By Lorrie Ross
Staff Writer
Clay County School’s 2024-2025 District Teacher of the Year, Susan Rexroad, was featured last week in the Clay County Progress. However, CCS staff honored five other Teachers of the Year for 2024-2025. Clay Schools Superintendent Melissa Godfrey said, “As superintendent, I am honored to personally recognize our Teachers of the Year. These dedicated and hardworking professionals transform lives daily with their exceptional commitment and passion.”
Hayesville Middle School named Elizabeth Moss as the HMS 24-25 Teacher of the Year, and Amy Trout was chosen as the Hayesville High School 24-25 Teacher of the Year. Meanwhile, Hayesville Primary School chose Melissa Cheeks as 24-25 HPS Teacher of the Year and Misty Jeffries was named HPS 24-25 Teacher Assistant of the Year. Emily Hensley is Clay County Schools 24-25 Exceptional Children Educator of Excellence. We are introducing Emily Hensley, Melissa Cheeks and Misty Jeffries to readers this week.
Clay County Schools Speech-Language Pathologist Emily Hensley joined the education field in 2011. She knew from an early age she wanted to work in the schools. “I wanted to be a teacher in some capacity,” she said. “My decision to become a speech language pathologist was driven by my passion for helping people communicate more effectively.”
She explained how the uniqueness of her job has her working with students across grade levels. “I get to watch them grow and build strong relationships with them. Seeing the tangible difference that improved communication can make in someone’s life is highly rewarding for me,” she said. “I love serving the students of Clay County and feeling like I get to make a positive and meaningful difference in their lives.”
She added, “I also love my co-workers. They make work fun and make me a better educator and person.”
When asked for a favorite memory, Hensley smiled. “There are so many wonderful memories, it is hard to choose just one,” she said. “I will say that one of my favorite things about my job as an speech language pathologist is I get to work with students of various ages, with a wide range of needs. This makes every day different and interesting and keeps me on my toes.”
Hensley serves students from Hayesville Elementary, Middle and High School, where she graduated in 2003. She received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in communication sciences and disorders from Western Carolina University. Her husband, Jonathan Hensley also teaches at Hayesville High School and is also a coach for HHS. The couple has two sons, 10-year-old Finn and six-year-old Porter.
Hensley ended,“My goal is for each of my students to feel empowered, confident and appreciated for who they are. As a speech-language pathologist, I hope to equip them with skills to help them be successful communicators in school and ultimately in their everyday lives.”
Clay County Schools Chief Officer Angel Owens complimented Hensley. “Emily serves our students with speech language needs with a smile on her face every day. She advocates for her students with a passion for their continued everyday success. She devotes her time to serving our students and is dedicated to helping them reach their fullest potential.”
Owens added, “This will be the second time Emily will represent Clay County Schools as our Educator of Excellence at the North Carolina Office of Exceptional Children State Conference in Greensboro, where she will be recognized for her dedication and accomplishments at the state level. She was previously honored for this same award in the 2016-2017 school year.”
Melissa Cheeks was chosen as 2024-2025 Hayesville Primary School Teacher of the Year. Cheeks has been an educator with Clay County Schools for 18 years, starting in 2006 as a teacher assistant. In fall 2019, she began teaching.
Her desire to teach started while working in childcare for Southwestern Child Development. “I also have to add that looking to Jesus and wanting to show his love to others is my main goal in teaching,” she said. “I am always reminded by the scripture, Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of heaven, Luke 18:16. It is my desire to model Jesus’ love to students in the classroom through my teaching skills.”
The students are what she loves most about teaching. “I learn so much from them,” she said. “Each student is diverse in the way they learn. I have to change the way I teach to meet the child’s needs. This drives me to learn new ways of instruction through various training venues offered through Clay County Schools.”
A cherished favorite memory is from her second year of teaching. “I had a precious female student,” Cheeks said. “This sweet little girl loved Sponge Bob Square Pants and she started laughing one day after calling me Ms. Cheeks. I asked what she was laughing about. She said, ‘Your name is not Ms. Cheeks but it is Sandy Cheeks from Sponge Bob. I am going to call you Sandy Cheeks.’ I loved this and let her call me Sandy Cheeks anytime she wanted.”
Cheeks was born in Tennessee, the youngest of five. She is married to Glen Cheeks, who is a farmer. She has three children, Isaac, who is serving in the Air Force, Lauren, who is a student at Young Harris College and Eli, who attends Hayesville Middle School.
Cheeks said she did not like attending school when she was little because she was afraid of classmates and new teachers. “I want every student to know they are loved and welcomed in my classroom,” she smiled. “I want every student to leave my class overcoming any fears of school and have a successful year.”
HPS Principal Heather Plemmons commended Cheeks. “Mrs. Melissa Cheeks is a true gem,” she said. “In the classroom, she provides a safe, nurturing environment for her Pre-K students. Within that environment she ensures she meets the needs of all students through differentiated lessons, engaging whole group and small group instruction and most importantly, through individual connections to each student and family. We are so proud to have her representing us as the HPS teacher of the year because she truly strives to live out the mission of Hayesville Primary School — ‘To provide a welcoming, happy, safe and supportive learning environment in which everyone is equal and all achievements are celebrated.’”
Teacher Assistant of the Year for 2024-2025 Misty Jefferies has been a kindergarten assistant at Hayesville Primary School for nine years. “It’s definitely a God thing I work for the school system,” she said. “I have a business degree and it was never on my radar in my younger days. I know without a doubt this is where God led me.”
It is obvious she enjoys her job. “I just have a heart for those kids. I love seeing their smiles in the morning and hearing their little stories,” she said. “I love being a light for them in this dark world. I want them to feel safe and happy and I want to serve them however I can.”
Her favorite part of the job? “Is having the opportunity to work alongside two amazing teachers, Jill Cherry and Delaney Smith, and watching them so positively impact the lives of many children,” she explained. “If I were to ever actually become a teacher, I would want to follow their examples.”
Her husband, Adrian Jeffries, is Clay County Schools IT Director. They have two sons, Brayden recently graduated from Clay Schools and Baler attends fifth grade at HMS. “My husband and I love our gym family at CrossFit Murphy,” she explained, talking about her hobbies. “I also love hanging out at home with my boys and our three dogs.”
She continued, “I wish everyone could know the love of Jesus. I pray I share that sweet love in whatever I do. I want nothing more than for every child to learn and feel loved and to feel safe. I want to be that person they remember as someone who not only had a part in them learning to read, but who also cared deeply about their little hearts and well-being. I want every child to be taught all they need to know from the amazing Delaney Smith, whom I adore, by being a very passionate and present help in her classroom. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to do this everyday.”
HPS Principal Plemmons added, “Ms. Misty provides phenomenal instructional support at HPS in the kindergarten classroom. She has an outstanding work ethic and a sense of discernment that is hard to find. She instinctively knows what needs to be done for students each moment and does so by giving 100 percent of her love, effort and attention to them. She is loved beyond measure by staff and students alike at Hayesville Primary School.”