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Mr. Michael Allison

Mr. Michael Allison
Principal
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Biographical Information:

Mr. Michael Allison is the principal of Hopewell High School.  He began his administrative career on March 1, 1998 when he came to Hopewell High School as the Assistant Principal and in August of 2000 assumed his role as building principal.  Prior to coming to Hopewell, Mr. Allison served as a teacher in the South Side Area School District; where he was consistently challenged by his supervisors to take on roles as a teacher leader. He was a South Side High School teacher of Earth and Space Science as well as Physical Science for two years and then found his passion with seven years of teaching eighth grade science at South Side Middle School.  He also served as a boys and girls basketball coach at South Side.

Mr. Allison’s proudest educational moments come from knowing he has helped to shape the educational vision of his school community; from watching students receive their diplomas, knowing he had a role in their success; and from getting to congratulate each individual student at graduation. He views the principal’s job as a vocation demonstrated by his strong commitment to students and their success.  His driving passion is to build communication links to students and staff focused on serving each student’s needs as an individual.  Mr. Allison strongly believes that the Hopewell Area School District is a special community shaped by the work ethic of our grandparents and their histories in the factories of Beaver County and furthered strengthened by the strong ethnic connections and religious dedication of the families of our school community. He feels a strong connection to Hopewell and its families through his extended service to our school community.  Working with so many students through the years and now working with their children and knowing so many grandparents and aunts and uncles has created a unique connection that allows him to connect and further his relationships with our students, families and school community.

Mr. Allison earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education (Biology) from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania in 1989; a Master’s of Education degree in Educational Leadership and secondary principal certification from Franciscan University of Steubenville; and an elementary principal certification from Westminster College. He was also a member of the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program for Educational Leaders (IDPEL) Cohort 2003 at Duquesne University. 

Since coming to Hopewell, Mr. Allison, has been an active leader in local, state and national principals associations.  He has served as the President of the MAC Principals Association; he has been on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals (PAESSP) since 1999 and served as the Pennsylvania president during the 2007-2008 school year.  Recently, Mr. Allison was again elected to serve as President of PAESSP, which is now called the PA Principals Association, and he will assume that two year term beginning in October of 2018. Further, Mr. Allison has been published in the PAESSP magazine, The Pennsylvania Administrator, and has served as an adjunct faculty member in the Principal Leadership graduate program at Franciscan University of Steubenville, OH.

In 2010, Mr. Allison was elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) and culminated his work with NASSP by serving as the 2015-2016 national president of NASSP.  During his presidency, he was blessed to have the opportunity to go with a small cadre of American principals to China for a month to share educational best practices with principals across China.  Additionally, he has worked on numerous national committees; engaged in advocacy work with legislators in Washington D.C. promoting principals and the power of our public high schools; and he has presented at state principal conferences across the United States. 

Since 2010, Mr. Allison has been elected annually by his principal peers to the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) Board of Directors and works as the association treasurer.  In July of 2018, Mr. Allison was elected to a position on the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Board of Directors and looks forward to working with athletes, principals, and other school leaders from across Pennsylvania in this new role.

Mr. Allison resides in Findlay Township, with his wife, Michele, and their son, Alexei.  He always recognizes and thanks them for their support in his efforts to be an effective and dedicated principal!




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