My journey with FCCPS began at a James Madison University career fair. At the time, I was finishing my master’s degree in special education and had decided to move to “NOVA”, the popular region many of my college friends called home. As a girl from a small town in New Jersey, I was determined to pave my own way. I had done my research and came prepared to present my application materials to some of the area’s larger and more well-known school divisions — Fairfax County, Arlington, and Alexandria City.
As I walked down one of the aisles, I passed by a booth with two people sitting under a sign that read “Falls Church City.” I might have walked right by if one of them hadn’t called out, “We’d love to tell you about Falls Church City Public Schools.” Curious, I sat down, handed them my resume, and listened as they described their district. To my surprise, this small yet resource-rich school system was nestled right in Northern Virginia. They were looking for a middle school life skills teacher, but my heart was set on working in elementary education. Their middle school wasn’t like all the others, though; it had 5th through 7th graders, something special and unique, so I let them tell me more about the position.
A few short days later, I received an email inviting me to interview for the position. They were impressed with my resume, and while the role wasn’t quite what I had envisioned, I figured, why not? It would be a valuable opportunity to gain interview experience. After all, it was only March, and I expected many more interviews in the months ahead.
When I arrived at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School, leather padfolio in hand, a mix of nerves and self-doubt ran through my mind. “Am I prepared for this? Do I even want this position? Will they like me?”. I was about to participate in a two-part interview: first, a panel interview with questions, followed by teaching a lesson in the classroom with students. The night before, I stayed up far too late revising my lesson plan to incorporate velcro and detachable pictures, ensuring it would be accessible for a range of diverse learners. Despite my lingering nerves, I walked confidently into the conference room.
The interview panel was much larger than I had anticipated. I sat at the head of a long oval table, facing eight or more professionals with papers in hand, ready to ask their questions. Among them, I distinctly remember a man in a Hawaiian shirt, who I later came to know as the highly respected special education paraprofessional, Mr. D. I will never forget him putting his glasses on and asking a question about how I would collaborate and work with paraprofessionals or other adults in the classroom. Something about how he asked the question made me realize I needed to knock it out of the park because if the job was for me, I might see a lot of him in my future. I made it through the questions rather seamlessly and felt confident I had put my best foot forward with my answers.
Following the interview, I was escorted upstairs to the classroom. I stepped into a room filled with students and adults I had never met before, ready to teach my lesson. While I had been given some basic information about the students, they knew nothing about me. I hadn’t built any rapport with them and was learning their names. The principal, special education director, and team leader sat in the room, observing my every move as I facilitated a “get-to-know-you” bingo game. It seemed like the simplest activity to break the ice with a group of unfamiliar students and one that would support all learning styles. I engaged with the students and the paraprofessionals with a smile, presenting the materials and learning about their interests. After what felt like an eternity, the lesson was over, and the principal herself walked me out the front door. As we stood in front of MEH, on the spot, I was offered the position.
Surprised by this offer, I wasn’t sure what to say. I was 21 years old, excited to join the workforce, but not even sure if I could decide what I would have for dinner that night, let alone the first job of my educational career. Much to her dismay, I asked for some time to consider it. I knew I had to carefully consider the offer, as it was my first and only one. While the entire process seemed overwhelming, walking into a large interview panel, meeting and teaching a lesson to the students, I realized I was lucky. The school and the staff cared so deeply about the students in that classroom that they wanted to ensure their next teacher was a good fit. As I debriefed with my parents about the interview and how well it went, my anxious feelings quickly turned to those of honor and excitement to have been “chosen.” Little did I know that my decision to say yes to the job just a short week later, was saying yes to much more. I had said yes to a supportive, inclusive school division and community. I had said yes to opportunities for growth, leadership, and to be a part of something truly special.
In the fall of 2012, I was four years into my career with Falls Church City Public Schools as a Special Education Teacher, having taught at the middle school, ready to embark on a new journey with Kindergarten and First Graders. Following in my mentor’s footsteps, I seized the opportunity to be considered for a transfer to Mount Daniel. While I loved my time as a life skills teacher, the thought of working with young students, my original passion, was exciting. A school dedicated solely to preschoolers, kindergarten, and first graders gave me yet another opportunity to be part of a truly special and unique environment.
During my first year at Mount Daniel, I met a remarkable young boy whom we affectionately refered to as “The Mayor.” His radiant smile could light up a room, and he was one of the most charming 7-year-olds I’d ever encountered. Despite facing daily challenges in communication and behavior, he exuded pure joy, finding excitement in the smallest moments and extending love and kindness to everyone around him.
One day, as I sat across from “The Mayor,” trying to engage him in a reading lesson, he leaned his elbow on the table, rested his cheek on his hand, and looked at me with an unimpressed expression. I couldn’t help but ask, “What? Am I boring you?” He locked eyes with me, kept his hand on his cheek, and replied, “Boring.”
At that moment, I wasn’t sure whether to laugh, smile, or cry. While I might not have succeeded in captivating him with the lesson that day, he taught me something invaluable. A boy with a limited vocabulary and significant communication hurdles reminded me to expect the unexpected and to always hold high expectations for my students. He taught me that every moment, even the smallest or insignificant, is a teachable moment. To this day, his parents and I laugh about how teaching him the word “boring” unlocked endless opportunities for him to apply it, often to life’s less thrilling moments or, quite frankly, as a way for him to get a rise out of others!
I can assure you that the rest of his story is far from boring. While I only taught “The Mayor” for one year, he continued teaching me as he navigated through the FCCPS school system. As a child with a disability in Falls Church City Public Schools, he was provided with the support and services needed to access his educational environment. Still, most importantly, he was integrated with his classmates and included in the school community. Aside from his teachers and paraprofessionals, his parents were his biggest advocates, ensuring he could participate in activities he loved. He was in the choir, participated in the school play, was a member of the Best Buddies program, carried the torch for the school’s Special Olympics opening ceremony, attended school dances and events, and, most importantly, was known and loved by all.
Last year, I lined the halls with the staff and students at Mount Daniel, awaiting the arrival of the graduating class for their yearly tradition of walking the halls of all the city schools in caps and gowns. I knew I needed a prime spot as I excitedly waited for “The Mayor.” He was no longer the 7-year old boy who walked (or ran) in the building, he was an 18-year old man, but with the same charm and radiant smile. As he came around the corner, he saw me and affectionately yelled, “KLINK!” Tears filled my eyes as I hugged him and told him how proud I was of him. Then laughter followed as I watched him greet and hug every person lining the halls, true to the nickname we had once given him.
A few days later, I watched from the hill overlooking the football field; as his name was called, the crowd cheered, and he walked across the stage to graduate with his classmates. We celebrated and surprised him that day at a lunch organized by his parents with his “favorite people.” We sat around a big table, all eyes on him, sharing stories about our experiences with him and his immense impact on our lives. The heartfelt thank you spoken by both of his parents and the smile on his face as he looked out at all of his favorite people is something I will never forget.
How many educators get to say that they have had an opportunity to work at every school in their school division? How many educators say they have personal one-on-one conversations with their superintendent? How many educators get to say that during the pandemic, their children were supported free of cost by their employer so that they could do their work and so that their children could have their online learning supported? How many educators say they have watched a little boy grow into a young man, surrounded by a community that values, loves, and appreciates his abilities?
This is what makes Falls Church City so special. I never would have had this experience if I hadn’t put my trust in Falls Church City Schools, if I hadn’t said yes.
Nothing about my journey has been BORING.
About Allison Klink: As a member of the FCCPS family for over 16 years, Allison was appointed the Director of Early Childhood Education at Jessie Thackrey Preschool in August of 2024. During her tenure, she has been instrumental in enhancing the Special Education program both as a special education teacher and special education administrator. Allison has a Master’s degree in Special Education from James Madison University and a Graduate Certificate in Education Leadership from George Mason University. She is the proud mother of three children; her husband also works in the field of education. In her spare time, Allison plays pickleball competitively and enjoys watching sports at home with the family.