About Us
Our Mission and Vision
For typically developing children, learning is a natural process. Children are born with an innate drive to explore and make sense of their world. A baby put into an empty room will seek out a piece of lint, pick it up, look at it closely, and put it in his or her mouth. This is how children learn. They interact with people and their environment, taking in sensory information, making connections with previous knowledge, and furthering their understanding.
A rich environment maximizes children’s learning opportunities. Remember the baby in the empty room? Now let’s put a young child in a room with blue, yellow, and red paint at an easel, wooden blocks on the floor stacked waist high, a light table with translucent colored tiles resting on top, beautiful picture books set on a low shelf, an acoustic guitar leaning against a comfy couch, two eager guinea pigs waiting to be held and fed grass, a large tub full of warm bubbly water and funnels sitting on a table, and a wooden slide in the corner.
This is the learning environment at Gold Mountain Community School.
Gold Mountain Community School’s teaching philosophy is inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to preschool and primary education. Click here to learn more information –
Meet Miss Leeanne
“I believe children deserve the very best childhood experiences. They deserve opportunities to explore and discover, to get messy, to climb and tumble, to struggle and succeed, and to follow their ideas and passions.
They need loving adults who are nearby to help and comfort, who read stories and sing songs, and who see children as real people with real feelings and needs. Children need the space and time to do the very important work of childhood, which is play: the simple process of interacting with people and things to figure out how it all works.
I have created Gold Mountain as a gift to my community and a place where we can all learn, grow, share and play.”
– Miss Leeanne
Leeanne Noble is the Owner and Lead Teacher at Gold Mountain Community School. She has been teaching and learning from children for over 30 years. She has cared for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, school-aged kids, and children with special needs in a variety of educational settings. Leeanne has a B.S. in Elementary Education, years of special training in child development and early childhood education, and she is a member of the National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). She also works as a trainer for the Idaho Stars program. Miss Leeanne continues to read books, journal, and attend workshops and conferences with the sole mission of understanding how children learn so she can provide them with the best experiences possible.
A Little Background
“Having a place like Gold Mountain Community School became a dream for me when I first entered the early childhood field in 1986, as a sixteen year old, after-school preschool assistant. I quickly found I had a natural ability to connect with young children and a passion for providing them with rich and meaningful learning experiences. When I entered the University of Idaho in Elementary Education, I used my part-time teaching position as a lab to continue to explore my classroom lessons — fascinated with what I was learning.
Over time, I grew to view children as competent, avid learners and myself less of a teacher and authority, and more as a learner researcher alongside the children. During my life, I’ve continually wondered why people don’t see children in the same way that I do (i.e., competent and worthy of respect and a place at the table). Why are children considered “less than” or inferior people who need to be quiet, compliant, and not have opposing points of view? Why do we section them off from the rest of society until they are 18 and expect them to successfully navigate a world they have had little involvement in and no influence over? Is this disconnect really serving our society? How did we grow so far apart and how do we come together again?”
“I have come to believe that children are our world’s greatest untapped resource. Naturally compassionate, they are full of ability and potential. All they truly need is the space, time, and proper support to unfold into the people they already are.
Over the years, I have worked in many different educational programs and experienced the gamut of teaching styles. My pressing question has always been: who are young children and how can we best support their development into kind, compassionate, and responsible community members? Along the way, that question has been answered by top leaders and organizations in the field of early childhood education, including Magda Gerber, NAEYC, Bev Bos, and the Reggio Emilia approach (among many others). Together with their support, and combined with over 30 plus years of experience on the job, my dream of Gold Mountain Community School was born.
Gold Mountain first opened its doors in 2012. It is the culmination of all my experiences and research into learning thus far. It provides the kinds of spaces, routines, and activities that truly support children’s deep need for safety, belonging, and understanding. It is where children have the freedom to be themselves, to explore their passions while growing and learning together in a safe, nurturing community. Gold Mountain is where everyone belongs.”
– Miss Leeanne
