Helena High has a new assistant principal this year: Mrs. Julie TeNyenhuis, who has taken the role formerly filled by Ms. Stephanie Thennis.

Mrs. TeNyenhuis decided to move here last year around this time with her husband and two children. Her husband had been vacationing in Montana every year since he was a kid and went to Sun River to fish. They decided they needed a change and started applying for jobs.

She actually only applied for one job while her husband applied for a few, and he got employed first. The only job that she applied for was at Helena Public Schools. She was told that there weren’t any job openings. Then she got a call and she got the job.

Before moving to Montana, Mrs. TeNyenhuis lived in Colorado and New York.  “I lived at three different places at three different stages of my life They were all pretty awesome, but I can tell you that I’ll never move back there,” she stated.

Coming to Montana, she saw it as really friendly, with a big focus on family and a slower-paced lifestyle. She says that a huge thing to know is that people don’t treat outsiders differently in Montana. She’s never felt like an “outsider” here.

Here at Helena High, she feels that she works with great people and great kids, and she fits just right in. Her favorite thing about this job is us, the kids. Knowing that every kid has potential, she stated, “Every kid has the ability to learn; it’s our responsibility to find the right avenue to give them a successful educational experience.”

My personal experience with Mrs. TeNyenhuis has been so awesome. She’s a really great person. Sometimes she’s the only person I want to tell something to. She’s helped me loads of times, and I can’t thank her enough. We have had all types of conversations, and it means a lot to me, I’m really going to miss her when I transfer to PAL next quarter, but I know she helps  a lot of other kids.