This is Ty Hampton’s—our new 7th and 8th grade Social Studies teacher on the Manzanita team—first year at Ashland Middle School, but he has spent most of the past ten years teaching Social Studies to middle school students here in the Rogue Valley. Ty taught at McLoughlin Middle School before taking a position at Ashland High School last year. When one AMS Social Studies teacher retired and another changed positions last year, he knew he wanted to get back to middle school teaching. “I just find myself drawn to teaching middle school and Social Studies. I love introducing students to Civics and helping them exercise their debate muscles.”
Raised in Bozeman, Montana, Ty graduated from the University of Montana in Missoula with a degree in journalism and worked at two regional newspapers for several years. When his wife Tiffany got a job offer in the Rogue Valley 10 years ago, they jumped at the chance to move west. Ty and his wife are huge Portland Trail Blazers fans. So much so, they almost named their 3 year old son after the city’s basketball nickname, Rip City. “That’s not a name,” argued Ty’s wife, so they chose Ripley instead, a nod to their fanaticism. In addition to raising a family, Ty is a big Marvel comics fan. He loves to read and spend time in the outdoors. Their family has two Weiner dogs, Minnie and Pickles.
About Ashland Middle School, Ty says, “I enjoy the thoughtful design of space and structure here at AMS. It’s clearly designed to help staff get to know students and help them succeed during these 3 years. The team model means teachers know more than just their subject area; they get to know the kids and other staff and school resources. It’s a very connected staff.”