Provo Way Award Recipient: Allison Pacheco, Centennial Middle School Teacher

August 7th, 2023 /
Spencer Tuinei /
Centennial Middle, In the News, News, Recognitions and Awards

With the change of seasons and the incoming school year, it’s never been more important to recognize the people of Provo City School District who are our foundation, providing stability, safety, and joy for those who know them.

Allison Pacheco, a Special Education Teacher at Centennial Middle School, received the Provo Way award in May 2023. She exemplifies the unyielding Provo Way spirit; her ability to advocate and engage students, and other teachers like her, makes Provo a community worth living in year after year.

Allison’s’ dedication to his students has not gone unnoticed. Her impact on the community is evident, earning her recognition from KSL News Radio in late February this school year as part of their Teacher Feature (nominated by a previous Instructional Aide, Deborah Fox). To quote:

“Mrs “P” is a Special Education teacher at Centennial Middle School. Her students universally love her in a self-contained, severe/profound classroom. She is so patient, empathetic, and kind.

“She is the type of person you would pray for as a teacher for your child with Special Needs. She believes that all students can make progress and lovingly meets her learners where they are and assists them in completing educational and life skills with patience and love. She is also a full-time student earning a Masters’s Degree and spends so much of her limited time and money on making these students feel safe and loved at school.”

Centennial Middle School Principal Brooke Taylor thanked Alison during Alison’s Provo Way Award last May. To quote:

“Allison is so patient and kind and cheerful. The smile is on all the time. And she deals with many challenges and faces them head-on with a smile. She advocates for her kids and her colleagues. We can’t thank her enough.”

After Principal Brooke’s remarks, Suraj Syal, Director of Special Education for Provo City School District, expressed his gratitude for Alison.

“I’ve been in her classroom. Her kids are engaged. It’s the most vulnerable population at Centennial– and those kids are happy. They’re valued and thought about– thank you for engineering a great learning environment for them.”

From Director to Principal to fellow teacher to student, there isn’t a single person who knows Allison that isn’t affected by her good nature and kindness.

Thank you so much for all you do for Provo, Allison. You bring light to your peers and are everything our students need and more. We are so grateful to start this school year with Allison as our example, and we hope we can all share that same patience and kindness and cheer with others this year.