Dan Grabowska
Dan Grabowska has been in education for over 25 years, 20 of those as an administrator. Currently, he serves as Park City Schools Superintendent and 7-12 Principal since 2014. ACE has been an excellent organization for schools in his ever-increasing region. ACE provides some of the best professional development opportunities in the state, as well as progressive curriculum work. He finds it a challenge to work with an organization that is so progressive and such a positive resource for our schools.
Superintendent Park City Schools
PO Box 278
Park City, MT 59063
406-633-2350
Nicole Hanson
Nicole Hanson has been an educator for 19 years. She graduated from Montana State-Billings in 2003 with a degree in Elementary Education. She taught in Idaho for 6 years before returning to Montana where she taught in Roundup for 10 years. Nicole earned her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Rocky Mountain College in 2014. Nicole has been married to her husband Ben for 19 years and has two beautiful children, Ian and Rylan. She is currently has been Lavina’s Superintendent since 2020.
Nicole believes in the power of education as a tool to shape the future of students. An important part of education is embedded within the ACE’s mission of providing meaningful curriculum and relevant resources to build the capacity of educators as they support students to achieve proficiency.
Superintendent Lavina School
PO Box 290
Lavina, MT 59046
(406)636-2761
Tobin Novasio
Tobin Novasio is a native of south-central Montana having attended elementary school, high school, and college in the area. He is now in his 13th year as a Superintendent overall, 11th at an ACE member school, and 7th at Lockwood Schools. He believes ACE is important to his students and staff as it provides the opportunity to be involved in collaboration with fellow educators from across the region and top-flight results-oriented professional development. “We is greater than me” and students in all member schools benefit from the work done by ACE.
Superintendent Lockwood Schools
1932 US Highway 87 East
Lockwood, Montana 59101
(406) 252-6022 x.4
John Fitzgerald
John Fitzgerald has been in education for 19 years. He has been in Red Lodge since 2003, and became superintendent in 2013. Prior to Red Lodge, he served as a 4/5th-grade teacher, principal and activities for Roosevelt Middle School and John also taught in Cut Bank as a 4th-grade teacher. John is married to Annie and has three children, Kate, Nolan, and Shea. They live in Red Lodge and love the community.
John enjoys his position as superintendent and the challenges it brings. He believes in the standards and will continue to provide students with a rigorous curriculum and a safe atmosphere. Johns was excited to join the ACE Board to bring his perspective and collaborate with colleagues in hopes of continuing the consortium’s vision and mission. John believes in the standards that ACE has established, and wants to ensure ACE continues to provide districts with the best curricular and professional development available.
Superintendent Red Lodge Schools
Box 1090
Red Lodge, MT 59068
(406) 446-2110
Heather Jarrett, Board Chair
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” – Confucius
From an early age, she wanted to be a teacher because she loves learning and school. In 2002, she graduated from Montana State University – Billings with a Bachelor of Science in Art Education. Heather continued her education by also completing a Traffic Education endorsement as well as a Family and Consumer Sciences degree and taught in Absarokee, Big Timber and in Reed Point. With Heather’s love of learning and teaching, it became evident that instructional leadership would be her next career goal. In 2014, Heather graduated from Rocky Mountain College with a Master of Educational Leadership. Upon the completion of her degree, Reed Point Schools offered her an assistant administrator position, alongside teaching duties. For the 2018-2019 school year, she became the Superintendent/Principal for Reed Point Schools. Confucius was right, Heather chose her dream job and looks forward to it every day.
Serving students and teachers are her personal and professional goals which are the basis for her interest in serving on the ACE Board of Directors. Heather would like to help further the organization and the services it provides to schools. ACE has provided high-quality professional development to her school that would otherwise not have been possible. The growth she has personally received over the years is something that she wants to both pass on and pay forward.
Superintendent Reed Point Schools
PO Box 338
Reed Point, MT 59069
406-326-2245
Mark Wandle
Mark has taught social studies and health enhancement in North Dakota and Montana since 1992. He has spent 20 years in the Huntley Project School District and served as a teacher and coach (1999-2009), principal (2009-2017), and now superintendent (2017-present). Mark feels blessed to have a wonderful wife, Sarah, and two wonderful daughters. Brynn is 13 and Raegan is 10. Mark loves to be outdoors, learn by hands-on experiences and values the US Military and the sacrifices made by those who serve and their families.
Mark chose to be a part of the ACE board to help analyze and assess the areas of ongoing curriculum support that is beneficial to the member schools. He believes the collaboration of the ACE school districts is valuable and helps the school districts meet the ongoing demands and changes in curriculum and professional support. The practical and positive connection is a valuable resource.
Superintendent Mark Wandle
1477 Ash Street
Worden, MT 59088
406-967-2540 ext 601
Darren Strauch
Darren is in his 24th year in education with 18 years experience as a school administrator. He taught Social Studies for students in grades 7-12 in Opheim and Harrison, MT before taking the job as Principal at Harrison for two years. He stepped in as Superintendent in Harrison and served in the role six years before moving to Monforton, a rapidly growing K-8 school in Bozeman. While only in his second year with the ACE Consortium, he has been impressed with their innovative work with curriculum and standards-based grading and is honored to serve as a representative for schools on the western side of the consortium.
Superintendent, Monforton Elementary School
6001 Monforton School Road
Bozeman, MT 59718
(406) 586-1557 x101