Meet the Teachers!

 Farm Fresh Learning has three teachers working in different capacities to serve your children. Jill Exe, Zoe Exe, and Catherine Strand are excited to meet you!

Jill Exe

Jill Exe is a graduate of Frenchtown High School’s class of 1981. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education, K-8, from Montana State University in Bozeman, later adding endorsements in English as a Second Language and Reading. After graduating from college, Jill taught for the Houston Independent School District in Houston, Texas. Six years later, she returned to Frenchtown and then moved to the most northern village in the United States, Barrow, on the North Slope of Alaska. She taught at Ipalook Elementary and Hopson Middle School in Barrow and became highly qualified as a Language Arts teacher. Her arctic experience expanded after moving to the very small community of Kaktovik, Alaska where she taught a variety of multi-grade classes from grades 3-8. Jill’s final class in Alaska, 1st grade, was located in the small village of Kalskag in the Kuspuk School District. She retired after teaching 31 years. 

Jill’s educational strengths focus on developing plans that cater to a child’s individual learning needs and creating an environment that fosters students taking risks, problem solving, working independently and with others, being creative, and persevering all while developing their abilities to speak, write, read and work well with numbers. Jill believes in using her skills and love for learning to build relationships with the children and their families so that each child attains his/her educational goals that are critical to becoming successful lifelong learners.

Zoe Exe

Zoe hailed from New York prior to moving to Missoula and marrying Jill’s younger brother. They moved to Frenchtown when their first child, now 8, was born. Since then Zoe has been a homemaker, cook and baker, mother, gardener, and crafter. There are always one or two craft projects underway at home. Her family now includes a second son, 2½,  and they all enjoy playing in Mill Creek and other rivers and lakes of Montana. Her boys are great rock pickers and love the splashes they make when hitting the water. As a family, they also enjoy rides in and on ATVs.

After a decade away from classrooms, she is excited to be working with your children at our new preschool.  Zoe worked in a private Waldorf Preschool and believes in the importance of educating the whole child, “head, heart, and hands.” Waldorf staff guide children through play and investigation, as well as artistic and practical activities.

Catherine Strand

Our Lead Teacher, Catherine (Katie) Strand, earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from the College of Saint Mary in Omaha, NE; she later added an endorsement for Early Childhood Education. She spent eight years as a preschool and Kindergarten teacher in Kaktovik, Alaska, and she loves finding new ways to bring the magic of reading alive for children! She is excited to provide the scaffolding students need to begin learning to read and write in primary school. Along with her library of classic and modern children’s literature, Katie brings with her a love of learning with music, puppets, and her excitement for early childhood education! In her free time, Katie is writing a book, loves trivia, and traveling.