Mrs. Ashby: A New Helping Hand in Special Ed

Angie Spinelli ‘27

Staff Writer

A variety of new teachers have come to work at Cape Henlopen High School. Among the crowd, Nancy Ashby has joined us after working at Mariner Middle School for 12 years.

Ashby was born in Delaware at Beebe Hospital and had always lived her life here, even going to Cape herself. After finishing high school, she left Delaware to attend college in Greensboro at the University of North Carolina, where she earned a major in textile science. She then went into physical therapy. Through physical therapy she began teaching anatomy and physiology at Del Tech for 24 years. 

It pushed her into getting her masters degree to teach in a public school system. She went back to science, and started teaching at Mariner Middle School. Then she moved into special ed, and is now here at Cape. 

Teaching isn’t the only thing she’s done. She runs a massage therapy business, which she's been running for 27 years. She goes to work after a day of teaching, and it’s what she’s been doing to raise her kids. The reason she runs a massage therapy business is because, she believes, it’s a spin-off of physical therapy, and still dealt with everything Ashby loved to do. She is currently very happy with her job. Ashby says, “I watch people walk in, miserable, and leave happy.” 

Not all jobs have been the same for her though. Once Ashby was out of college, she began working as a salesperson for WBOC advertising. She says, “I didn’t regret it, but it was definitely the worst for me at the time. Because I wasn’t comfortable making cold calls, putting myself out there trying to draw business in.”

Ashby is now fortunately content with her job as a teacher and feels her students are happy with her teaching style. She always puts the students and their needs first and is passionate about their feelings so they get the most out of her teaching. Ashby says, “I want them to know I mean what I say.” Her biggest challenge with students though has always been behavioral problems and motivating the students. As well as general understanding of how to get the best she can out of her students.

When she has time, Ashby also enjoys riding her bike, working out, and listening to country music. For special occasions, she loves walking the trail at the state park, or going to JD Shuckers with her family.

We’re eager to see how Ashby will fare at Cape High and we wish her a prosperous teaching experience.