This is Jess Pinkerton’s first year at Ashland Middle School! Hired as the Educational Assistant for the Manzanita and Cascades teams, she and her family moved to Ashland two years ago to be closer to family (her sister, Aimee Cork, is the Librarian at Ashland High School). “I love this age group! They’re figuring out who they are, but they also have this childlike wonder. It’s really fun to be around young people and I like the challenge they present. Oftentimes kids can be closed off initially, but when you get them to open up it’s super satisfying.”
Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Jess has lived all over the country including Houston, San Diego, Kansas City, and Memphis before settling in Ashland. “I wasn’t sure I’d like being in a small town, but I love the close-knit community and always running into people and friends on the street!” She met her husband, Scott, in 2004 and gave birth to her son, Tobin, in 2010. Tobin is a 6th grader here at AMS who loves basketball and cooking (especially with his mom). In addition to cooking, Jess loves singing, getting outside, antiquing, and getting her house plants to thrive. Welcome to the AMS community, Jess!