Jenny Massey has been named Secondary Teacher of the Year for Madison County Schools. (CONTRIBUTED)

NEW MARKET – Jenny Massey, English teacher at Buckhorn High School, is Secondary Teacher of the Year for Madison County Schools.

She has taught at Buckhorn since 2001. She founded the Encouragement Club and Santa’s Little Helpers project and formerly coached the dance team. She owns Massey Dance Productions and serves as an A+ College Ready consultant and National Math and Science Initiative trainer.

Massey is extremely proud of her students’ performance on the advanced-placement language exam. This year, a record 127 students enrolled, and 71 earned a qualifying score on their mock exam. “I’m looking forward to seeing how they perform on the actual exam this May,” she said.

Former students report that they’re excelling in college because of the writing in her class. Some become English teachers. Graduating seniors write notes of gratitude.

“A young lady dealing with depression gave me a ceramic lighthouse. The note inside said, ‘Thank you for being my light.’ It doesn’t get much more rewarding than that,” Massey said.

Conversely, “this isn’t a job where we can walk out of the office and leave our worries there until tomorrow. This job follows you home,” she said. “Papers sadly don’t grade themselves. Sad stories of students’ struggles … don’t pause.”

Massey always will remember her English teachers, Pat Holmes and Page Haas. “These two ladies showed me what it truly meant to be a teacher. Their presence in my life made me a better person — more thoughtful, compassionate, intelligent, confident. I knew they loved me,” Massey said.

Holmes came to see Massey receive her Teacher of the Year award. Haas was one of their first visitors when the Masseys’ son was diagnosed with cancer.

Massey earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Alabama Huntsville. She is a National Board Certified Teacher. In 2012, she was Buckhorn’s Teacher of the Year.

Her husband Matt Massey is Madison County Schools Superintendent. Their children are Cooper, 10, and Tucker, 7, in fifth and first grade at New Market, and Jessie, 20, special education major at Athens State University.