Fairhope Middle School outlines how city 3-mill funds support interventions and student gains

Angie Hall, principal of Fairhope Middle School, thanked the council for the 3-mill local tax that supports staffing and programs the school credits with improved student outcomes. "Our mission at Fairhope Middle School is to empower bold and honorable lifelong learners who strive for excellence, serve others, and find success," Hall said as she outlined intervention programs funded by the levy.

Assistant Principal Katie Sheret described how the funds are used to employ intervention teachers and instructional aides and to run "Pirate Boost," a classroom recovery program for students who miss multiple days. Sheret said the school's state report-card rating remained high (the school reported a score of 93) and cited benchmark growth: "ELA went from 51% proficient to 56% and math grew from 29 to 44," she said. In comparative data she presented, seventh-grade ELA at Fairhope Middle School was 79 versus 67 in the county and 57 statewide.

School leaders said they targeted attendance and English-language-learner supports this year after chronic absenteeism measured about 11.59% last year and is "trending under 10%" after mentoring and incentives. Sheret also named the full-time ESL teacher, Stella Cooper, and credited her inclusion model for supporting immigrant students.

Council members thanked the school leaders and noted the long-term nature of the 3-mill funding made recruitment of intervention teachers easier. No council action was taken; the presentation served to report outcomes and respond to council questions about assessment comparisons and data timing.