Montana Small Schools Alliance
Helping rural school districts meet state and federal standards in educationally sound ways.
Created in 1996 by the University of Montana-Western, Rural Education Center, Montana State University-
Bozeman, Montana Department of Education, The Montana Association of County School Superintendents, and The Montana School Boards Association.
Board Members and Staff
Janelle Beers
Executive Director
Carolyn Hall, Board Chair
Lake County Superintendent of
Schools
Molly Lloyd
Powder River County Superintendent
Dr. Jayne Downey
Education Department MSU-Bozeman, NREA Executive Committee
Dr. Katrina Kennett
University of Montana Western Education Faculty
MSSA Board
Sharon Anderson
Montana School Boards Association
Erin Lipkind
Missoula County Superintendent of Schools, Library Standards Specialist
Laurie Bartoletti
Counseling Specialist
Linda Sunderlin
MSSA Office Manager
NREA Hall of Fame
Dr. Claudette Morton
NREA Hall of Fame 2016
Jules Waber
NREA Hall of Fame 2019
2026 MACSS Teacher of the Year
Monica Mattson
2026 MACSS Teacher of the Year goes to Monica Mattson. A 20-year teacher at Cottonwood Schools, Monica teaches in a one-room K–8 setting, where she provides individualized instruction and builds strong relationships with every student.
Monica is a certified K–8 teacher with a minor in reading. She has served as a lead teacher and curriculum director and was instrumental in authoring the first two phases of her school’s accreditation plan. In addition to managing the daily responsibilities of teaching multiple grade levels, she also oversees operations across two campuses, including one near the Canadian border.
Montana Rural Teachers of the Year
Seth Coombe
Cardwell School, 2025
Seth Coombe
Important Documents
Click to Download
Programs
Meeting the Needs of Montana's Small Schools
MSSA Professional Development and Curriculum Consortium
The Montana Small Schools Professional Development and Curriculum Consortium is one of the major programs of the Alliance. Starting in 1996, the Alliance has provided more than eight hundred day-long workshops to multi-grade school districts and small K-12 districts helping them create curriculum, instruction, and assessments, to meet state and federal standards. Each year the consortium has grown to serve more school districts. In 2025 the consortium is serving over 150 school districts throughout Montana in various programs. The MSSA developed a team of member teachers that continually aligns MSSA curriculum to the Montana Content Standards in all disciplines. The member section holds full K-12 curriculum, completely aligned. Language for Accreditation and Title II grants are additional features of Consortium membership.
