The Family Business

Denise Horton and her daughter, Ashton Lee, work at Desert Ridge. Mrs. Lee was recently confirmed as the new Assistant Principal at DRHS, and Mrs. Horton will be retiring at the end of the year. Before she does, we captured pictures of the two of them and asked them some questions:

Mrs. Lee's Questions and Answers:

How long have you been at DRHS? 3 years

Where were you teaching before you came to Desert Ridge? I’ve taught in a few different districts, Queen Creek, Chandler, and most recently I was the K-12 Social Studies Instructional Coach for Higley Unified School District.

What inspires you? My family is my entire world. My husband and two children inspire me every day to become the best version of myself, and everything I do is rooted in the love I have for them.

What is it like to be able to work at the same school as your mom? It has been so much fun! I used to joke when I first began teaching that maybe we would work together someday, never thinking it would become a reality. I am going to miss her next year more than she knows!

If you could swap jobs with any teacher for one day, who would it be? I would say Ms. Schutkowski since she teaches both AVID and STUCO, two clubs/classes very close to my heart, as I used to teach/sponsor both. The math piece would be extremely dicey, but if it was only for a day, I’m sure we could recover.

What’s the best school assignment or project you’ve ever seen a student do? When I worked at Arizona College Prep in Chandler, the senior class was required to design and implement a community service project as part of their Capstone experience. One group partnered with the local Kiwanis Club to provide financial assistance, resources, and hands-on support to local veterans and their families. It was an incredibly meaningful real-world experience that not only helped students grow as leaders and community members, but bettered those around them.

Family Game Night or Family Movie Night? Movie night. My family is absolutely RUTHLESS when it comes to games. Especially my mom.

River or lake? River

Online shopping or Target Run? Target Run always!

Give or receive? Giving to others has always brought me a deep sense of joy. There is something incredibly meaningful about seeing the happiness and genuine connection that can come from a thoughtful act of kindness or generosity.

Beach or Mountains? The mountains have always been a place where I feel most at peace. There’s a calm and clarity in nature that’s hard to find anywhere else.

Random fun fact… I love to bake and have since I was young. I learned how to decorate cookies a few years back and have actually fulfilled a few orders for people for special occasions and events.

 

Mrs. Horton's Questions and Answers:

How long have you been at DRHS? 15 years

Having worked with your daughter, what was the most surprising thing? The relationships she builds with students and teachers. She is firm but compassionate. None of this was surprising to me, but it was really cool to witness.

Are there any classes you would have liked to sit in on while you have been at DRHS? Clay. I would have loved to spin some clay on that wheel.

What’s a favorite memory you have from working in this building? Days with Jim Lavin and the shenanigans I would do to his office. Also, scaring Fil at random times in the morning.

Family Game Night or Family Movie Night? Family Game Night

Mac or PC? Mac

Online shopping or Target Run? Target Run

Personal Chef or Personal Driver? Personal Chef for sure!

Listen to music or Work in silence? Listen to Music

Any Random Facts? I’m a huge Dallas Cowboys fan. 

Random fun fact…  Prior to working here, I owned my own pool business. I built residential swimming pools for 10 years.

This is the second-longest-running job that I have had in my lifetime. Before this, I worked at Chandler Regional Hospital for 19 years.