Michelle Allen
6th Grade Assistant Principal
With 18 years of dedicated service in the Anderson vertical team community within Austin ISD, I’ve had the privilege of growing alongside an incredible network of students, educators, and families. I began my career in early childhood education at Hyde Park Schools and joined Austin ISD in 2007, marking the start of a deeply fulfilling journey in public education.
I hold a Bachelor’s degree from The University of Texas at Austin (Hook ’em!) and a Master’s in Education from Sul Ross State University. Over the years, I’ve embraced a variety of leadership roles that have allowed me to advocate for student well-being and academic success. These include Coordinated School Health Chair, Campus Advisory Council Secretary, Vice President of the Austin Association of Physical Education and Recreation, Campus 504 Coordinator, and College Board SSD Coordinator.
Today, I serve as Assistant Principal at Murchison Middle School, where I’m passionate about building a school culture that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive. I believe in the power of connection, collaboration, and high expectations to help every student thrive ... both in and out of the classroom.
Leadership Charter
As we grow personally and professionally, we want to feel compassionate, trusting, collaborative, growth-minded, and respectful. In order to have these feelings consistently, we will:
Show compassion through differentiated relationship building with students, parents, staff, and community. Greet all people with warmth and unconditional positive regard. Critically appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. Seek and evaluate a range of points of view with a willingness to grow from the experience.
Show trust by giving each other honest and transparent feedback. Establish safety by acting with integrity and a strong sense of fairness, justice, and respect for the dignity of individuals, groups and communities. Take responsibility for our own actions and the consequences that accompany them.
Show collaboration by utilizing our individual strengths for the greater good of our school community. Proactively communicate ideas and needs. Recognize our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live.
Show growth mindedness by setting measurable and attainable goals and reflecting accordingly. Work to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to support our learning and personal development. Understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives, including the intellectual, physical, and emotional, to achieve well-being for ourselves and others.
Show respect by speaking in a positive tone with each other, ourselves, staff, students, and parents. Acknowledge and validate each other's feelings as well as our own. Create a sense of community by celebrating individual successes and milestones.