“I love saying good morning to the families and waving hello or goodbye when they’re leaving,” she says. “It’s a good day here. Every day.”

“I grew up the child of two educators,” she says. “My mom taught high school biology, and my dad was a teacher who later became a high school principal. I didn’t really know anything else other than helping kids do school.”

“My sixth-grade teacher, Marjorie Walker at Dixie Bee Elementary in Terre Haute, made everything come alive,” Allison recalls. “She used her passions about learning and life to teach us. I even wrote her a letter during my second year of teaching to thank her for being such a role model, and she wrote me back. That meant the world to me.”

“One of them was the kind of teacher you’d see in a movie. She made everything special for kids,” she said. “The other was calm and steady, and she taught me that on hard days, this too shall pass. I still hear her voice saying that.”

“To be an impactful educator, you have to be willing to do whatever it takes to help kids,” she says. “That’s something I try to live out every day. Helping students have a good experience and supporting teachers as they grow.”

“It was a small town then,” she remembers. “We watched the first McDonald’s get built and the stoplight stop flashing at 10 p.m.” When their children eventually started school, they discovered how deeply the schools were woven into the fabric of the community. “The schools were really what the community was centered around. We were so grateful we made the choice to live here before we even had kids.”

“One was in marching band and indoor percussion. I didn’t even know that existed until he came home and said, ‘I’m going to play drums in the gym this winter,’” she laughs. “That’s how I became a Box Mom. I met lifelong friends in that group; we still meet for dinner once a month.”

“Zionsville is great because there’s something for every interest,” Allison says. “If you help a child find a place to belong, they’re going to be successful.”

“We’ve always looked for kids who need help and gotten them the help they need as early as possible,” she explains. “If you can’t read well, everything else becomes hard. It can be scary for parents to hear that their child needs extra support, but I can tell them from experience that it’s going to be okay. We know what to do to help.”

“That’s been one of my goals since I started: making sure every student gets what they need.”

“Those are such great opportunities for parents to see learning in action, ask questions, and meet the people working closely with their kids every day,” she says.

“One of the most important things we can do is learn about our students as human beings,” she explains. “I try to find out what they’re interested in, what sports they play, what movies they’re talking about. Kids know if you’re truly interested or just asking a question. When they know you care, they’ll work through hard things with you.”

“The Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library! The people who work there are amazing. They can help any kid find a book that fits them perfectly.”

“I have smelly markers they can use instead,” she jokes.

“Iceland—to see the Northern Lights.”

“That work made a real difference for kids. Wit & Wisdom has opened the world for our students.”

“I had a child who didn’t love reading, and it was hard for me as a ‘reading person.’ I learned to lean into his interests and remember that reading doesn’t just happen in books. It can be a sports article, a cereal box, a magazine. If they’re reading, it counts.”

“Get involved. Visit the Nature Center, join the library’s summer reading program, attend events like Literacy Night or the International Fair. Read your school newsletters! You’ll meet other families and feel more connected.”

“We line the halls, play music, and high-five the kids as they walk through. It’s one of my favorite moments,” she says. “And I love that it’s connected now to the senior walk at the high school. Seeing those two moments, elementary and senior year, come full circle is really special.”

“My husband worked for the schools for a while, my oldest son is now the director of the Performing Arts Center at the high school, and my twins, now college seniors have worked for BAC and Z'Camp. Every one of us has worn a ZCS badge at some point,” she says. “It just shows how much we believe in the mission of Zionsville Community Schools. It’s been a great place for all of us.”

“I’ve learned not to assume you know what’s going on in someone’s life. I’ve learned not to take things too seriously. I’ve learned that with effort, and a good team, you can do almost anything. And I’ve learned that making connections with other people is what makes life worthwhile.”

“When kids are giggling,” she says without hesitation. “I always wonder what’s making them so happy, and it reminds me why we do what we do.”