When LeAnne Allen joined the TFS teaching staff in 2010, she brought with her a wealth of education experience. While each position was different, they all helped her become a more well-rounded educator.

After earning her associate’s degree at Peace College and her bachelor’s degree in special education at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Mrs. Allen worked as a Cross-Categorical Resource Teacher in a Moore County middle school. While teaching, she also served as School-Based Chairperson, softball coach, and tennis coach. After 5 years in the resource room, she felt a pull to a job in a Learning Center working with students with severe developmental disabilities. “These students had complex medical needs,” shares Mrs. Allen, “so more physical care and ongoing consultation with medical personnel were required. The close bond I formed with these children and their families was a gift!”

A few years later, she began working as an Education Specialist at Carolina Re-Entry, a program for clients who sustained a traumatic brain injury, helping them relearn skills that would assist them in transitioning back to independent living. While this job was incredibly meaningful, Mrs. Allen missed the classroom and the opportunity to collaborate with teachers. She took a position with the Alamance County School System as a Diagnostic Prescriptive Teacher and an elementary resource teacher. She traveled to all 20 schools in the county to test students, develop learning profiles to determine eligibility for services, and create IEPs. She then moved into the central office and worked as the Lead Learning Disabilities Teacher. “Working in these jobs at Alamance County, along with the incredible in-service training provided, helped me develop a deeper understanding of learning differences and their impact in the classroom.” Mrs. Allen shares.

While working in Alamance County, Mrs. Allen earned her master’s degree in education with a focus on Learning Disabilities from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

All these experiences led Mrs. Allen to the Middle School Learning Specialist position at TFS, one she has held for the last 15 years. However, Mrs. Allen was not new to the TFS community. She joined the TFS family in 2002 when her oldest daughter started kindergarten. Even after all these years, her passion for our school has not wavered. “I love The Franciscan School,” shared Mrs. Allen. “I love most the relationships formed with students, parents, and faculty.”

“Watching students grow into confident young adults ready for the challenges ahead is so rewarding. I am fortunate to have three years in middle school to work with each student, instead of just one,” she says. “I appreciate it tremendously when parents reach out after leaving, sometimes years later, to tell me about their children’s lives.”

Mrs. Allen particularly enjoys the middle school curriculum and how TFS teachers design top-notch and creative instruction, making challenging concepts easier to learn and fun. She values the creative aspect of her job, which involves finding alternative ways to explain and teach concepts to students, as each student is unique and learns differently.

Mrs. Allen shared that she enjoys how each day is different, which makes her job challenging but enjoyable. “When a day begins, I first get an idea of where I am most needed. I consider individual student needs as a priority and work from there. I also must consider pressing deadlines with assignments, projects, and tests.”

Mrs. Allen also greatly treasures the fact that the school gathers to worship God and discuss His love for us. To her, TFS is not just a school where she teaches. It's about being part of a family that cares for and supports one another.

And TFS is thankful for Mrs. Allen's dedication, experience, and compassion.