The Monument View Montessori Charter School Board of Directors will be comprised of from five to seven members, and will always include a majority of parents. The Board will be elected by the parents/guardians of the students attending Monument View Montessori Charter School and will operate according to the by-laws laid out by the school’s operating committee.

The MVMCS Board of Directors regularly meets on the third Wednesday of each month. Due to Covid, meetings are held virtually unless otherwise specified on the MVM online calendar.

Board of Directors

Taylor Bennett (President, Fundraising)

August 2022 – August 2024

Contact Info: t.bennett@mvmcharter.org

Taylor Bennett is a certified secondary English and math teacher and works for an education company that specializes in homeschool support. She met her husband Justin while going to school at the University of Arizona and they were married in 2015. They welcomed their sons, Luke in 2017, Camden in 2018, and Owen in 2020. They moved from Arizona to Fruita Colorado in 2020 and have enjoyed the small-town feel and recreational opportunities as well as the weather!

Chelsie Hess, Ph.D. (Vice President)

August 2021 – August 2023

Chelsie has an M.A. in School Counseling and previously served as a licensed school counselor for the State of Colorado. She has a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with a doctoral specialty in Child Development from the University of Northern Colorado.

As an Associate Professor of Psychology at Colorado Mesa University, she taught Development courses and advocated for quality early education for children. Chelsie now serves in an applied research role for a research firm serving children and families through community and education program evaluations.

Chelsie’s children have attended Montessori programs since the age of 18 months of age. Chelsie and her children spend time in the mountains of Colorado— skiing, hiking, rafting, and camping.

Scott Ingram (Treasurer)

September 2022 – September 2024

Scott Ingram is the marketing director for a student travel and education company that takes students to communities in countries around the world. He previously was a field instructor for gap year programs and taught English in a high school in Nagasaki, Japan. He and his wife, Liesel, moved from Ridgway, CO, to Grand Junction in 2017 for the warmer winters and larger community. They welcomed their daughter, Juniper, in 2017 and their son, Ren, in 2019. They are excited to continue a Montessori education for their children in the Grand Valley.

Stephanie Stelljes

October 2022 – October 2024

Stephanie Stelljes has her Master’s of Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education and Inclusive Classroom. She has been involved in the early childhood profession for over 25 years. She owned and operated a licensed childcare facility for 13 years and currently teaches for the Early Childhood Department at Western Colorado Community College/Colorado Mesa University and provides coaching and training in her community. Stephanie is a Grand Junction, Colorado native and enjoys hiking and camping in the beautiful mountains and monuments that surround the Grand Valley.