Welcome to the second edition of Up & Coming, a monthly update to keep you informed about all things Bridges Seattle. Along with admissions and site updates, we will provide informative webcasts, exciting curriculum ideas, and introduce you to all the members of our amazing team. And don't be afraid to take the surveys!

I'd also like to take this space to encourage you to reach out to me personally to discuss your child, the future, and all the exciting developments that are taking place. Call our main number, 818-506-1091, to speak with Heidi or email Heidi.Behrendt@bridges.edu to figure out a time for us to meet up. Let's get lunch sometime!

Best,

Carl Sabatino
Head of Schools
Bridges Education Group

Site Committee
The Site Committee has been busy! Since the mid-March newsletter the committee has physically and virtually visited dozens of potential sites for Bridges Seattle. Our original plans to lease have now expanded to purchasing a space - giving us more options to consider.

Potential campuses in the Seattle area come in all shapes and sizes. The warehouses in the west and south have amazing potential, but the build-out would be challenging and many are not equipped with adequate heating. Central Seattle has some great spaces, however, they typically offer less square footage. North Seattle, where we frequently see lower prices and larger spaces, is promising. Spaces on the Eastside are more like offices in design and feel, some in beautiful locations and very accessible.

The bottom line is that the search continues. While we do hope to conclude our search within the next couple of months and report the good news, we are committed to taking all the time we need to find the best possible environment for Bridges students. After all, students spend a lot of time on campus.

If anyone wants to share a lead on the perfect space, feel free to send information to Peter.Godwin@bridges.edu.

Curriculum Corner
Young Expert Program
One of the signature programs at Bridges is the Young Expert Program for high school students. We know how important it is to create space and time to support the amazing minds of 2e learners so they can work on imaginative projects with real-world applications. 

In the Young Expert Program, students design and complete long-term courses of study, earning badges in an area of interest. Students who amass a cluster of badges in a related field become candidates for young expertise. Successful candidates demonstrate and defend their knowledge and skills before the head of school, achieving Young Expert Certification, the highest honor bestowed upon graduating seniors.

Over the past five years senior students have been awarded Young Expert Certification in: artificial intelligence, game design, computer programming, music, mathematics, narrative arts and sciences, scientific and historical research, meteorology, character creation and 3D modeling, narrative writing for the stage and screen, machine learning, narrative media development, and drama.
Most recently, Xavier Chan (class of ’21) received Young Expert Certification in Remotely Operated Vehicle Design. Xavier’s work has been a fascinating and exciting progression. Over the course of three years Xavier built an underwater drone from a kit, invented a completely new type of thruster for underwater drones, and has now applied for a provisional patent for a unidirectional sidekick thruster for remotely operated underwater vehicles.

The Young Expert Program will be a vital and central element to Bridges Academy Seattle and we are excited to work with more Young Experts!

Pop Survey!
In an effort to develop our parent education program please click here to access this month's survey!

Crucial Conversations Webcast is Back!
Season two of our monthly webcast featuring the top minds in gifted and 2e education, Crucial Conversations about Cognitive Diversity, premiers on Wednesday, April 21 at 1 p.m.

Host Scott Barry Kaufman will be in conversation with Jessica Lahey to discuss parenting cognitively diverse kids.


The Bridges 2e Center for Research and Professional Development is delighted to bring you Crucial Conversations about Cognitive Diversity with Scott Barry Kaufman.

Dr. Kaufman, the director of research at the 2e Center, is a prominent voice in the neurodiversity movement and has published broadly about intelligence and creativity, including his books Ungifted and Wired to Create. His most recent book Transcend reconceives Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs as a framework to drive self-discovery and actualization.


Summer Fun!
Every June, Bridges hosts a month of summer courses where teachers create courses of personal interest. Every course offers students a fun, educational, and social environment and there is a range of topics that will interest any student!

We are opening registration for any Seattle families interested in any of the online offerings. Click here to browse the online courses.

Below are a couple of featured online courses!

Exploring Marine Biology: June 14-18

This course is about all the incredible animals that live in the ocean and how they survive such extreme environments! In this course, students will be exploring the incredible and amazing animals in the midnight, twilight and photic zones of the ocean while also learning about how they interact with their environment. Students will work through digital simulations to solve problems, create unique ocean creatures that can survive under certain environmental pressures, watch exciting footage of these organisms, learn/share wild facts and even discuss the lore behind some of them (i.e. the Kracken! ah!).
Intro to Art of Problem Solving: June 21-25 and June 28 - July 2

Art of Problem Solving (AoPS) teaches math by solving fun and complex problems. After a problem is presented to a student, the student is given a chance to explore and search for a solution independently. This is followed by a teacher navigating the student to the solution.


Admissions Committee
Don't forget that the formal admissions cycle does not begin until August. Our admissions team will be in touch with everyone about information sessions, individual meetings for students and parents, and application processes. We keep paperwork to a minimum so we can spend more time getting to know our students and their families. Fit is important.

If you have already attended an open house, feel free to call, 818-506-1091, to make an appointment to discuss specific questions.

April Preliminary Open Houses
If you would like to attend an open house to learn more about the plans for the school and program information, please click the link below that corresponds with the grade your child will be going into in the fall of 2022.

Dates and Links
Grades 4 through 8

Grades 9 through 12

Grades 4 through 8

Weds., April 21 at 6 p.m.

Thurs., April 22 at 6 p.m.

Weds., April 28 at 6 p.m
.
Meet the Seattle-Based Team
Alisha Wilt is on the Bridges Academy Seattle leadership team and currently lives in Portland, Oregon. Alisha graduated from Seattle University with a bachelor's degree in psychology and now manages her family businesses. She is married to Justin Hedberg and is a mom of three, her oldest child, age eight, is her 2e wonder and inspiration. 

After many failed attempts at finding the right educational environment for her son, Alisha reached out to Bridges Academy and has been working with the school in opening their second location in the beautiful city of Seattle (and she can’t wait to move back!). Bridges Academy will serve as the connecting point for so many 2e children and their families, Alisha is incredibly excited and proud to be a part of this important effort, and can’t wait to connect with more 2e families in the greater Seattle area. 
Erin McCullough had a management career in marketing and communications before her early retirement to full-time Chief Mom Officer three years ago. She has her Bachelor of Arts in communications from Seattle University and a Master of Arts in organizational leadership from City University.

Erin's journey as a twice-exceptional parent began eight years ago when their oldest son was born. She has even more parenting excitement when her youngest son was born five years ago. Erin and her husband Shawn enjoy connecting with other 2E families and are looking forward to building a community with Bridges Academy Seattle.
Sarah McLuckie is an Adjunct Professor of English at Lake Washington Institute of Technology in Kirkland, Washington. She has been teaching literature and research courses at the college level for the past decade.

Sarah received her Bachelor of Arts in literature with a minor in women’s studies and Master of Arts in literature from Georgia College & State University. 

Sarah has two young children and lives with her husband Craig McLuckie in Medina, Washington.
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