I am the founding director of Pioneer School. I have a Masters degree from the University of Idaho in Elementary Education and a Masters in Gifted Education from Whitworth College. I graduated from Whitman College in Walla Walla with a Bachelor of Arts in 1977.

When I am not busy at Pioneer School, I coach ski racing at Schweitzer Mountain Resort. My husband is a chemistry instructor at Spokane Falls Community College, and we have two daughters one who attends and ski races for Montana State in Bozeman, and one who attends Gonzaga Prep and ski races for Schweitzer Alpine Racing School.

Welcome! My name is Tina Davis. I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

In my spare time I enjoy water coloring, reading, photography (digital camera), camping, and spending time with my family and friends.

I have a M.Ed. Degree from the University of Idaho. I hold an Elementary Teaching Certificate in both Washington and Idaho. I also hold an Idaho State Computer Competency Certificate from Boise State University.

This is my seventh year of teaching Kindergarten in private school in Washington State. Pioneer School is a wonderful school for highly capable students in Kindergarten through Grade Five. I have a great love for teaching and for children. I especially love teaching at Pioneer School! It is my home away from home...

Welcome! My name is Darla Eaton and I'm excited to join the community at Pioneer School. Before becoming a teacher I spent several years lending a hand with a variety of subjects and methodologies as an APPLE parent. Some are familiar with this District #81 program focusing on parent involvement to create an educational community. It was this experience that inspired me to become a teacher focused on experiential learning. Pioneer School is a wonderful fit for my collaborative approach to teaching. I graduated from Gonzaga University with certification in Elementary Education in 2003. Since then I have worked mainly in West Valley School District, with assignments ranging from a year at the Outdoor Learning Center to teaching a multi-age, gifted class. When not in the classroom I'm usually cooking, riding my bike or refusing my teenagers' frequent requests for money!

Hello, my name is Casi Skeie-Gronenthal and I am proud to be a 9th year Pioneer School teacher! Let me tell you a little about myself. My junior year of high school I was selected by my peers to be a “natural helper.” This meant that several other classmates and myself would be given the opportunity to travel around the district, visiting and working with elementary school students. It took only one visit and I was hooked! Upon graduating from high school, I entered Eastern Washington University's teaching program. I took breaks here and there to marry my wonderful husband of 18 years and welcome our son and twin daughters into the world, but graduated with honors in June of 1998. After a move to Post Falls, Idaho, I entered the University of Idaho’s Master’s Degree program with an emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction. I graduated in 2006. My love of learning continues and my hope is to enroll in a doctoral program emphasizing educational leadership in 2014, the year my twin daughters graduate from high school. Throughout the many and varied experiences from which I have benefitted as an educator, my educational philosophy has changed little in form, but dramatically in fervor. Two significant beliefs remain, experience and expectation. Never have I felt more vehemently for the need of higher expectations for our students and schools. Not only do learners intellectually benefit from striving toward a lofty goal, but they find more pleasure and success in the journey.

Greetings! I am excited to join the community of Pioneer School. I bring over 14 years experience designing and teaching thematic/project based learning. My background includes extensive training and experience teaching the sciences, reading, writing and technology integration.

While teaching in Spokane, I became certified for Project Learning Tree, Project Wet and Project Wild through the West Valley Outdoor Learning Center. Each of these programs incorporates core skills (math, science, history and English) and standards in creative, hands-on learning experiences for students. My outdoor education ventures have taken me on grant funded teacher research projects studying the mountain meadows of the Cascade Mountain range with Earthwatch and GPS/GIS navigation of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Montana State University. These expeditions lead to my being chosen to work with ESD 189 to create a multi-grade level curriculum that incorporates research skills and tools with Washington State Standards. I hold a Bachelors of Science from The College of Idaho and a Masters of Science in Technology Integration in the Classroom.

Beyond the classroom, I coach soccer, participate in summer youth programs, service learning activities, and educational competitions. One of my greatest joys as an educator is to see students learn and flourish when they are given the opportunity to work creatively through a project.

Kindergarten Classroom Aide, Christy Baumann ~ First/Second Grade Classroom Aide, Sabine Schmick

First/Second Grade Writing Aide, Sharon Molter ~ Second/Third and Fourth/Fifth Classroom and Testing Aide, Arliss Rothwell

Art (1-5), Kristy Busch

Computer Skills (3-5), Gary DuVall

P.E. (K-5), Maria LaSeur

Spanish, Betsy DeHaas (3-5) and Mayto Layman (K-2)

Optional Classes: Piano, Carol Murray and Violin, Margie Heller