Hey there! 

I'm Ms. Montana, one of the social workers working at Global Arts Plus Lower, and I will primarily being working with students receiving Special Ed services, but I am here to be a support and resource for all our GAP students, families, and community! 

This is my first year with Saint Paul Public Schools and GAP Lower and I am incredibly excited to be here! Before joining SPPS as a School Social Worker, I was living in Oklahoma, where I started my career in education teaching PreK for 2 years before transitioning into a role working at a community mental health center as an Behavioral Health specialist. For 3 years I was based in a local elementary school within Oklahoma City and working with students, staff, and the school district to implement trauma-informed interventions and provide students and their families access to additional mental health support, social emotional learning opportunities, and community resources without them ever having to leave the school building!  The program was so successful in the first few years that the OKC Public School District decided to start similar programs at every school district-wide during the 2021-22 school year and I was asked to step into a leadership role in that process. I acted as the Project Director for my agency and 12 schools and helped to get supports and services set up in each building, before I stepped down in August of 2022. Since then, I have graduated from the University of Denver with a Masters in Social Work and a certificate in Animal Assisted Therapy and made the move to Minnesota!

When I'm not at school, I love spending time outside with my dogs, reading, gardening, and visiting new coffee shops in search of the best latte I can find!

If you have any questions, needs, or just want to say 'hello', please don't hesitate to reach out! I'm here to provide support, advocacy, and be a link to resources so that each of our GAP students can be their best and favorite selves!