It is widely known that high school seniors, particularly in the second semester, are full of energy and excitement for graduation, often making it difficult for teachers. Jessica Baylis knows this all too well, teaching A.P. Environmental Science to over one hundred seniors at North High, year after year. Other than “enviro,” Baylis has previously taught Regents Biology, Anatomy & Physiology, and other science electives.
Baylis graduated from Syracuse University in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in retailing. Her first job was in Human Resources, but she bounced around companies for a few years until deciding to go back to school for her teaching degree in 2006.
Baylis has learned numerous strategies over her 18 years at North High to make class most effective. To mitigate absences, Baylis grants participation points as a way for the students in class to improve their grades. There are also vocabulary and multiple choice quizzes throughout the week, to help encourage students to study more often and be better prepared for assessments.
Besides fill-in-the-blank vocab quizzes, all tests are multiple choice, taking away some of the stress from her seniors’ busy schedules, but also providing good practice for the MCQ section on the A.P. Exam. Most of the free response practice is done in class.
Baylis says she does not believe in “busy work” and all assignments are intentional and serve a clear purpose. Homework assignments are limited, and mostly include unit review before quizzes and tests. She also provides numerous optional extra credit assignments.
“I love how she makes sure we know the material, but doesn’t waste our time,” senior Kate Lu said. “I love chatting with her when we finish our work.”
She believes that simply completing the work and paying attention during notes is more than enough to earn a high grade in her class. She says that there is only so much she can do to encourage her seniors to stay on top of their work, but after a certain point, the choice is theirs.
Baylis loves to maintain close relationships with each of her students, getting to know them all on a personal level. She shares stories about her life experiences, including her 40-pound weight loss journey that was featured on Newsday. She loves to hear about her students’ plans over break, senior year traditions and where they will be attending college.
Her students appreciate all the effort Baylis puts in to make “enviro” a chill, low-key class. “There’s a reason Ms. Baylis is everyone’s favorite- she’s cheery, so cutesy and makes any class she teaches feel like home,” senior Daliah Segal said.
“Mrs. Baylis’ class is really fun and is something I look forward to at the end of my day!” senior Jade Nabavian said. “She’s a super nice person who cares about her students- listening to their personal stories and attending to everyone’s needs, regardless of if they’re science related.”
“North isn’t just where I work – it’s where I’ve grown up, alongside hundreds of teenagers and more MUQs than I can count,” Baylis said.
She definitely has a strong legacy at North High, and the impact she leaves on her students extends far beyond her teachings of pollution and climate change.
