Bailey Middle School outlines reading, math gains and new student-support pilots

Bailey Middle School Principal Deborah Fitzgerald told the Kingston City School District Board of Education on Tuesday that the school’s early-year instructional changes and expanded student supports are producing measurable gains and that several new pilots aim to boost organization, engagement and mentoring.

Fitzgerald presented two instructional priorities — a dedicated "wind block" for reading groups and a math-extension block — and described a pair of non-instructional strategies: a seventh-grade AVID binder pilot to build executive-function skills and a student-ambassador program to strengthen student voice. She introduced an ongoing "Check and Connect" mentoring pilot that pairs students with staff for daily or scheduled check-ins, and she praised IMI (Inform, Motivate, Inspire), a mentoring program that has followed students into high school.

"We're constantly looking at data," Fitzgerald said, describing monthly data meetings, diagnostic testing and teacher collaboration. She said teachers set I‑Ready goals with students and adjust small-group instruction frequently.

An I‑Ready coordinator for Bailey presented cohort-tracking data showing improvement from the end of last school year to the start of the current year. In reading and math cohorts that can be tracked year to year, the school is seeing movement toward grade level: the presenter reported that one cohort moved from 37% of students on or above grade level in math at the end of last year to 51% at the start of this year. The staff framed the change as early-year diagnostics and summer supports contributing to cohort gains and set district-level targets that include a projected 38% proficiency under baseline projections and 54% if stretch goals are met.

Fitzgerald highlighted other initiatives: an "elevated coach" (a peer teacher coach supported by New York State), thinking-classroom practices in math, culturally responsive professional development with consultant Dr. Jess LeBlanc and teacher peer visitation for classroom observation. She said programming such as arts and PE supports academic engagement.

Fitzgerald also described extracurricular offerings that reinforce engagement, including a cooking club funded by staff donations, the PTO and grants from the Community Foundation of the Hudson Valley. She said the club took 30 students to the Culinary Institute of America in May 2025.

Board members praised the mentoring and peer-observation work and asked detailed questions about the AVID binder pilot, including measures of success and sustainability. Fitzgerald said teachers conduct brief weekly checks of binders and that the pilot includes common language and systems across seventh-grade classrooms to support executive functioning. Trustees asked the administration to report back on pilot outcomes as the year progresses.

Fitzgerald’s presentation ran through multiple slides and generated broad support from trustees, who commended the school’s use of data and mentoring programs. The board requested continued updates on pilot results and resource-allocation timelines for school facility work Fitzgerald mentioned in passing.