The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

F.E. Miley Elementary school has a new 2nd grade teacher for the 23-24 school year. Bonnie Bauer came to Big Sandy from Great Falls with 9 years of classroom experience under her belt, including several years in Great Falls schools and 6 years in Sydney, Montana.

Bonnie has lived in Montana since 2007, when her family moved to Great Falls. She attended High School there, but went on to explain that the majority of her childhood was spent moving around the country. "I kind of grew up all over. My parents met in Missoula, so my family's kind of from Montana. That's where they got married. They moved right after they got married to Lancaster, California, near Los Angeles." Her father worked in the aviation industry, eventually signing on with Northrop Grumman, which moved the Bauer family to Louisiana. "Then the opportunity came up to move the family to Montana. They'd always planned on retiring in Montana. But, when we were in high school, there was a job opportunity, and my parents thought it would be a good move for us. So, my Dad took a job in Great Falls. That's where my family is kind of been based since then. I can't imagine living anywhere else. I didn't want to stay in Montana in high school. But now, having lived here for half my life, I can't imagine living in any other state. It's so beautiful. The people are great no matter where you go and it's quiet.

Bonnie went to college in Missoula, where she earned her degree in Elementary Education, though she indicates that she did not set out to become a teacher. "I felt a lot of pressure in high school to pick a career. They were constantly pestering us with 'What are you going to study in college? What are you going to do with your life?' What 17 year old knows that? And you always hear the phrase, 'If you can't do, teach.' I thought teaching was easy. I've learned it's not easy, but just because I wanted the counselors to stop pestering me, I said, 'Fine. I'll do elementary education.' And I ended up falling in love with it. So it was a happy accident. But I wasn't a little girl dreaming of being a teacher."

Bonnie says that of the many things she loves about teaching is working with kids. "I can be my normal, goofy self. And, I mean, with kids, there's no judgment. You can be silly and goofy, and they just go right along with it. They might look at you like you're crazy, but they're gonna go along with it, because they're probably just as crazy."

Big Sandy has been a good fit for Bonnie so far. "Teachers seem to be more supported here by families and by administration than in Great Falls." She also said the small town relaxed atmosphere is a huge positive. In addition, she loves the mountain scenery, which she sorely missed while teaching in Sydney.

When she isn't teaching, Bonnie spends much of her time coaching. "I actually run an online health and wellness business. I partner with the company Beachbody, they're now known as Bodi. I help my clients get set up in a wellness, routine fitness, manage nutrition, and with their mindset." The work requires her to do a lot of her own personal growth work. "I listen to a lot of business and personal growth podcasts and audible books, because I don't have the patience to sit and read." Bonnie has been doing the coaching work for four years and enjoys the fitness and wellness regime that comes with it.

In addition to her parents, Bonnie has two younger brothers. Her biological brother and a friend of her brother, who became a part of the family when he moved in with her family during High School. She lives with her Golden Retriever-Labrador mix, who she is looking forward to sharing adventures with in the Bears Paw Mountains during her time teaching in our community.