Our Staff
Alison Thorne
Hello, my name is Alison Thorne. I am the teacher for the three year olds preschool class. I have lived in Montana for most of my life and I received my degree from the University of Montana. I am married and we have three wonderful children.
For most children, this is their first experience in a classroom environment. My goal is to make the time they spend with me fun, enjoyable, stimulating, and of course educational. We focus on their fine and gross motor skills, their social and emotional development, and their listening and speaking skills. Through the use of songs and finger plays, science exploration, number sense activities, literacy activities, creative movement, art projects and a variety of sensory activities, students are engaged in all aspects of learning.
Please feel free to email me with any questions: abthorne_5@msn.com
Jennifer Iverson
My name is Jennifer Iverson and I'm the 4/5 year-old teacher at KinderPrep. I have a B.S. in English Education degree from Minot State University, but this is my 11th year teaching preschool. I am married and have two kids, both who completed the KinderPrep Preschool program under Lorrie Juden.
My goal is for your child to gain the skills and confidence to ready them for Kindergarten. We start with the basics of how school works and move into colors, shapes, and numbers. We celebrate holidays and different themes and incorporate them into our learning. We play games, explore science, sing songs, learn art techniques, and develop our gross- and fine-motor skills. In the second half of the year we learn the alphabet. Our themes depend on the letters we're learning and the current seasons/holidays. We work on manners and social skills, recognizing and writing our names, and following directions. We also really work on being independent and ready for "big school." We make sure there are multiple opportunities for play throughout the day. Play is learning after all!
Please feel free to email me with any questions: jenniverson@gmail.com
Lorrie Juden
My name is Lorrie Juden. I am the owner and a teacher at KinderPrep Preschool. I have a degree in Elementary education and have taught Preschool for 20 years. A few years ago I noticed there was a need for preschool in the Hellgate Elementary School area. Now in our thirteenth year, KinderPrep is going strong. One of the wonderful things about our preschool is that most of the kids will then go to Hellgate Elementary School together. It is nice having a friend when you begin the school adventure together.
My goal as a Kinder-Ready teacher is to take those students who miss the cutoff for kindergarten and see what great adventures and goals we can set for our class. We start with the basics of colors, shapes, and numbers. As we progress through the year we work on writing our first and last names, use Zoo Phonics with the alphabet, introduce some sight words, and even throw in some simple addition and subtraction without even knowing it. I try to simulate a kindergarten classroom as best as possible with an extra recess in there also. We work through social skills as well as learning to follow directions, and work independently. I think we have a lot of fun in school, at least I know I do!
Please feel free to email me with any questions: judenl@hotmail.com
