ABOUT OUR SCHOOLHOUSE

Little Red Schoolhouse was dreamt up, designed, and built in 2001 by Jessica Rutherford and Jamie Johnson. Originally consisting of only a downstairs space with a capacity of 15 kids, they taught and administrated together up until Jamie moved away and Jessica bought her out in 2004. Since then, Jessica has done the expansion to the upstairs space and then the new Teeny Red building which opened in October of 2008. Little Red is an S-Corporation and is not non-profit.

Meet Jessica Rutherford,
Owner & Director

Jessica graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1990, Georgetown University in 1994, and got her elementary teaching certificate from Western Colorado University in 1999. She has lived in Crested Butte since 1994 and has one beautiful daughter Amelia, born in 2003. It has been a wonderful spot to raise a child!

Little Red Schoolhouse has been and continues to be an amazingly rewarding career for Jessica, and it is definitely a dream fulfilled. Kids are her passion and a great way to spend her days. Little Red celebrated its 20-year birthday in September of 2021, and Jessica is incredibly grateful for all of the wonderful years…we’ve almost come full circle!

 Meet our Teachers

Featured
Ms. Kerri
Ms. Kerri

Hi my name is Kerri Councilman. I was born and raised here in Crested Butte. However spent my sophomore and junior year of high school in Corpus Christi Texas. I returned for my senior year and graduated in 2007. I then went to Western State College were I studied chemistry and English with an emphasis in creative writing. My interest in teaching came from a young age when I aided in classrooms with children from 1st to 4th grade. I’m currently working on getting my CBA in early education. Outside of school my passions are art (which I do like to bring in the classroom) cooking, skiing and anything outside. I feel it’s a privilege to be able to teach children in the town I grew up in because this place is truly special and I’m happy to be able to share it.

Ms. Nina
Ms. Nina

Hi! My name is Nina. I grew up in New York and moved to Gunnison in 2022. I lived and went to school in Burlington, VT before deciding it was time for a change in scenery. I am currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with an emphasis on Child and Adolescent Development. I’ve been working with young people since 2017, specifically in an outdoor setting. Most recently, I led a 26 day backpacking expedition in the San Juan Mountains. I became a Wilderness EMT in the spring of 2022. I love sharing my passions and playing a part in a child’s development. In my free time, you can find me backpacking, making art, brewing my own kombucha and petting as many dogs as I can find.

Brier
Brier

Hi everyone! I’m Brier and I have been working in childcare and Early Childhood Education for 7 years! I started as a counselor in training at 14, as an enrichment counselor for a summer program in my home state of Vermont. I am also currently pursuing a double major of History and Secondary Education at Western! I love creating art as an integrative form of education and love creating a fun engaging environment in the classroom. I am excited to see what the future holds at Little Red Schoolhouse!

Ms. Emily
Ms. Emily

Hi I’m Emily! I'm originally from Seattle, WA. About 7 years ago I moved out of the city and started adventuring in the mountains and on the rivers. I spent 5 years river guiding in Montana, Oregon, and Texas. I absolutely loved it but as many of you may have experienced yourselves, this valley stole my heart and I haven’t been able to leave. In August of 2022 I was searching for a new steady job and Little Red turned out to be the perfect fit! I truly do enjoy my days spending my time with all of your wonderful children!

Ms. Chloe
Ms. Chloe

Hi there! My name is Chloe Miller. I was born and raised in Longmont, Colorado and now I happily reside in Gunnison as a student at Western Colorado University. If I am not in class, you can find me hiking, camping, running, skiing, and enjoying any time I can outdoors. I am currently working towards earning my bachelor’s degree in Recreation and Outdoor Education with an emphasis in Outdoor Leadership. My family is full of educators, so my passion for working with children didn’t fall too far from the tree! Over the years, I have spent my time assisting in afterschool programs, summer camps, and nannying positions. I find a great sense of purpose and fulfillment in nurturing others and being granted the opportunity to positively impact another person’s life. Working with children has changed my life for the better. I look forward to meeting your child and watching them grow!

Ms. Erin
Ms. Erin

Hi! My name is Erin and I am from Longmont, Colorado. I moved out here to go to school at Western Colorado University and to run track (pole vault!) I graduated from Niwot High School in 2019 and now I am currently in my 4th year at Western getting my BA in Psychology with a minor in Biology and Early Childhood Education. My goal is to graduate and go to University of Oregon and get my PhD in Clinical Child Psychology, but we’ll see! I have been at Little and Teeny Red since 2021 and it is something that I genuinely enjoy doing. In the past year and a half I have formed connections with the kids and have gotten to watch them grow. This is a wonderful experience to be a part of! Outside of work I am usually doing homework, training, or reading a good book!

Ms. Nellie
Ms. Nellie

My name is Nellie Johnson. I am originally from Phoenix, Arizona. I moved to Colorado in 2012. I was adopted at the age of four. I am a proud mother of two sons and happily married. In 2019, I obtained my Child Development Associate (CDA) and started working in early childhood education. Since then, I’ve gained experience working with children of all ages in urban and rural areas. Since achieving my CDA I have enrolled in the Pyramid Model course to continue developing my early education teaching skills. This passion for working with children started in 2012 when I went to the Dominican Republic and Haiti to help teach English in schools and visit orphanages.

Ms. Mary
Ms. Mary

HI! My name is Mary. I’m a Colorado native from Boulder. I grew up in Boulder and spent a lot of time traveling the world with my family. My mom is a middle school teacher and my dad is a retired professor for the University of Colorado. Because of them, I have always been interested working in education with the younger age groups. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Adult Fitness and Exercise Science from Metropolitan State University in Denver. I worked in Montessori for 5 years before joining the Boulder Journey School Teacher Education Program, and received my degree in Educational Psychology with a focus in Early Childhood Education and the Reggio Emilia Approach to Education from University of Colorado. While in the program I visited a few of the original ECE schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. I have worked with groups aging from infants to kindergarten for the past several years. I have always been passionate about young children and their desire to learn. Currently I am living in Gunnison Valley with my husband and 2 boys, Riker and Ridley. We love living in Colorado! In my free time I enjoy being outside, spending time with my family, and watching my boys grow.

Ms. Mikahla
Ms. Mikahla

Hi! I’m from Denver and originally moved to Crested Butte in 2007. I moved back in 2020 after living in Athens, Ohio for a couple years. I have a BA in Biology from WCU. I am a certified Infant/Toddler Lead Teacher and have been working with children for the last 10 years. I worked at Teeny Red from 2014-2018 and I’m so happy to be back! I enjoy working with children and watching them grow and learn, from infants all the way through PreK and beyond. I love being able to guide them to being independent, socially/emotionally confident, compassionate children. Outside of work I enjoy snowboarding, hiking, and being outdoors as much as possible.

Interested in working at Little Red and Teeny Red?

 

"We live in Lake Irwin now and commute by snowcat and then car to Little Red. Before that we commuted from Almont. We make the extra drive because we love the nurturing and stimulating environment Little Red provides our children. The teachers are extremely knowledgable and support our children’s interests and strengths as well as work on any areas our children need help with. There is great communication between children and parents which provides a true team approach to teaching our children as they grow older. Since joining Little Red my children have become more independent and confident in themselves and take a strong interest in the world around them. For those of you who don’t live right in CB South, it’s well worth the extra drive."

Samantha S.