Jane Herndon has been selected as Secondary Instruction Specialist for Madison City Schools. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – After working as a language arts teacher, Jane Herndon now will serve as Secondary Instruction Specialist for Madison City Schools.

Currently at James Clemens High School, Herndon also has taught at Bob Jones High School and for Shelby County Schools.

The new position blends two of Herndon’s interests. She always has responded to working closely with teachers to provide needed support for their jobs. She also enjoys reviewing curriculum and its implementation.

“I want to help teachers be successful in providing the best educational experience they can for our students,” Herndon said.

Herndon will work with coordinator of secondary instruction Heather Donaldson and secondary instructional specialist Jeanne Welt. To help teachers with instructional needs, Herndon will observe lesson delivery at Madison’s secondary schools, participate on various committees and plan professional development.

One of her first tasks will be revitalizing the English Language Arts Team, along with supporting A+ College Ready for advanced-placement enrollment and the district’s career tech effort.

To effectively engage with students, teachers must devote significant time and access a multitude of resources to plan unique and powerful lessons. “Teachers need … someone willing to help them get them where they need to be,” Herndon said.

“There’s nothing better than witnessing that light-bulb moment for a student — to see their joy in grasping a concept, idea or skill and then seeing them owning that moment,” Herndon said.

Although leaving the classroom, Herndon feels her job really hasn’t changed. “I’m still here to help our students be the best they can be. The way I’ll do that now, though, is through making sure their teachers feel supported and like they have someone on their side willing to go to great lengths to help them,” she said.

She earned a bachelor’s degree at Auburn University and a master’s degree at the University of Montevallo. She and husband Josh, an arsenal employee, moved to Huntsville from Birmingham six years ago.

With her main hobby, running, Jane will complete her first half-marathon this fall.