Jenny Sanford, Springport Public Schools Teacher, Named MCTE Middle School English Teacher of the Year for 2026-2027

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Benjamin Woodcock, MCTE President

Jenny Sanford

Jenny Sanford, Springport Public Schools Teacher, Named MCTE Middle School English

Teacher of the Year for 2026-2027

Michigan, August 24, 2026 — The Michigan Council of Teachers of English (MCTE) is proud to

share that Jenny Sanford, teacher at Springport Middle School, has been chosen as the

recipient of the Middle School English Teacher of the Year Award for 2026-2027.

In her 23 year teaching career, Sanford has taught every grade level, preK-12th grade, in either

music or English. She currently teaches 6th-8th grade ELA at Springport Middle School. Along

with coaching and teacher leadership duties in Springport, Sanford also serves as president of

the South Central Michigan Reading Council, as the co-chair of the Adolescent Literacy

Committee on the Michigan Reading Association board, as the 6-8 lead for the Michigan

Performance Assessment Cadre MiPAC project, and as a member of the Chippewa River

Writing Project leadership team.

Sanford describes middle school as her true home. She is inspired by her students who are just

beginning to fully realize who they are in the world. Placing books in their hands that help them

see themselves and the world around them more clearly is a passion of Sanford’s, and she is

grateful that, even in a small rural district, she has had the opportunity to share high quality,

diverse texts with students, without reservation.

People often seem amazed - and a bit bewildered - when Sanford tells them she is a middle

school teacher, but she loves her students. “Working with middle school students has been

such a blessing and a rewarding experience. Middle schoolers are so full of life, naturally

curious, and are vulnerable enough to be honest with themselves, being willing to change and

shape their worldview.”

MCTE celebrates Jenny Sanford for her dedication to creating inclusive and humanizing

classrooms for her students, her leadership to the profession through middle level

organizations, and her innovation in the field of literacy. She will serve as the Middle School

English Teacher of the Year for the current school year and will be celebrated at the spring

conference of the Michigan Council of Teachers of English in March 2027.

About MCTE:

Established in 1922, the Michigan Council of Teachers of English (MCTE) serves as the state

affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English, uniting K-16 English language arts

educators. MCTE is dedicated to offering professional development opportunities to English

language arts teachers and English education professors throughout Michigan. The

organization's objectives include the dissemination of current English education scholarship and

providing valuable support to English language arts teachers as they navigate pedagogical

practices, student needs, and teaching philosophies. To learn more about MCTE, visit their

For media inquiries or additional information, please contact:

Benjamin Woodcock, MCTE President

Jenny Sanford