Real life is top priority in Ms. Seiss’s class at Hillsboro High School
September 18, 2021
NASHVILLE-Real conversations with students about life is one of Ms. Seiss’s top priorities. Ms. Ashley Seiss is an English teacher at Hillsboro High School, and has been teaching here since earning her graduate degree first starting in the 2016-17 school year. Ms. Seiss loves helping students, both in school and in life in general. She is the sponsor of the club GSA which advances an acceptance of all Hillsboro students.
“The purpose of GSA (Gender and Sexuality Alliance) is to provide a safe and affirming environment for all LGBTQIA+ students and their allies.”
— — GSA Vision Statement
Hillsboro Globe: What do you enjoy teaching at Hillsboro?
Ashley Seiss: What I enjoy teaching the most actually has nothing to do with English! (Don’t get me wrong, I love a good story.) I get the most excitement and joy out of having real conversations with students about life and experiences, and being able to give them something to think about or some kind of advice to help them be a better human.
HG: What Academy do you teach in?
AS: I teach in the USCCUAIBC academy. Also known as the Business Academy or “that academy with all the letters.” It is without a doubt the best academy at Hillsboro. The Business Academy has courses involved in Audio Visual Production, Marketing Management, and Banking & Finance. For each Academy, there is an English teacher.
HG: When did you first start teaching English at Hillsboro?
AS: I started teaching English at Hillsboro four years ago. HHS is the only school that I have taught in, besides my residency year during graduate school at JT Moore.
HG: Why did you start teaching English?
AS: I started teaching English because I have always been a voracious reader. I love the mentoring aspects of working with kids, so it made logical sense to blend the two and become a teacher!
HG: What do you want students to take away from your class?
AS: I want students to leave my classroom with a better sense of themselves and a healthier relationship with themselves and others. If I can connect a kid with a book or story that they love, it is a bonus.
Ashley Seiss enjoys it when students walk away with a new perspective and a goal to improve themselves. Stop by her room to say hello and find out more about GSA if you are interested.
Interested in more?
GSANetwork GSA clubs, or GSAs for short, are student-run organizations that unite LGBTQ+ and allied youth to build community and organize around issues impacting them in their schools and communities. GSAs have evolved beyond their traditional role to serve as safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth in middle schools and high schools, and have emerged as vehicles for deep social change related to racial, gender, and educational justice.
Contact Information
Gender and Sexuality Alliance
ASHLEY SEISS