Maddox retires after 26 years of shaping young minds at RMS

R U S S E L L V I L L E — Teaching for Diane Maddox has never been just about grammar rules or reading comprehension, but rather about connection, creativity and care.

After 26 years at Russellville Middle School, Maddox is retiring, leaving behind a legacy built on compassion, curiosity and laughter.

“I always tried to see each student not just for who they were in class but for who they were becoming,” Maddox said. “Teaching is personal. It has to be.”

Maddox said she believes in hands-on learning and emphasizing the importance of empathy and good manners, noting she has always made it a priority to teach not only language arts but also life lessons.

“That includes everything from buying school supplies for students in need to modeling kindness and being respectful in daily interactions,” she said.

Maddox spent 15 years teaching seventh grade before transitioning to sixth grade. She spent the last 11 years of her career teaching both advanced and standard sixth-grade English, turning grammar and writing into lessons her students could genuinely enjoy. Her classroom was a place where SpongeBob SquarePants got put on trial, and debates took place over the merits of canned corn versus corn on the cob.

The SpongeBob trial, one of her best-known projects, put students in the roles of attorneys, jurors and witnesses. They were assigned to defend or prosecute the cartoon character based on curated evidence, not internet conspiracy theories.

“They wrote their arguments as essays and presented them at trial,” Maddox said. “Whichever team convinced me the most, won the case — and earned extra credit! It taught them to pay attention to detail, use evidence effectively, and defend their positions. They loved objecting. It was their favorite part!”

She paired students strategically to balance strengths and coached them through rehearsals.

“Life doesn’t usually let us choose our coworkers,” Maddox said. “I wanted students to work with people they might not normally even speak to.”

She also coached students on confidence, body language, and responsibility.

Each year, she began with a project called “What I Wish My Teacher Knew,” inviting students to share personal challenges and goals.

“I told them about my own life growing up — how hard it was sometimes,” she said. “Then I opened the door for them to tell me what they were dealing with. You never know what a kid is going through until you ask.”

One of Maddox’s proudest memories came during the era of the Alabama Direct Assessment of Writing, a now-retired statewide test.

Despite facing significant challenges that year — including a high number of newcomers and English language learners — her students placed fourth in the state.

“I was so proud of them,” Maddox said. “It showed what we could accomplish together, even with the odds against us.”

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, and raised in Alabama, Maddox was drawn to teaching from an early age.

“Even before I was in school, I was doing my older brother’s homework just because I loved it,” she said.

Her parents bought her a chalkboard, and she taught her younger sisters at home.

She earned her teaching degree at the University

By María Camp of North Alabama, and now celebrates that her daughter, Brianna, teaches preschool at Vernon Elementary.

Former student Ella Colagross remembers Maddox’s classroom as a place full of warmth and energy.

“I remember all of the fun activities that she would have ready for us every day and how she would always be willing to help with anything and everything we needed,” Colagross said. “She made me feel like I could ask questions and not feel weird for it, and just like I belonged.

“What made her different is that she truly took time with each of her students to get to know them and ask what was going on,” Colagross said. “She just truly took the time to invest in us and make us feel like we could trust her with anything.”

Former student Drake Glass remembers Maddox not only for what she taught but how she made him feel.

“She was always positive and funny,” he shared. “She made me look forward to coming to her class. She was patient with us. She made us feel cared for, welcomed, heard,” he said. “She’s the best!”

Principal Dr. Monica Moon said Maddox made an impact across the school and the district.

“She showed commitment to students of diverse abilities and helped lay the foundation that students carry into high school,” Moon said. “Her legacy will continue on as we raise the bar and build on the work she’s done.”

“She helped lead her department, mentored others and stayed planted,” Moon added. “That kind of commitment is the hardest thing to replace.”

Maddox has three children — Michaelia “Mikki” Stonecipher Prince, who lives in Colorado; Briana Graham, who lives in Ardmore; and Caleb Stonecipher, who lives in Winfield.

Her grandchildren include Isaac and Amelia Prince, Kaylee Bryant, Alyssa Bryant and Lexi Graham, and Raiden Stonecipher, with another grandchild expected in December.

She hopes to spend more time with her grandchildren, delve deeper into the Bible through online classes and return to painting — especially landscapes and portraits, using oils and watercolors.

Though the classroom chapter is closing, Maddox said the joy of teaching will stay with her.

“It’s the kind of thing that sticks with you forever,” she said.