Ashlee Ray
7th/8th Grade Teacher
Interviewed by Michelle Carter Smith
The newest Corbett Middle School teacher was born in West Covina, CA., and lived outside Pasadena until her parents moved to Gresham in 1987. When Ashlee was a freshman in high school, her parents divorced. Both parents are remarried, and Ashlee has one younger brother and three step-siblings. Ashlee's dad is a chaplain in CA after 35 years as a pastor, and her mom retired from being a school teacher and later worked for Kroeger in their corporate offices.
Both music and theatre were a passion all through Ashlee's growing-up years. She is a mixed-media artist who was the publicity manager for the student government while attending Gresham High School. Ashlee created all of the signage to promote activities during her sophomore through senior year as a part of a leadership group. Aside from student government, she was heavily involved in choir and theatre. She was part of an honors choir called Overtones that traveled to Washington D.C. to perform. Ashlee attended Warner Pacific University in Portland after graduating from Gresham High School. She earned a bachelor's degree in human development and family studies in 2004. She went to work for Trillium Family Services in Portland as a child and adolescent treatment specialist for two years. Ashlee then went to work for Portland Public School's DART program (Day And Residential Treatment). This is where she met Tim, her husband. During this time, her cousin reached out and asked her to be the office manager at his floor and design company in Portland. It was during this time that she and Tim decided to get married in Las Vegas at the Treasure Island Hotel. Thinking it would be a small and intimate ceremony, 40 friends and family showed up to watch Ashlee's dad marry them!
Their first son Israel was born in 2008, their second son Judah was born in 2010 and Ezra came along in 2015. While raising her young family, Ashlee began taking classes at George Fox University on Saturdays and online to earn her MAT (Master of Arts in Teaching) degree. During these years, Tim was a full-time music pastor. During the pandemic, he switched careers and is now working for Med-Line. After completing her master's degree, Ashlee was hired at Pleasant Valley Grade School as a long-term substitute, teaching kindergarten. The next year she taught first grade full-time and then went back to teaching kindergarten. In 2013 she taught kindergarten at Patrick Lynch Grade School and the following year she stayed on to teach second grade. In 2015, Ashlee took a job with Manna House as a 7th/8th-grade social studies teacher, staying on for two years. The following year she added on high school language arts. During her fourth year, she taught fifth grade. In her fifth year, she was hired as a K-12 art teacher. Two years later the Pandemic hit. She moved home to be an online teacher of seven classes at Manna House while monitoring her three sons attending their schools online. After the Pandemic, she enrolled her three sons in the Corbett School District and began subbing for all grade levels. Eventually, she got a long-term subbing position at CAPS as a learning specialist. The following year she was hired as an intervention specialist. She is now working full-time as a 7th/8th-grade teacher at the new Corbett Middle School. Ashlee says she enjoys teaching in the Corbett District and appreciates the small community connections and friendliness. Her husband Tim was raised in Astoria, so they love to fish, camp, and do a variety of outdoor activities while at the beach. They currently live in Gresham and have two cats. Ashlee loves to paint in her free time, and she has recently sold a few pieces at local art shows. Ashlee also does freelance work as a graphic designer. A gal with many talents and passions!