Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of building meaningful relationships with students and families as they navigate social communication, confidence, and connection. My approach is rooted in trust, collaboration, and truly getting to know each student — not just their goals, but who they are as individuals. The reflections shared here highlight the growth that can happen when social communication skills are taught with intention, practiced with support, and applied in real, everyday situations.
My son has had Ms. Voss for most of his high school years and she is the absolute best! Hands down, most influential teacher he has ever had. Ms. Voss has an incredible way of creating an environment wherein every child not only feels valued, but she helps them learn how to make others feel valued.
Over the past three years, my teenage son has had a few social issues arise. The person who helped him tackle them? Ms. Voss. EVERY TIME. Others tried to help him, and did a fair job, but the teacher who is able to hit problems head on and in a way that the students can understand is Ms. Voss.
She is genuine, caring and straightforward with her students. Her students know that she values them, so when she is straight with them about issues, it works.
—Chris
It is with great appreciation that I write this letter on behalf of Allyson Voss, who has been my son’s Social Awareness and Perspective-Taking teacher and his Case Manager during his time at Lyons Township High School.
Throughout Andrew’s years in her class, we have witnessed noticeable growth in his social awareness, communication, and emotional maturity. The Social Awareness class has made a significant difference in Andrew’s ability to navigate social settings, both within the community and among his friends. Under Ms. Voss’s guidance, he has learned to handle difficult situations with greater confidence and self-regulation, skills that will continue to serve him well into adulthood.
Ms. Voss consistently maintained open and thoughtful communication with our family, keeping us informed of Andrew’s progress and celebrating his successes along the way. Her expertise in working with children on the Autism spectrum is evident in the trust she builds with her students.
I’ve personally observed how the children in her class feel comfortable approaching her with challenges, knowing they will be met with patience and understanding.
We feel incredibly fortunate to have had Allyson as part of Andrew’s educational journey. She has played a big role in his personal development and continues to make a meaningful difference in the lives of her students and their families.
—Adriana
Allyson Voss is truly an amazing person. She has a gift. Her gift is to work with an individual and get to know them as few people can. She gets to know the whole person; their likes, dislikes, quirks, strengths and weaknesses. She uses what she has learned and instills a confidence that allows those individuals to discover who they are. She continues to mentor them until they become the best person they can be.
My son wanted to make friends, but didn’t know how to do it. Many social situations were frustrating for him, causing him to shut down. Through her hard work and dedication, she enabled my son to make friends, try new things, and play sports. Most importantly, he no longer avoided difficult situations. This allowed him to become an active member in his community, enjoying life as best he can.
Allyson gave our son the courage and awareness to become the young man he is today. She has helped him develop the skills necessary to navigate his road to independence. If you ask my son who is the person, outside of his immediate family, that has helped him the most in his journey, it is the same answer every time...Ms. Voss. We are truly grateful that Allyson is a part of our son’s life.
—Stan & Karen
Allyson Voss applies her expertise as a speech pathologist to develop the social skills of neurodivergent teenagers. My twin sons, who have high-functioning autism, won the lottery when Allyson Voss became their Social Perspective teacher on Day 1 of high school.
While Allyson embraces each student where they are in their social skills, Allyson’s true gift is in seeing and bringing out the potential in her students. In collaboration with parents and through individual and group work, Allyson develops the core skills needed to navigate the real world. She then brings students out to the community to practice those skills.
When my sons began high school, they did not have the skills to independently complete homework assignments, shop at a store, order at a restaurant, or sustain casual conversations with peers. Through Allyson’s one-on-one direction, group activities, and community integration, by the end of high school, my sons had flourished. They were meeting independently with teachers for help on assignments, going to movies and dinner with friends they met through Allyson’s class, and developing skills needed to maintain a job.
While the journey is neither straight nor easy, Allyson’s caring commitment to her students never wavers. Students are held accountable but also given a path forward. Today, my sons attend a small liberal arts college. With the guidance and skills learned from Allyson, they live in a dormitory, navigate a college campus, meet with professors, and independently travel home by plane. To this day, Allyson checks in with them and remains an important part of their lives.
—Nancy and Tim
I started with Ms. Voss my sophomore year. I had childhood friends, but I was struggling to find my group in high school. Ms. Voss created a space where I could meet with other students and just be teens together. We played games, we laughed, and we formed strong bonds. Our senior year, some of us wanted to go to prom, but couldn’t quite organize it. Ms. Voss helped us figure out a way to go. Our group ended up having the most fun senior prom ever! We are now all in college or working, but we meet a few times a year for lunch or dinner to catch up. Our group is a real group of friends thanks to the help and encouragement of Ms. Voss. She was our glue!
—Meg
Ms. Voss has been working with our son, Bryce, for nearly two years, and her impact on his growth and confidence has been remarkable. She played an instrumental role in helping Bryce transition smoothly from middle to high school, providing consistent support, encouragement, and guidance along the way.
She communicates clearly with us about expectations, observations, and recommendations, which makes partnering with her such a positive experience. We truly appreciate how she takes the time to understand each student’s needs and always keeps parents informed and involved in the process.
Ms. Voss is not only encouraging and approachable, but also deeply committed to her students’ success. She advocates for them, teaches them independence, and fosters a learning environment that is both safe and fun. It’s evident that she genuinely cares for her students — she goes above and beyond to help them grow academically, socially, and personally.
We’ve seen firsthand how her patience, dedication, and enthusiasm have helped Bryce thrive. We feel very fortunate to have Ms. Voss as part of Bryce’s educational journey, and we can’t thank her enough for the positive difference she continues to make.
—Leilani
Allyson Voss has been instrumental in our son's growth over the last four years. As a student with ASD, our son struggled freshman year with executive functioning skills and effectively communicating with teachers and peers. As a senior, he is able to advocate for his needs and engage in back and forth conversation with his peers. In fact, he is headed off to college and has been offered a scholarship! Allyson helped to make this all possible, always available, always listening and always encouraging him to do his best. She has been a blessing to our family and will be a blessing to yours.
—Jaime
Allyson Voss has helped my son tremendously over the last two years. Her focus on social communication is so critical to my son’s development. Allyson uses real world scenarios to help kids be more confident and effective in their daily lives. This therapy is as important as academics in fostering independent adults.
—Tom
My son was in Allyson’s social communication class in his junior year of high school. Self-advocacy and executive function challenges had hindered his development over the years and he also needed to work on his independence. She found the sweet spot between providing her students with a supportive environment while encouraging them to learn how to function at a higher level and to take on more responsibility.
My son has a habit of trying to lay low and just get along, but Allyson pushed him (in a good way!) out of his comfort zone and facilitated greater engagement with his surroundings. Her support continued into his senior year as she acted in the role of his speech pathologist and part of the team in his career class.
In addition to her formal involvement, Allyson was also always willing to help students beyond her classroom and she became a trusted source of support for us as we continued to keep my son moving forward in other settings. I wish that we still lived in the Chicago area because it would be amazing to have him participate in her new endeavor, Level Up Therapy.
Special education parents often have a handful of educators and service providers who, over the years, have been standouts in their child's care. I would definitely include Allyson in that group of professionals who have had a significant impact on my son's development.
-Elizabeth
All feedback is shared with permission. No compensation was provided and identifying details have been limited to protect privacy. Each journey is unique and outcomes may vary.