Alison Hutchins, Ohana Teacher

Alison has lived in Oregon for most of her life, growing up in the suburbs of Portland, Oregon. She earned her B.A. in Art with a minor in Spanish from Southern Oregon University. She spent a term abroad in Morelia, Mexico and loved every moment of her time there, learning the language and soaking up the culture. She went on to get her Masters of Arts in Teaching, with a focus in Elementary Education from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, graduating in 2009. 

Before joining the Siskiyou School, Alison spent 13 years working in the Ashland School District, first as an assistant and substitute teacher at Helman Elementary, then in 2011 as a 2nd grade teacher at Bellview Elementary and finally as the Reading Intervention Teacher at Ashland Middle School. Alison has continued to learn and grow through continued education classes in reading support and attending Waldorf grades conferences at the Micha-el Institute. 

Alison has always been passionate about people, art and books. She believes that there is profound healing in being seen, known, and celebrated. As a teacher, she knows her primary purpose is to show children how capable and gifted they already are, and to help them cultivate those gifts to give to the world. 

Alison loves spending time with her husband and daughter, drawing, camping, playing near water, reading, having good conversations with friends, singing in her car, and breaking into the occasional spontaneous dance party in her living room.