THE PLAY LAB
COLLECTIVE

I have had the blessing to experience April as a caregiver for my child during his preschool years, and I am also a mental health care provider specializing in children and adolescents.

When April first met my son a few years ago, the school year had already begun. The previous director of the school had left unexpectedly, and the staff was at odds—and then April stepped in. My son was already expressing difficulties with multiple changes and we were unsure how to navigate another new person in the school. One morning, he was refusing to go to his classroom, instead choosing to crawl on the floor slowly near the entrance to the building. April, without hesitation, exasperation, or frustration, got on her hands and knees and said, “Ok. If this is how you want to get to class today, let’s do it.” That was the first (but not the last) time I saw the expanse of April’s incredible heart.

She has valuable knowledge and experience from early childhood through adolescence and I trust her advice and recommendations, but what sets April apart from others is her innate goodness. I often call her my “angel on earth” because she has continually supported my child and our family even though he is no longer her student. She cares deeply for each child she meets, and their families too. Her staff adores working for her and they became the best versions of themselves while working with April. She will do everything to ensure the child and family are supported, secure, and feeling loved.

I know April would be an asset to anyone’s team where children and adolescents are being cared for, and I hope you choose to add her to your organization so you can see the magic she can make with youth and their families firsthand.

April started working directly with my son in the middle of some traumatic life changes and was a truly stabilizing presence for him and his new community.

April just knew how to connect almost immediately with him, and what support I needed. She meets him where we are and creates a safe space for him to regulate and connect.

During particularly challenging experiences, April remained calm, helped advocate for his needs, and stayed connected with him throughout. She understood when to offer support and when simply to sit quietly beside him, allowing him to feel safe and supported.

She has also helped him build confidence, navigate separation anxiety, and develop greater trust in the people around him. Her consistency has made an extraordinary difference for our family.

In the last few months, he has come so far in not only being able to trust her but others too… and it all starts with the first building block, and for him, that was her. She was able to stick around after some of the big behaviors, and that was a game-changer.

I could go on forever with examples of how she has improved my son’s life or mine. But once you meet her, you’ll know, she is a “game changer,” as I call it, that brings so much care to our community.

Edited for family privacy; identifying and medical details have been removed.

I have witnessed firsthand her exceptional capabilities as a professional and mentor. Over three years ago I returned to the field of early childhood education and was introduced to April as the new director of my new school. My previous experiences as a teacher had left me disheartened and discouraged. The measures of success in the conventional classroom felt disrespectful to children and did not reflect my values and who I wanted to be as a teacher. Under April’s mentorship I discovered a different way of teaching that was not only effective but meaningful, respectful and exciting.

April’s educational philosophy is deeply rooted in relationship-driven practices and democratic classroom environments. She fosters a school community where young learners are respected as full-fledged members, despite their age or experience level, recognizing that we as a broader community have something to learn from children too. Her approach emphasizes student-led learning through play and exploration, recognizing that children’s natural curiosity drives meaningful educational experiences. Under her guidance, our center implements emergent curriculum practices that respond to both individual and community needs with a focus on generation impact.

What sets April apart truly is her commitment to continuous professional growth and innovation. She is a dedicated researcher and has a passion to share her knowledge and experience. She has a particular talent for creating spaces that foster student curiosity and facilitate learning through the use of high quality materials and a responsive learning environment. She also works to make student learning visible through the use of observation and documentation and gallery style displays, that are not only informative but beautiful as well.

April ensures that every person in her care is truly seen and supported, consciously addressing individual needs while creating an inclusive community that welcomes people from all backgrounds and abilities. It is difficult to enter the field of early childhood education in its current state. Our teachers need passionate, effective mentors like April McAllister.

April McAllister, whose leadership as my Center Director improved programming and staff morale. I had the privilege of working with April, and her impact was immediate and meaningful.

When April arrived, she strengthened the center by identifying areas for improvement and implementing sustainable solutions. She built planning time into teachers’ schedules, which improved instruction and affirmed the value of our work. She enhanced the onboarding process so new staff began with clear expectations, and her open-door policy fostered trust and collaboration across the team.

April is a dedicated leader who improves systems while uplifting the people she works with. Her leadership made the center more organized, efficient, and collaborative.