Welcome to First Grade (1B)

Hello 1B Families! 

My name is Allison Priest, and I am delighted to be your child’s teacher this year. I moved to Colorado from Rochester, NY in August 2022. I love being so close to the beautiful mountains! I am grateful for all that I have been able to do and see over the years including teaching English overseas in the Middle East and South Korea, working at a university and then at a  hospital in Louisvlle, KY, and working with individuals with Autism in Buffalo, NY.  I worked as a tutor at NOCO Dylexia just before coming to ACA in 2023. This will be my fourth year teaching first grade. 

My academic degrees are in business and nursing (from SUNY Buffalo and Spalding University).  I then pursued an MA from the University of Louisville  which enabled me to go overseas and teach English in the university setting.

I have one son who is in the US Air Force and stationed in Germany.

I am looking forward to fostering wonder in the minds of our students as we build a solid foundation in math, history, science and literacy.  I can't wait to get started as we learn the true, do the good and love the beautiful!

I moved to Northern Colorado in 2008 from Albuquerque, NM, where I studied at the University of New Mexico and graduated in 2002 with my Bachelor of Science degree in General Family Studies. Through the past several years I have had the wonderful and particularly challenging privilege of working in various helping professions doing assessment, service planning and coordination case work with children, youth, and families as well as working with seniors in a skilled nursing and long-term care facility.

Prior to joining the team at Ascent last August 2025, I enjoyed serving military veterans in a busy VA medical clinic.

 I enjoy many activities such as traveling, paddle boarding on our local lakes, running, easy hiking and walking adventures with my dogs, baking,and creating delicious concoctions for people to enjoy.

 My deepest passion is sharing in the joys and challenges of daily life by encouraging my loved ones, family and friends in truth, love and faith and by spending as much time as I can with my children, friends and loved ones. I am thrilled at this opportunity to join the Ascent Grammar School First Grade team, and I look forward to this upcoming school year!