Dutchess County and Poughkeepsie schools partner for new program

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City Connects Coordinator Jakira Kellogg

POUGHKEEPSIE –  Dutchess County Government and the Poughkeepsie City School District (PCSD) have launched an innovative data-tracking system that connects an individualized success plan to each student to address the out-of-school factors that impact learning.

An outcome of their work through the Poughkeepsie Children’s Cabinet, the County, and School District are implementing the nationally-renowned City Connects program from the Boston College Lynch School of Education, which empowers coordinators working with teachers and others to ascertain each student’s needs and what resources are available to help that student.   The County is funding City Connects as a three-year pilot program, which began in 2021 and is being implemented among the district’s sixth-grade students.  The County is assessing the program and hopes to expand it to other school districts over time.

County Executive Marc Molinaro said, “We are grateful to partner with the Poughkeepsie City School District and the Boston College Lynch School of Education on this ambitious endeavor. City Connects aligns with the mission of Dutchess County’s Path to Promise initiative: ensuring every child throughout our community has access to the resources necessary to become successful young adults.”

City Connects Coordinator Jakira Kellogg, a Poughkeepsie High School graduate with a master’s degree in school counseling, is employed by the Poughkeepsie City School District and works with staff at Poughkeepsie Middle School, providing them with support to identify services outside the classroom setting. These services can include after-school enrichment and tutoring programs, and mental health and medical treatment, among others.

During the first six months of the pilot program, Ms. Kellogg conducted observations of 19 of the 21 district’s sixth-grade classes, noting interactions between students and teachers and entering data into the MyConnects system, which allows the City Connects team to track student progress in the four key areas: academics, social-emotional learning, family and health. Ms. Kellogg will next hold team meetings with the teachers to determine the strengths and needs of each student.

One of the initial observations Ms. Kellogg has highlighted is how students benefit from having teachers consistently check on them before beginning a lesson.   “Asking students question about how they feel and what’s going is very helpful for students.  Being consistent with it shows you care,” said Ms. Kellogg.

“We believe that, over time, City Connects is going to make a significant and positive difference in the lives of children,” said Poughkeepsie City School District Superintendent Dr. Eric Jay Rosser. “We are excited about the prospects of City Connects and believe this model ultimately will be emulated throughout our school district – and beyond.”




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