Melody Ray

Background

About Melody Ray

I am an educator of 29 years. Most of my experience is in mid-upper elementary. I am a classically trained teacher that believes in educating the whole child—academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. Even in high school, I knew it was my calling to teach. I spent the second semester of my senior year in a work-study program as a part-time child care provider in our high school’s very own daycare. I graduated in 1993 with a bachelor of science in elementary education (BSEEd) from East Coast Bible College. I have had gracious opportunities to experience various international ventures that took me to places like England, Germany, Haiti, Algeria, The Western Sahara, and Tanzania. It was there I taught summer school programs and/or took part in community-building projects and humanitarian relief efforts. I spent 1994-1996; 1998-2018, in the private sector teaching 2nd, 4th; and 3rd grade (respectively) in my home state of North Carolina. In 2018, I relocated to the Phoenix area where I joined forces with a Title 1 public charter in Maryvale, where I spent two years teaching fifth grade ELA and social studies. During my tenure, I was a mentor teacher and gained great fulfillment from helping other teachers. In 2020, I began teaching third grade at Candeo Peoria and spent three years familiarizing myself with curricula such as Core Knowledge, CKLA Amplify, Literacy Essentials, and Singapore Math. In 2023, I began a new opportunity at Candeo’s North Scottsdale campus as Dean of Academics. This was where I began my trek of school administration and where I became smitten with systematically mentoring teachers and facilitating curriculum fidelity. I am currently enrolled at Northern Arizona University, where I plan to earn my Masters of Education in Human Relations (M Ed) in Spring 2025. I believe character and virtue should be prerequisites to every academic construct. I believe every child — regardless of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, vicinity, or aptitude should be given an equal opportunity to attain a quality education and become well prepared to be a contributing citizen of their community and of our world. I believe that every child should have the opportunity for higher education— whether college, tech school, trade school, or internship. “First, growing great humans. Subsequently, cultivating strong scholars to become future leaders.”