Hello! I'm Allyson and I was raised in Mason, Michigan, a town about 10 miles south of Lansing. Throughout my K-12 education, I was involved in various sports throughout the years. At a young age I played t-ball and participated in gymnastics. As I grew, I became drawn to volleyball, basketball and softball. I have a passion for participating in sports and activities and working with children. Getting to share my passion for sports and activities with children is a true blessing! I am honored that I get to help empower children to find an area within physical fitness and health that they enjoy which can then instill healthy habits for their future. While attending Grand Valley State University, I consistently volunteered in education-related fields and I participated and presented in the physical education club, Michigan Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, and also led an adapted physical education site at an elementary school. In my free time I enjoy playing various sports and activities, watching my children find joy in sports and activities, traveling, crafting, and spending time with my family and friends.
I graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education K-12 and Health Education. While I was in college, I began volunteering and observing in many classrooms in the Lansing and Grand Rapids areas. My volunteer work throughout college exposed me to the trials that students face, whether it be academically or in their personal lives. My experiences while volunteering solidified for me that I was in the right field and that I was meant to work with students and leave a lasting impression on their lives.
I spent a semester teacher assisting at Jeffers Elementary in Spring Lake Public Schools in a Physical Education and Health setting for Young 5's-4th grade. I focused on learning effective classroom management. I also spent a great deal of time creating various activities, lessons and units for students at this age. I gained experience teaching various motor skills, manipulative skills, dance, recreational activities, cooperative activities and fitness. I also got a chance to teach three health units which included a self-esteem unit, a family unit, and a dental health unit.
I completed my student teaching at Mason Middle School. During my student teaching experience, I had the opportunity to teach a number of units. The units included speedball, gymnastics, weight training, volleyball, badminton, and track. I also took on extracurricular activities. I joined the anti-bullying committee and also supported my students at their extracurricular activities. During this time, I also had the opportunity to coach intramural basketball and became the assistant junior varsity softball coach. After I completed my student teaching, I was offered a long-term substitute teaching position at Mason Middle School. I finished out the school year teaching physical education at Mason Middle School. This was a great opportunity for me as it was a wonderful stepping stone between student teaching and starting my career as a physical educator.
After living in Connecticut for a year, my husband and I landed in Muncie, Indiana where I was offered a job as a Physical Education Teacher at Delta High School. I taught and coached JV softball for two years at DHS before we made our way back to Michigan with our growing family.
When we moved back to Michigan, I was offered an opportunity to become an MTSS Paraprofessional at Haverhill Elementary in Portage, MI. I was in this position two years before I was offered an opportunity to teach part-time physical education and health at both St. Michael Lutheran teaching K-8th and at Angling Road Elementary in Portage, MI. I was in this part-time position for a year and then chose to look for a full-time position in a relatable field.