Asheville Middle School

Asheville Middle School Vision: Asheville Middle School where a strong, kind and healthy community inspires dreams. Respect

Mission: Asheville Middle School is a community where we embrace our strengths, recognize our potential, and thrive in the pursuit of our dreams.

🎉 Congratulations to Mrs. Janell M. Laster on your New Role🎉We are thrilled to announce our new Administrative Assistant...
08/12/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Mrs. Janell M. Laster on your New Role🎉

We are thrilled to announce our new Administrative Assistant! Join us in celebrating Mrs. Janell M. Laster!

Mrs. Janell, your dedication to our students, families, and staff is amazing, and we are so excited to watch you grow in this new role as you work alongside our principal. We couldn’t be happier to have you in this position and can’t wait to see you rock this school year at AMS!

Here are a few words from Mrs. Janell.......
Hello Cougar Family and Friends!
For those who already know me, hello again! And for those I haven't met yet—a warm "HEY!" to you all!
I’ve been with ACS for about four years, most recently serving as a Behavioral Support Specialist at AMS. I am thrilled to share that I have transitioned into a new role as the Administrative Assistant at AMS!
Working with children and families has been my passion for a long time. In this new position, I get the best of both worlds: collaborating closely with our principal while continuing to connect with our amazing families in a fresh, impactful way.
I am excited to continue being a part of the Cougar family and, most importantly, to keep growing in knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. I look forward to building strong relationships with all of you and making this a fantastic year!
As always: Live, love, and laugh!
Mrs. Janell




Get ready to unleash your potential! To make the most of this fall sports season, ensure all documents are complete in D...
08/11/2026

Get ready to unleash your potential! To make the most of this fall sports season, ensure all documents are complete in Dragonfly and tap into the wealth of resources on the AMS Athletics website. Let's make this season one to remember!

👏🏾 Welcome Ms. Miracle Okoro to Our Cougar Family👏🏾We are so excited to welcome Ms. Miracle Okoro to our Cougar Family a...
08/10/2026

👏🏾 Welcome Ms. Miracle Okoro to Our Cougar Family👏🏾

We are so excited to welcome Ms. Miracle Okoro to our Cougar Family as a 6th-grade Social Studies teacher for the 2026–2027 school year! Ms. Okoro brings a rich background in education and a passion for helping students thrive. Her engaging approach will empower our Cougars to learn through fun, creative expression, and a pursuit of excellence—all within a caring and supportive environment.

Ms. Okoro, we are thrilled to have you as a part of our amazing team. Welcome to the Cougar Family!

Here are a few words from Ms. Okoro......
Hi everyone! I was born in Nigeria, raised in East Charlotte, and have called Asheville home since 2020. I’ve worked in education for the past eight years through organizations like UrbanPromise and YTL, and my first classroom teaching experience was at Asheville PEAK Academy, where I discovered my love for teaching. Outside the classroom, I continue to support students through AVID, working with middle and high school students on college readiness, and through the UTOP program, where I mentor college students as they navigate higher education. I’m deeply passionate about exploring how history shapes our present and excited to help students think critically about the world around them. My teaching is inspired by the work of Christopher Emdin, Gloria Ladson-Billings, Gholdy Muhammad, among others, and I strive to create a classroom that is safe, joyful, culturally responsive, and rooted in love and curiosity. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone, learning from this incredible community, and becoming a part of the AMS family!




👏🏻 Welcome Mrs. Kelly Deese to Our AMS Cougar Family 👏🏻We are thrilled to welcome Mrs. Kelly Deese to our AMS Cougar Fam...
08/07/2026

👏🏻 Welcome Mrs. Kelly Deese to Our AMS Cougar Family 👏🏻

We are thrilled to welcome Mrs. Kelly Deese to our AMS Cougar Family as one of our 7th-grade ELA teachers for the 2026–2027 school year! Mrs. Deese is excited to cultivate a supportive environment where students are challenged, held accountable, and greeted daily with open communication, consistency, and reliability.

Welcome to AMS, Mrs. Deese—we are so glad to have you as part of our amazing team!

Mrs. Deese has just a few words.............
I’m a native of Western North Carolina, and grew up in Buncombe and Henderson counties. I have a husband who is also a teacher, and we have two (almost grownup) children. I love traveling—getting to experience new places & meet new people. I also love art, cooking, culture, nature and visiting cool swimming spots in the mountains & at the beach.
I’m very excited to be making the move to AMS from Hendersonville Middle (another great school community ❤️) where I’ve taught the past twelve years. Before that I taught twelve years at Erwin Middle, which is where I fell in love with the wild and wonderful world of middle school education. I have been teaching for thirty-four years in different grade levels, states, and subjects, and I appreciate how each professional change has kept education fresh for me—full of new opportunities and experiences.
I am committed to building supportive relationships with my students and serving them as a trusted adult at school. I believe in setting high standards in my classroom, and I have high expectations of each student. I love learning, sharing, reading, analyzing, laughing, writing, connecting and being intellectually curious with my students. One of my big missions is to help middle schoolers develop good ‘student skills’ so they can be successful lifelong learners.

Eku Leota (former Asheville Cougar) and Carolina Panther is a captain tonight for the Arizona Cardinals in a preseason g...
08/06/2026

Eku Leota (former Asheville Cougar) and Carolina Panther is a captain tonight for the Arizona Cardinals in a preseason game vs the Panthers.

Tune in!

👏🏻 Welcome Mrs. Hope Grazter to Our AMS Cougar Family 👏🏻We are overjoyed to welcome Mrs. Hope Gratzer to our AMS Cougar ...
08/05/2026

👏🏻 Welcome Mrs. Hope Grazter to Our AMS Cougar Family 👏🏻

We are overjoyed to welcome Mrs. Hope Gratzer to our AMS Cougar Family as one of our 8th-grade ELA teachers for the 2026–2027 school year! Mrs. Gratzer is excited to create an environment where students feel comfortable taking intellectual risks, asking questions, and growing with confidence—all while bringing authenticity, mutual respect, empathy, and a little bit of goofiness to her classroom.

Welcome to AMS, Mrs. Gratzer—we are thrilled to have you as part of our amazing team!

Here are a few words from Mrs. Gratzer........
Hi! I'm Hope Gratzer, and I'm so excited to be joining Asheville Middle School as an English teacher! I previously taught English in Florida, but my husband and I decided to trade palm trees for mountain views and are excited to call Western North Carolina home. I love creating engaging, collaborative classrooms where students feel encouraged to grow as readers, writers, and thinkers. When I'm not teaching, you'll usually find me with a good book, spending time with my family and pets, or exploring our new home. I can't wait to meet the AMS community!

👏🏻 Welcome Ms. Sophie Swift to Our AMS Cougar Family 👏🏻We are delighted to welcome Ms. Sophie Swift to our AMS Cougar Fa...
08/03/2026

👏🏻 Welcome Ms. Sophie Swift to Our AMS Cougar Family 👏🏻

We are delighted to welcome Ms. Sophie Swift to our AMS Cougar Family as our 6th-grade Science Teacher for the 2026–2027 school year! Ms. Swift is excited to bring engaging, hands-on learning to the classroom, ensuring our students master the content while having fun.

Welcome to AMS, Ms. Swift—we are elated to have you as part of our amazing team!

Just a few words from Ms. Swift......
Hello everyone, my name is Sophie Swift and I can’t wait to join AMS! I was previously a physical science teacher at North Buncombe High School and can’t wait to dive into middle school teaching. In my spare time, I love to read, hike with my dog, and I’m currently learning to sew!

Good Morning, Cougar Families!Can you believe it? The new school year is just around the corner, and we are so excited t...
07/30/2026

Good Morning, Cougar Families!

Can you believe it? The new school year is just around the corner, and we are so excited to welcome you back! I know this time of year can feel like a whirlwind, and you’re probably wondering, "What exactly does my student need to be ready for day one?"

We’ve got you covered! You can access the official 2026-2027 School Supply List right here!!!

Good Evening AMS Cougar Family,The time has come for all student-athletes interested in trying out or playing sports at ...
07/30/2026

Good Evening AMS Cougar Family,

The time has come for all student-athletes interested in trying out or playing sports at AMS! Our Blue Ridge Health Center (BRHC) is hosting Sports Physical Day on August 11th.

Please make sure you have registered with BRHC and completed all required forms prior to your appointment. If you have any questions, please reach out directly to BRHC.

Access the required BRHC forms here: https://www.brchs.com/services/school-based-health/

🎉 Congratulations to Ms. Lanie Goodell on your New Role 🎉Exciting news! Join us in celebrating Ms. Goodell as our new AM...
07/29/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Ms. Lanie Goodell on your New Role 🎉

Exciting news! Join us in celebrating Ms. Goodell as our new AMS Interventionist! We are excited that more students will get to benefit from your hard work, dedication, and energy. We’re so proud of you and excited for this next chapter!

Just a few words from Ms. Goodell.....
While this is my third year at AMS, I'm excited to transition to my new role as the school Interventionist. While I have taught almost every subject at this point, I have always enjoyed the process of helping students find a love of learning through mastering the basics.




Address

211 S French Broad Avenue
Asheville, NC
28801

Opening Hours

Tuesday 4pm - 5pm
Wednesday 3:45pm - 4:45pm
Friday 8am - 9am

Telephone

+18283506200

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Asheville Middle School posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Asheville Middle School:

Shortcuts

Share

Category