Miss Allison Schmeling is the Lead Teacher for Trinity Lutheran’s older toddler class, the Butterfly Room. Miss Allison, as her students call her, has worked with young children since 2011. She has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Fisheries and Wildlife with minors in Animal Science and Environmental Education.

When I started at Trinity in 2011, I had just finished my freshman year of college. I originally didn’t think I wanted to work with children, but God had a different plan,” Miss Allison said. “My Grandma Anderson was an in-home preschool teacher. I didn’t know it then, but she inspired me.”

Throughout college, Miss Allison worked in Trinity’s extended school day and summer camp programs. After college, she worked at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo while continuing her work at Trinity, followed by two years in Wichita, KS, working as a preschool teacher and at the local zoo. Upon her return to Lincoln, she resumed working at Trinity as an aide in the pre-kindergarten room, assuming the Butterfly Classroom Lead position in fall of 2024.

Miss Allison loves to incorporate music in her day-to-day teaching. “I sing and dance about pretty much everything to keep our students engaged,” she said. One key age-appropriate skill set that is emphasized in the Butterfly classroom is potty training; singing and repetition help to greatly reinforce these lessons.

Bible stories and the message of God’s love for His children are a daily part of the curriculum at Trinity. Miss Allison encourages her students to model love, kindness, gentleness, and forgiveness toward each other. She also teaches her young students to take life’s little ups and downs in stride. “I teach a lot of independence so they can learn how to handle problems and issues on their own,” she said.

Miss Allison is a co-leader of Trinity Lutheran School’s K-5 Dance Club and a Sunday School teacher at Trinity Lutheran Church.