Bulldogs New Teachers

Name: Addison Howard 

College: University of Wyoming

What and where do you teach and/or coach?

I am the new fifth grade teacher at Lovell Elementary School.

What is your background? Where are you from? What is your professional experience?

I was born and raised in Powell. During my student teaching I was fortunate to be placed in this district under the guidance of my incredible mentor teacher, Marilyn Tillett. After earning my teaching license I began my career in Meeteetse, where I am grateful for the valuable experiences that helped me grow both personally and professionally.

Tell us about your family.

I feel incredibly blessed by the support of my family. I would not be where I am today without their constant encouragement and guidance throughout the years.

Why did you get into education as a profession, and what do you like the most about teaching?

I have always loved working with children and knew from a young age that I wanted to make a positive impact on their lives. Teaching has been the perfect way to follow that dream. I truly enjoy spending my days with my smart, spunky,and caring students. My greatest hope is that each child leaves my classroom knowing I will always be cheering them on throughout their lives.

What is your teaching philosophy? How do you get the most out of students and inspire them to learn?

My teaching philosophy is centered around the belief that every child is capable of doing great things when they feel supported, believed in and empowered. I try to create a classroom environment where students feel valued, respected and confident in themselves. By encouraging them to take risks, celebrating their growth and recognizing their strengths, I hope to help them see that they have the power to accomplish more than they ever thought possible. 

What are you most looking forward to this school year?

I look forward to another great year of teaching and reminding kiddos just how special they are.

Name: Chelsea Craw

College: I attended MSU Bozeman and BYU Idaho, exploring the fields of motion picture, Spanish education and photography.

What and where do you teach and/or coach?

I am the new preschool para for Lovell Elementary.

What is your background? Where are you from? What is your professional experience?

I was raised in Orlando, Florida, graduated from Absarokee High School in Montana, and served a Spanish-speaking mission in Dallas, Texas. My husband and I spent nine years together in Montana, five years in Tennessee and two years in Wyoming. I homeschooled my four children while we lived in Nashville, worked in food service, coached volleyball and track at the schools in Greybull and substituted here in Lovell.

Tell us about your family.

My husband, Adam Craw, is currently teaching math at Lovell High School. He previously taught band and choir. We have four children, Lydia, 15, Damion, 13, Madelyn, 10, and Avary, 8. Our family loves getting together with extended family, singing, playing music, volleyball, pickleball, board games and driving across the country to revisit other places we have lived. We are grateful to have found this community in Lovell, where we can raise our kids.

Why did you get into education as a profession, and what do you like the most about teaching?

I love kids, and I enjoy working around them. It’s fun to see their enthusiasm for learning, and I want to be a positive influence to help them become the best they can be.

What is your teaching philosophy? How do you get the most out of students and inspire them to learn?

I want each child to know that they are noticed and loved. I will smile often, listen to their concerns and be there to help them find joy in their accomplishments.

What are you most looking forward to this school year?

After meeting the kids at a recent preschool open house, I am very excited to have them in class and to get to know each of their personalities. I look forward to working with Jennifer Franks, who does such a great job as a teacher. I have noticed that last year’s preschool class just adores her.

Name: Adam Craw

College: Montana State University

What and where do you teach and/or coach?

I teach Algebra I and Algebra II at Lovell High School. I’m also a driving instructor for Lovell’s Driver’s Ed program.

What is your background? Where are you from? What is your professional experience?

I am from Polson, Montana. This is my eighth year teaching. I previously taught 5 – 12 band and choir in Thompson Falls, Montana, and Greybull. I also spent five years in Nashville, Tennessee, pursuing a music songwriting, recording and performing career.

Tell us about your family.

I met my wife Chelsea at college in Bozeman, Montana. We have been married for 16½ years. We have four children. Lydia is 15, Damion is 13, Madelyn is 10, and Avary is 8. We also have a dog named Nilla.

Why did you get into education as a profession, and what do you like the most about teaching?

I became a teacher because I like spending time with the kids. They are all unique, and each of them have different talents. I enjoy watching them grow and improve and realize their potential. I hope to be able to guide and influence them for good and build their confidence if I can. 

What is your teaching philosophy? How do you get the most out of students and inspire them to learn?

“The only way to learn math is to do math.” We practice math until we understand the principles that will help us solve future problems. We continue to build on what we know and sometimes fill in gaps that we discover along the way. It’s important to remember that education is not the end goal but rather a process that we should continually enjoy and pursue.

What are you most looking forward to this school year?

Getting to know the students and staff at LHS. So far, the people in Lovell have been very welcoming and supportive of our family as we begin to put down roots here. We are excited to be involved in the community here and hope to make many new friends.

Name: Allison Kitchen

College: Colorado State University

What and where do you teach and/or coach? 

I teach K-5 STEAM at Lovell Elementary (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math).

What is your background? Where are you from? What is your professional experience?

My family and I moved here from our hometown of Loveland, Colorado. I graduated from CSU with a degree in human development and family studies. I began teaching second and third grade right out of college and spent eight years serving countless families in the town I loved and grew up in. My family had been serving Loveland through our real estate brokerage since 1922, so after eight years in education I decided to join my family and step into the world of real estate. After 10 years of success, continued relationships with the families of former students and countless clients, my husband and I decided it was time to find a town that felt more like the Loveland we grew up in. We wanted something different than the growth and change that Colorado has been steadily prioritizing over the last decade. While we miss our families a great deal, we are so thankful our community here has welcomed us so completely.  

Tell us about your family.

My husband, Jeremiah, and I met our junior year of high school and married in 2007. We have two incredible kids, Mason, an eighth grader, and Eleanor, a fourth grader. They may look identical to us as parents, but they are wholly their own amazing young people, and moving to Wyoming really helped both of them step into their own personalities and independence. Jeremiah owns a handyman and remodel company, Big Horn Home Services. He owned a similar company in Colorado for seven years prior to our move, and has wasted no time making a name for himself in our community. His resume is impressive, and his client recommendations are top notch. When we are not at work and school we all love to be outside, enjoying all of the beauty found in creation. Camping, hunting, fishing, reading, gardening, spending time with our church family and laughing are at the very top of our to-do lists in our free time.

Why did you get into education as a profession, and what do you like the most about teaching?

I chose to enter education when I was a third grader myself. I had a teacher who was beyond wonderful, and I will never forget how she encouraged me and held high expectations of her students and how much fun I had learning. As soon as I graduated high school, I went directly into the teaching program and graduated four years later. I loved working in the school district I grew up in and enjoyed knowing my students and families both within our school walls and outside, as well. I love the natural curiosity that kids have, and I’ve tried to keep my own wonder alive and well. My mantra is, “The more we wonder, the more we’ll learn.”

What is your teaching philosophy? How do you get the most out of students and inspire them to learn?

My teaching philosophy is centered around the fact that as students are given opportunities to trust their teachers, and really all adults in their lives, their learning can really be ignited. My goal is for kids to know they can trust me to care about them, trust they can make mistakes and trust that I believe they are wonderfully worthy of my time and attention. I inspire my students with my genuine love of learning and my authentic excitement over seeing them succeed and persist. Recognizing student success gives way to healthy confidence, and mistakes cultivate the belief that each of them can most certainly do hard things.

What are you most looking forward to this school year?

I am so excited to get to know each and every kiddo, what they are interested in and how we can continue to connect and find common ground. These kids have so much ahead of them, and I feel so honored to be a part of their journeys.