For 30 years, Mrs. Kim Ashe has been going above and beyond to ensure the success of her students in Warrensburg. She started as a substitute in the district and eventually became a special education teacher in the district, where she has worked since the early 1990s. We are excited to share more about her in this month’s Staff Spotlight. We congratulate Mrs. Ashe on her upcoming retirement in July after an impactful career of teaching elementary special needs students.
Over the course of her career, Mrs. Ashe has taught numerous students with special needs in our community, and positively affected their lives. Now, some of those previous students are the parents of students she currently works with.
“It is rewarding to see past students come back as parents and build a relationship with them as caregivers,” said Ashe.
Community and connection has always played a role in Mrs. Ashe’s teaching career. In fact, she was first notified of her Warrensburg position opening up because a parent in the community reached out. Ashe has previously worked with the child of this parent because she subbed in their classroom. The positive experience motivated the parent to reach out in hopes of finding a teacher compatible with the curriculum and students.
Each student is on their own path, and the complexities of special needs in the students she teaches emphasizes the need for an individualized plan. Mrs. Ashe works with students in kindergarten, grade 1, and grade 2. This benefits both students and teachers, as it gives her an opportunity to work with the same students for three consecutive years.
Over the three school years, Ashe is able to understand the methods that best help each student to learn, the subjects they enjoy, and the modifications lessons need in order to address the students' disabilities. Once the student moves into the next grade, special education teachers pass those notes along to their current and future teachers so that they can replicate the strategies.
“Progress is progress. There is no roadmap or benchmark dates for special education students to achieve a new skill,” shared Ashe. Instead of strict deadlines, she sees success as her students being able to progress comfortably and rewards those who have put effort towards learning and practicing behavior. “I am so proud of these students.”
Even during her last year with the school, Ashe is thinking about what the future looks like for the students and teachers who will enter our hallways in the future. With research and knowledge on learning disabilities ever-evolving, new tools are being released to make focusing in the classroom easier. Special education teachers Mrs. Ashe and Mrs. Chhim-Parisi took the extra time to find and apply for grants that afford them the opportunity to purchase the aid. Both teachers won grants from the Under The Woods Foundation, a non-profit organization in Queensbury whose mission is to support the needs of children with special needs and expand the experiences they are able to have. Both teachers requested to receive learning tools with sensory features so they can teach their special education students in a way that is compatible with their needs.
Mrs. Ashe has two sons who are currently in college, one at Buffalo State and one at Oneonta. She is married to her husband, Jeff, and the couple lives in Queensbury. When they are all home, the family enjoys spending time at their camp near Lake George and learning about history. Mrs. Ashe is a fan of the Dodgers and the Giants. She also finds the time to read and recommends books by local author Kate White.