Bailey Middle School

A Bridge From Childhood to the World Beyond

As they enter their teenage years, students also adopt the habits and interests that will stick with them for the rest of their lives. A good middle school recognizes this and, with the help of the parents, offers lots of opportunities for students to explore the new opportunities open to them. Bailey Middle School is no exception. From sports to orchestra, to classes in art (where students who made clay bowls in the fall semester used them as the centerpiece for a Souper Holiday Bowl event that raised $752 for the Capital Area Food Bank) to after-school clubs covering a range of topics that include drama, anime, and guitar, Bailey students enjoy a wide range of choices. In all, the school boasts over 25 clubs and student activities, including nationally recognized programs in band and orchestra, and outdoor science education focusing on native plants and animals.

Academics still remain the principle focus at Bailey. Like the other Shady Hollow schools, Bailey students rank among the best in the city. The Texas Education Agency awarded Bailey Middle School with Gold Performance Acknowledgment commendations for reading, writing, and social studies. 98% of Bailey students passed the reading and social studies portions of the TAKS test, and an impressive 99% passed the writing portion, showing that these students can actually put into action the things they learn in the classroom.

Keeping parents involved and informed is important as well. Bailey Middle School employs an extensive array of web pages to inform parents and students of school activities and opportunities. In addition, the PTA uses email (via Yahoo Groups) and periodic PDF newsletters to keep in touch with parents.

Finally, Bailey Middle School knows the most important thing they can do for Shady Hollow families is to prepare their students for the challenges of high school and beyond. To that end, they work in close partnership with both Aikens and Bowie high schools, hosting counselors and arranging orientation sessions for 8th graders and their parents.

The passage from childhood to the teenage years can be a challenge for both parents and their children. The proper middle school can make a huge difference in the lives of the families it serves. By keeping their students challenged, engaged with their studies and the world beyond the campus, and offering a wide range of opportunities for personal growth and expression, Bailey Middle School offers the Shady Hollow community exactly those tools necessary to ease the transition, and help both parents and students set and achieve those longer-range goals that start to come into focus during these years.