academy because she believes the ideas and concepts of the school sound exciting, and this was an opportunity to better herself as a teacher. Leading up to the school year, and during the first few days, she’s been doing a lot of observing and asking questions about classroom procedure.

“I’m really just being flexible and going with the flow,” she said.

This year, Crusan is team-teaching with long-time LMA teacher Tami Holtslander, so she isn’t alone when it comes to classroom instruction. And because of the kind of school she’s in, Crusan will be able to experience teaching a number of subjects.

“I’m really looking forward to the physical expression we do. That’s actually phy ed,” she said. “I’m looking forward to being able to have my hands in all the subject areas, and being able to have the opportunity get speakers in and go on field trips, to experience those new opportunities.”

Gilman is joining LMA as a part-time teacher after spending last year at La Crosse Aquinas High School. She’s certified to teach math, fifth- though eighth-grade science, and physics. Last year, he taught Advanced Placement Physics, general physics, and anatomy and physiology. He’s a long-time area resident, and also a UW-La Crosse graduate with a physics major and math minor.

Staff members at LMA are excited to have the three new faces on board.

“We have deliberately selected people who were going to bring things we were really looking for,” said business manager Terry Coon, “people who were very eager to work hands-on with the students. Because we’re not a traditional school and we do a lot more hands-on, we needed people who were willing to flex into the Montessori method and the charter school environment.”

“The ones we wound up picking were the ones who really seemed to fit with what we were looking for in enthusiasm and willing to explore new methods, and work hands-on and get involved with the students,” she added.