Jon Ray (Superintendent) | Blogspot: ASCD

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

ASCD Gets STEM Curriculum Grant from Toyota

Having functioned as a principal earlier in his career, John Ray has served as the superintendent of the Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District in Humboldt County, California, since 2014. In addition to his everyday work as a superintendent, John Ray is connected to the pulse of school-based policymaking nationwide through his membership with the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD).

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education has become an area of critical focus in American schools over recent years, given the rise in demand for technology-related professionals in the workforce. Through a $485,000 grant awarded by the Toyota USA Foundation, ASCD will be able to help educators in these course areas engage students by providing additional teaching resources.

Specifically, ASCD will produce videos, branded Spark 101, that give students an outlet to put the skills they learn in the classroom to practical use through STEM-based challenges. In her comments, ASCD CEO and Executive Director Deb Delisle said these challenges will enable teachers to integrate everyday applications into their lesson plans while giving students an opportunity to see what a STEM career might look like for them.

Thursday, May 11, 2017

ASCD’s Conference on Teaching Excellence

Jon Ray has served as principal of numerous schools in California and as superintendent of Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District in Humboldt County. Outside of his role as superintendent, Jon Ray belongs to the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), which will hold its Conference on Teaching Excellence from June 30 to July 2, 2017.

The ASCD’s Conference on Teaching Excellence will bring together education professionals in Denver, Colorado, for a variety of networking and educational events. The conference will kick off with a general session titled Crafting the Perfect Assessment System by Rick Stiggins, an author with the ASCD and the founder of the Assessment Training Institute.

Other educational sessions include Differentiation Advice for New Teachers: News You Can Use, which will be co-led by Marcia B. Imbeau, a University of Arkansas professor, and Alyx Ramsey, a third-grade teacher at George Elementary School in Springdale, Arkansas. Outside of the educational sessions, attendees can sign up for keynote luncheons. Friday’s keynote luncheon will feature Nadia Lopez, and Saturday’s luncheon is with Tony Frontier.

To learn more about the ASCD and its upcoming events, visit www.ascd.org/conferences.aspx.

About Jon Ray (Superintendent)

A school principal, education administrator and superintendent for more than 15 years, Jon Ray has worked at five different California school districts from preschool to 12th grade. For three years he worked as a principal and director of curriculum and instruction in the Bonsall Union School District. Since July 2014, he has worked as superintendent for the Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District in Hoopa. During his tenure in administration and as superintendent, Jon Ray helped unite the students through Morning Sing, a weekly assembly attended by parents and community members to celebrate the students’ successes. Attendees sing, laugh, and dance as well as highlight positive feelings and attitudes.

Jon Ray belongs to several professional organizations, including the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS), the California Association of Federally Impacted Schools (CAFIS), which he currently holds the office of President, and the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA).

As a coach, Jon Ray had the honor of coaching 3 championship teams in two different sports, basketball and football. As a classroom teacher, Jon Ray was twice named “Teacher of the Year”. As an administrator, he received the “Outstanding Young Educator Award”; was recipient of “Best Business Practices in Government Award” from the Lions Club.

When not involved in academia, Jon Ray enjoys staying active and typically runs about 16 miles per week. He has also completed two marathons. An avid traveler, he has been to every state in the US and a number of foreign countries, including China, Australia, and several countries in Europe. A dedicated family man, he loves spending time with his in-laws in Del Mar and is proud of his three children. His oldest son is in the Marine Corps, his middle daughter attends the University of Nevada at Reno, and his youngest son is in high school.