Archer High School TOTY: Meet Lee Allen

By Tana Poncsak

Lee Allen was all set starting his adult life with a good job as an Information Technology project manager. But after working in IT for several years, something wasn’t quite right. Allen realized he didn’t have a passion for what he was doing, and something was missing.

Allen spent some time tutoring while in college, and he liked helping kids, seeing them grow, and helping them help themselves, so his wife, Mia, who was already a teacher, encouraged him to take the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE). Allen received his certification in secondary mathematics.

After attending a job fair, Allen was hired in Whitfield County, Georgia in March 2013 and started his first teaching job in August. That was eight years ago, and he never looked back.

Allen and his wife wanted to teach at the same school, so about three years ago, the teaching duo made the move to Gwinnett County where they are both math teachers at Gwinnett County’s Archer High School.

“We chose Gwinnett because we liked the diversity and the school system,” Allen said.

And they don’t regret the move. Allen, who is also a wrestling coach, said the change helped them both learn and grow as professionals because the schools are supported.

“It’s allowed us to thrive professionally and personally,” he said. “I’m grateful to be able to work with the kids and athletes I do every day, and I’m thankful I have such great support from administrators and my teammates that I work with in Algebra I. I have these ideas and they challenge me and help me change them and implement them, and I wouldn’t be as successful without them.”

And lately it’s been a special time for Allen. Recently he was named one of the six finalists for Gwinnett Teacher of the Year (as of the writing of this article).

Allen found out that he had taken one of the top six spots when the principal of Archer High School along with officials from the Gwinnett County School System made an unexpected visit to one of his classes last month with a bouquet of balloons, a cake, and cameras in tow.

“The kids (in the class) didn’t know what it was,” Allen said. “But they all knew it was good news. They were clapping. And when I didn’t see the guy from Publishers Clearing House carrying the big check, I knew it must be for the Gwinnett Teacher of the Year.”

Allen said since being named one of the six finalists, he’s definitely had a mix of emotions.

“My wife and I actually both teach Algebra I,” he said. “We’re teammates and work together. It’s hard because I wouldn’t be here without her or the other teacher who teaches with us. But it’s definitely been cool to be recognized, and it’s nice to feel like I’m doing the right thing coming in every day and doing what’s best for the kids.”

What made Allen, the father of two, stand out and make the six finalists? Allen said he sometimes thinks his business background helps, because it gives him a little different perspective. It was during his first year of teaching when he realized that in a class of thirty-two students, not all kids care or want to do well, which is quite different from his own academic experience. “My first year I caught on quickly and realized I had to adjust my expectations,” he said. “Not in the sense of lowering them, but adjust them in the sense that I needed to find a hook for multiple kids to get them to care and to see the benefit of education and doing well in school.” And since that first year, he’s learned a lot in his classroom. “I’ve grown as an educator to realize that unfortunately not every kid is going to buy that hook,” he added. “Sometimes I just have to be there for them as a person and still try to provide them with the opportunity to learn and grow and still show them why it’s beneficial.” Allen uses a sports analogy to help get the kids engaged and to help them understand the need to learn math. He went to UGA and is a big UGA football fan and uses the current UGA running back to state his case for math.

Allen explained that while you never see the players do squats or bench press, you know they do them in practice to get stronger and to be ready to play in the games on Saturdays. He emphasizes that’s what math does. With math, you’re learning to solve problems. And when you hear Allen’s overall philosophy, you can understand why he’s one of the six Gwinnett Teacher of the Year finalists.

“Everything I do, I’m going to do it the best I possibly can,” he said. “When I walk through the doors of the school, I’m going to the best teacher I can. When I walk through the door at home, I’m going to be the best father and husband I can. When I walk into the wrestling room, I’m going to be the best coach I can. So, it’s nice to feel when I’m doing the best I can at something, I’m doing a good job.”

And his wife, Mia, isn’t surprised by all his success as a teacher.

“Honestly, Lee is the kind of person who is going to excel at anything he does,” she said. “When he said he wanted to be a teacher, I knew he would be great at it because he’s such a natural. He’s so empathetic and caring. He’s always, always, always willing to go the extra mile, whether it’s for his students, wrestlers, or his family – anyone. He’s unlike anyone I know. He’s so deserving and such a great, great person.”

Footnote: The banquet on December 7, 2021 named Lee the overall winner of Gwinnett TOTY.

More information at https://www.gcpsk12.org/ArcherHS

A House Divided Continued from page 13 transparency, running government more like a business, and leaving room for a broad array of opinion and points of view, has devolved almost into a mono-syllabic chanting society, looking backward versus forward, and conducting a never-ending series of circular firing squads, often with its own well-established officeholders and incumbents taking that fire. Go figure.

This should be a year for re-calibrating, potentially broadening appeal, and solidifying of power for Georgia’s GOP, but as President January 2022 Our Town Gwinnett Abraham Lincoln once said about our nation, a house divided against itself cannot long endure. The current GOP rank and file appear more intent on taking out each other than taking on a powerful ticket topped by incumbent U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Atlanta), and most likely vote-getting goliath Stacey Abrams in a rematch with Governor Brian Kemp. If the GOP doesn’t change direction and start looking forward instead of backward, they will have only themselves to blame for what may become devastating losses up and down the ballot next fall.

Crane is the senior political analyst with WSB Radio and TV and owns the full-service communications firm, CSI Crane. More information at www.CSICrane.com