Mindy Lindgren is in her 3rd year as the Spanish teacher on the Aspen team here at AMS, and she brings a wealth of educational experience into the classroom (along with her mannequin Alix who helps with vocabulary and is the subject of many classroom stories). Before joining the Ashland Middle School staff, Mindy was an educational consultant for the Department of Defense, a park ranger, and an executive director of a community arts program. She also ran a home school program, taught Outdoor Ed, and led a Girl Scout troop. About AMS, she says, “I love being here. I really love the team of people I work with. I love our administration and the vision they have for our school. It’s a staff that really listens to the students and incorporates best practices and seeks to get better. I also like that we’re open-minded and progressive and are able to support our students as they make their way through this time in their lives.”
Mindy grew up in Kentucky and New England before coming out west to study Russian at Stanford University. After a stint as a park ranger in Canyonlands National Park, she made her way north to Alaska where she got her teaching license. Mindy spent the next 12 years in Alaska teaching and running a home school program before moving to Ashland in 2011. She worked as an educational consultant developing language assessments here in Ashland before coming back to teaching.
Mindy has two sons—Caden, a 10th grader at AHS and Payton, a 7th grader at Willow Wind. In addition to doing anything outside with her boys, Mindy loves rafting and backpacking and hiking with her dog, Maggie. She is an avid reader and traveler and is always ready for the next adventure.