MADISON – Discovery Middle School students are welcoming a new assistant principal, Jonathan Bailey.

Bailey realized Madison City Schools’ many strengths. “I taught 10 years in middle school and completed my master’s in instructional leadership, so this position was perfect for my background,” he said.

His teaching career started in 2006 at Sheffield Junior High School with science classes and coaching basketball, track and field and robotics. After 10 years, he joined Deshler High School to teach human anatomy/physiology, physical science and to coach junior varsity boys’ basketball.

Bailey believes “all students can learn and achieve success in the classroom, regardless of their background or prior experiences in and out of the classroom. Two main factors that affect student achievement are the teacher’s ability to manage classroom behavior and setting high standards for all students.”

In discipline, he consider himself as strict but fair. “I also realize each situation is different. Some judgement (must be) involved in each case,” Bailey said.

On full academic scholarship, Bailey earned a bachelor’s degree in biology at Alabama State University. He earned master’s degrees in biology and educational instructional leadership from University of North Alabama.

Bailey will never forget one particular student. “When I first met him, he was an average student, sometimes got into trouble (only because he was mischievous, not because he was a bad kid) but had a struggling home life. He passed my class with a C, went to high school and things went downhill from there,” he said.

This student contemplated dropping out. Bailey convinced him to join the track team. “This changed his life . . . and mine. Through track, I taught him discipline, work ethic, respect and perseverance. He taught me patience, diligence and to never give up on a kid.”

The student did graduate, joined the Army and served with distinction. “We still communicate. I consider him family, as he does me,” Bailey said.

Jonathan’s wife, Kimberly Bailey, teaches eighth-grade science at Deshler Middle School. “We have a 15-year-old daughter, Cymbree in tenth grade, and an eight-year-old son, Jonathan Jr. in third grade. We also just finished adopting our six-year-old niece, Dakota in first grade, and just found out we’re expecting our fourth child in February,” Bailey said.

Jonathan has served his church as deacon, and he enjoys teaching Sunday school. He has volunteer coached for Tennessee Valley Basketball Association, Upward Bound and recreation leagues.

In spare time, he enjoys time with his family, playing basketball, hunting and fishing.