As I’ve said earlier, Bright School is committed to welcoming our students home in August. Other than Governor Lee ordering a mandatory stay-at-home directive, we plan to come together again as a school community for the start of the 2020-2021 school year. Public health concerns, of course, may dictate the model we use to educate our students at school, but we are planning to adjust nimbly to whatever the shifting priorities require. Through additional technologies and advanced preparation, we will be able to provide, as well, a seamless integration between classroom and home should the situation change dramatically.

 

The plan outlines our thoughts regarding the implications for teaching and learning and the requirements for maintaining the health and well-being of our students and teachers. We will evaluate these procedures at the end of the first trimester (November 11) and implement changes over Thanksgiving break. Your patience, good will, and willingness to partner with us will help tremendously in helping bring all of these plans to fruition.

Fortunately, Bright School is in a strong position to do what’s necessary to bring everyone back together again. Our admissions numbers remain strong, we are financially sound, and our faculty and administration have been preparing diligently to provide a quality Bright School education no matter the circumstances. Furthermore, we hope to relieve some of the burdens our parents have so bravely borne these last few months. In addition to reopening school, our after-care program will be available, as will many of the activities to which we are accustomed. 

 

Finally, as shown in our no-cost summer programs, Bright Prep and Bright Care, as well as in the tuition credits afforded those enrolled this past year, we remain committed to working with families in need of financial assistance. Our hope is to give all our students the opportunity to engage again in the vibrant Bright School community, building that strong foundation upon which their future growth and success will depend.

Here are some questions you may have. More details are available on the website. Click on the green button above to read more. Please remember these plans may change as the health conditions and guidelines change. These plans apply to the start of school and the first trimester. We will evaluate conditions and guidelines in November.

Are we having Registration Day?

No, we are eliminating Registration Day this year to avoid a large gathering.

Will I get to meet my child's teacher? What are Phase-In Days?

Yes. Instead of Registration Day, we will have Phase-In Days on August 18-21. Small groups of about four students per classroom will come each day. Parents will be invited to visit the classroom with their children and stay for a set amount of time that morning. Students will stay all day (until 1 p.m. for JPK and PK and until 3 p.m. for grades K-5). These Phase-In Days will help acclimate both children and teachers to new health and safety procedures. There will be no Bright Afternoons during Phase-In Days. You will receive the date of your child's Phase-In Day and more details in July.

Does my child need to wear a face covering?

Yes, all students are required to wear a face covering when arriving at school in the morning. However, they will not wear face coverings all day. They will only wear them in the hallways and at other times when physical distance is not possible or when they are outside their cohort/classroom.

What is a cohort? And why is it important?

Students will remain with their cohort during the day. The cohort is the home classroom for grades JPK-3 and the entire grades for fourth and fifth. This means students will remain with their classmates or students in their grades and not mingle with other classrooms or grades except in limited circumstances during the day. There will be no large gatherings in the Centennial Theater, for instance. Students will continue to have centers in their classrooms, go to special areas or have special area teachers come to their rooms and have P.E. and recess. Keeping children together in their cohort will reduce the number of people they are in contact with during the day.

What about lunch?

All students will eat lunch in their classrooms or perhaps outdoors on some days determined by the teachers. Lunch for grades PK-5 will still be provided by Sodexo. We are working with Sodexo to plan how best to serve food and offer choices to students.

Will the school take my child's temperature every day?

The school will not, but parents will. We are using a secure online system called ASCEND. Parents will complete a brief online questionnaire, which includes current temperature, each morning by a certain time before dropping off children. The health information will remain private and comply with the American Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. This system will be in place for Bright Prep and Bright Care in July. In order to open our school, we are forming an important partnership with parents. Students, faculty and staff who are sick and/or have a fever must remain at home.

Has the calendar changed?

Yes, we have updated our calendar to include Phase-In Days. There are no changes to any breaks. Download a new calendar here .

It is with a heavy heart we say good-bye to Coach Jeff McDaniel and his family. They are moving to Miami, where his wife, Mausi, has taken a new job. Coach McDaniel arrived in 2015 with his sons, Brayden and Cohen.

As you know, Jeff has been a stellar P.E. teacher and motivator of children of all ages. His wonderful spirit has inspired us all and brought to Bright School an enthusiasm for physical health and growth that permeates the school community. In P.E. classes, cross country and track, scooter races, Bright Fit, and countless other activities, he has shown us all how to have great fun while also reaching high to improve ourselves. No doubt, we will all greatly miss Jeff, Mausi, Brayden, and Cohen, but we'll also wish them the best in this next chapter of their lives.

We have hired Bobby Gendimenico to teach P.E. with Coach Ashley Linehart. Mr. Bobby, as children may know him, joined the faculty last year as a Bright Afternoons counselor and then became a kindergarten assistant to Delaney Driver during Mary Bosshardt’s maternity leave. He moved to Chattanooga in 2019 from New Orleans, where he was the only P.E. teacher at St. George’s Episcopal School, which includes grades PK-8. He also coached middle school swimming, soccer and track and field. Previously, he was a program manager in New Orleans for Up2Us Sports, a national organization that trains and supports coaches to serve as mentors and role models to youth in underserved communities. He earned his bachelor’s degree in sports studies at Ithaca College and his master’s degree in international sport management at State University of New York at Cortland. His wife, Lizzie, is the middle school counselor at Baylor.

Committed. That describes teachers at Bright School. Classes may be out of session, but our teachers are hard at work, preparing for the next school year. Kendra Reasor, assistant head of school for curriculum and instruction, explains the professional development and training our teachers have been taking part in since the school year ended. Watch the video below.

Bright Care and Bright Prep registration is now closed, and we are excited to announce that we will host these sessions on campus! Families who have registered will receive a detailed email with Bright Prep and Bright Care procedures and protocols a week before your child's session. We are looking forward to having your child back on campus!

JPK

Rachel Berger (assistant Kayla Greco)

Jenna Leckenby (assistant Hannah Bradford)

Karen Thompson (assistant Chasity Robinson)

PK

Emily Hon (assistant Lynne Stutts)

Jill Johnson (assistant Abigail Ballard)

Jasmine Mathews (assistant Amy Hutcherson)

Kindergarten

Bill Greene (assistant Kelsey Grant)

Sonal Patel (assistant Mady Ashe)

Katie Shirley (assistant Hannah Layton)

First Grade

Jana Evans

Susanna Fricks

Karen Smith

Our Guerry International Plaza displays the flags of nations represented by our families. We are ready to purchase new flags for next school year. If you are new or don't see a flag that represents your family, please let us know. Visit the website to see a listing of the current flags. Email Elizabeth Davis at [email protected] with the name of the country you would like to see on the flag court.

Support Bright School and support your business at the same time by becoming a school sponsor! The school sponsorship program is enhanced for next year and offers more opportunities for exposure for your business. Visit the Sponsorships webpage for more information. Contact Director of Advancement Kim Brown at [email protected] if you are interested.

Information about all of our summer programs is available on our Summer Reading and Enrichment page on the website.

Storytime

Join Librarian Elizabeth Oakes for storytime each Friday via Zoom. Check the website for a list of books Miss Oakes plans to read.

Rising PK and K  10:00-10:20 am

Rising 1st and 2nd 10:30-10:50 am

Zoom Meeting ID:  822 5557 7720

Password: brightread

Book Clubs

Rising third, fourth and fifth graders are invited to discuss books with Miss Oakes this summer. The first book club meeting is June 30. Check the website for the specific books to be discussed and times for the book club meetings.

Zoom Meeting ID:  842 9386 5957

Password: brightread

Library Check Out

Check out books from the Bright School library this summer. Use this online form to request books. The next pick up day is Wednesday, June 24. Check the website for more information.

Summer Packets

Everyone should have received the information about required reading for next year, the platform Biblionasium for recording your reading, and use of resources at the Chattanooga Public Library. If you are missing the information, click here for our website.

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