Employees of the year announced at MCS Institute Day

MADISON – Institute Day for Madison City Schools personnel involves levels of camaraderie, encouragement and honors. Among the top honors announced on July 22 were district-wide titles for teachers and a staff member.

Institute Day is an all-hands assembly honoring achievements and building excitement for the upcoming school year. This year, school leaders moved the event from the auditorium at Bob Jones or James Clemens high school to Church of the Highlands to accommodate all employees in one venue.

MCS now has more than 1,300 employees due to growing enrollment, MCS Public Relations Manager John Peck said.

Eric Terrell, MCS Assistant Superintendent, opened the assembly with a roll call of schools, which prompted faculties, dressed in school colors and mascot themes, to dance to their pre-selected music.

The title of District Elementary Teacher of the Year went to Megan Hockey at Rainbow Elementary School.

In her school profile (madisoncity.k12.al.us/Domain/2930), Hockey said, “I am so excited to be the STEM teacher at Rainbow. This will be my second year at Rainbow in the STEM position.”

“We have so much fun in STEM. Every grade works on coding and using the design process to build different projects,” Hockey said.

Hockey holds two bachelor’s degrees: one in biology and one in elementary education, along with a master’s degree in literacy.

Hockey has three children, who have all attended Madison City Schools. “I have a son who is a senior at James Clemens, a freshman daughter and a junior son at Auburn University in engineering,” she said.

Emily Parker at Discovery Middle School earned the District Secondary Teacher of the Year award. She has taught eighth-grade physical science for 12 years and serves as sponsor of SGA. (madisoncity.k12.al.us/Domain/1357)

Parker attended the University of Alabama and earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education – general science. She obtained a master’s degree in secondary education (6-12) – general science from the University of West Alabama.

A native of Madison, Parker attended Discovery and graduated from Bob Jones. Her hobbies include attending Alabama football games and spending time with family and friends.

Thania Chacon from Heritage Elementary School received the District Staff Member of the Year award. She believes, by continuously working, she can achieve her goals and make a significant contribution to the school.

Chacon joined MCS’ staff as school custodian at James Clemens in 2020. She later transferred to Heritage’s staff.

Previously, she lived in Miami, Fla. and worked in the areas of industrial maintenance and mechanical maintenance. Originally from Venezuela, she graduated from the University of Tachira – Venezuela with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

Her husband, Melvin Rojas, works as a communication technician. Their son, Gabriel Rojas, is a Liberty student. Thania Chacon is an avid fan of reading, planting flowers and listening to music.

In other Institute Day agenda, Madison Board of Education members announced service awards and school achievements. In five-year increments, awards went to employees with five through 35 years of education employment.

MCS Superintendent Dr. Ed Nichols closed Institute Day with remarks on school safety plans, district expectations, promises of support and well-wishes for an outstanding 2024-2025 school year.