Minnetonka Public Schools has named Molly Bahneman as Coordinator of ECFE and Minnetonka Preschool. She replaces Sally Blad, who has been an outstanding coordinator for the school district’s earliest learners. Sally is moving out of state at the end of the school year.  Molly’s new role will begin effective July 1.

Molly has spent the past two years as Minnetonka Community Education (MCE)’s Explorers Program Manager. Prior to that, she spent three years as Program Manager for Adult Programs for MCE, where she was responsible for the development and oversight of adult enrichment and adult fitness and recreation programs for the district and community. Molly has also served as Education Director for CenterPoint Massage & Shiatsu School & Clinic, and she spent eight years at Saint Paul College, first as Retention Coordinator and then as Associate Dean of Student Development and Services while also teaching college readiness classes.

In her new role with Minnetonka Schools, she will provide leadership in the development, coordination, implementation and evaluation of Minnetonka’s Early Childhood Family Education program, Minnetonka School Readiness program, Minnetonka birth-5 outreach programs, Home Visitor programs, MCEC childcare, Minnetonka Preschool and Child Family & Support program. She will serve on the MCE Leadership Team and the District Administrative Council, and she will supervise, train and evaluate all licensed and non-licensed staff in her program areas.

“We are very fortunate to have found an excellent coordinator for this dynamic program from within our current staff. Molly Bahneman has been an outstanding leader in our Minnetonka Community Education Explorers program, and she is going to knock it out of the park as our new coordinator of ECFE and Preschool,” said Tim Litfin, Executive Director of Minnetonka Community Education. “Molly will bring exceptional leadership, great relationship building skills and so much more to our Minnetonka Preschool and ECFE students, families and staff. We look forward to seeing all that she will do with her new assignment.”

“I have a strong personal and professional commitment to cultivating an early learning environment that helps to meet the needs of all families in our community. I am really looking forward to this new role and adventure and am excited for the opportunity,” said Molly Bahneman of her new appointment.  

Molly has held several professional leadership roles. At MCE, she has served on the Pyramid Model Implementation Team, the MCEC Student Support Team and the MCEC Community Building Committee. At Saint Paul College, she chaired several hiring committees and convened multiple work groups on a regular basis. Molly earned her master of arts in educational psychology and her bachelor of arts in educational psychology, education and human development and deaf studies from the University of Minnesota. She has also earned her Certified Program Planner designation from The Learning Resource Network. This spring, she is being honored for an Employee Award for Child-centered Excellence by Minnetonka Schools for her work as Program Manager of Explorers. She resides in Hopkins with her two sons, Jackson (2^nd grade) and Beau (Kindergarten).