What you need to know this week:
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- Teachers announce their retirements.
- Update on our SAIS accreditation process.
- Building a Bright Future Capital Campaign update: Awesome desks
- You're invited to the Recorder and Choir Concert tonight.
- Bright Family Breakfast is tomorrow.
- Join us for Math Night on Thursday.
- Support the fifth grade bake sale on Friday.
- Used uniform sale on Friday. Everything half off!
- Cadek offers new ukulele lessons.
- The Parents' Association is seeking officers for next school year.
- Doodle for Google drawings are due Friday.
- Time to order 2019-2020 yearbooks. Orders due March 31.
- Registration for Bright Days summer camp is open.
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Teacher Retirements and Departures
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Two teachers are announcing they plan to retire at the end of this school year. Fifth grade teacher Brenda Austin and JPK teacher Cathy Hicks have impacted the lives of hundreds of children and their families during their time at Bright. We will miss them greatly and will plan to celebrate this milestone in their lives with a reception later this spring.
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Mrs. Austin has been teaching fifth grade reading since 2011. She has been instrumental in preparing students both academically and socially for the next step to middle school. Students appreciate her humorous but matter-of-fact style.
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Mrs. Cathy, as she is known by the children, has been at Bright since 1994. She has long cared for our youngest students during the school day, after school and in the summers. Passing by her class, you will often see her actively engaged with children working on a craft or teaching the children a fun song in a circle on the carpet.
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We also will say good-bye to three other teachers. Second grade teacher Emily Satterfield is getting married and will be relocating to be with her fiancée. First grade teacher LeAnne Sharpe is leaving to focus on her family. Kindergarten teacher Mary Bosshardt has decided to stay home with her baby.
Assistant Head of School Christy Lusk and third grade teacher Kendra Reasor, who will take over Dr. Lusk’s role next fall, have already begun interviewing candidates for these positions.
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SAIS Accreditation Update
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The team of school administrators and teachers overseeing our re-accreditation with the Southern Association of Independent Schools visited last week and gave us a very positive preliminary report. We appreciate the teachers, students, parents and young alumni who met with the team. We expect to receive the team's final report in the next few weeks.
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Flexibility is the key to the classroom of today. Our first, second and third grade classrooms were outfitted with new furniture during last summer's renovations. This new furniture, including new tables in first grade, allow for better collaboration and flexibility.
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First grade classrooms have what is called the Elemental 6-star table. Children share a table, but they have their own area designated by the shape of the table. When you pass the first grade classrooms, you will often notice materials spread across the tables as children work on projects individually or together. Teachers say the tables give the students more space than individual desks, and visitors are immediately drawn to the interesting shape and bright colors. Our fourth and fifth grade classrooms are scheduled to get new furniture this summer. Won't you join the Building a Bright Future Capital Campaign to help make this happen?
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Recorder and Choir Concert Tonight
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March is Music in Our Schools Month, and we are celebrating! Fourth and fifth graders will play recorders and the Bright School Choir will sing at a special concert at 5:30 p.m. tonight, in the Centennial Theater. All families are welcome to attend. Performers need to arrive by 5:15 p.m.
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Bright Family Breakfast Tomorrow
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Join us from 7-7:45 a.m. tomorrow. It's $3 a person. What's for breakfast, Mrs. Mary?
- French toast
- Scrambled eggs
- Maple sausage
- Berries and yogurt
- Cinnamon rolls
- Cereal
- Orange juice
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All families are invited to Math Night, a fun evening of puzzles and calculations for all ages, on Thursday from 5:30-7 p.m. Pizza will be served. All activities will take place in the gym. (Parents attend with their children. This is not a drop-off event.)
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Support the Fifth Grade Bake Sale
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The annual fifth grade bake sale is Friday, and all proceeds go toward the Class of 2020 gift to the school. Classes will visit the bake sale to shop during the day. Most items will be 50 cents to $2. Everything will be nut-free, and there will be gluten-free and dairy-free options.
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Apply for a PA Board Position
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Here is your chance to participate in the Parents' Association for next fall. The PA is looking for parents who would like to serve as leaders, chairmen or committee members. Please fill out the
Willingness to Serve Form and return it to Kim Brown in the office by 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 18.
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Used Uniform Sale on Friday
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All used uniforms are half off on Friday, March 13. The sale is 7:30 a.m. to noon in the Treehouse, which is the room above the main lobby. There's a great selection for warmer weather ahead.
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Cadek Offers Ukulele Class
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What's more fun than learning to play the ukulele? How about learning with your friends? Coming soon to Cadek at Girls Preparatory School (Mondays 5-5:45 p.m.) and at The Bright School (Wednesdays 5-5:45 p.m.)—a ukulele group class for kids ages 6-12. Starting March 9 and continuing through May 11, the classes will be taught by the delightful Sophia Puckett. Sign up at
cadek.org or call for more information. Class fee is only $150 and includes class materials. Hope your child can join us!
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Doodles for Google Due March 13
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Students who would like to submit a drawing for the Doodle for Google contest should turn them into the office by Friday.
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March is the month to order yearbooks! The 2019-2020 yearbooks will be distributed at Registration Day, but don't delay! Purchase your book now because we can't guarantee there will be enough books left over to buy in the fall.
This year, we are offering discounts for buying multiple books. Individual books are $35. Buy
2 for $60 (Code Yearbook2), 3 for $90 (Code Yearbook3), or 4 for $120 (Code Yearbook4). The codes are good through March 31. Books will be $40 on Registration Day. Please only purchase online by clicking on "Buy Your Yearbook." Do not send a check to school.
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Register Now for Bright Days!
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Start planning a fun summer for your child at Bright! Registration is now open for our summer program.
Bright Days is open to ages 3 (by August 1) to 8 (or rising third grader). Weekly sessions last the first week of June to the last week of July (school is closed the week of July 4). Visit our website to learn more and to register.
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March 9
Recorder and Choir Concert
5:30 p.m.
March 10
Bright Family Breakfast
7-7:45 a.m.
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March 12
Math Night
5:30-7 p.m.
March 13
Pi Day
Fifth Grade Bake Sale
Used Uniform Sale
7:30-noon
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March 19
Math Academy Field Trip
March 20
Bright Fit T-shirt Day
Fifth Grade Handbells Field Trip
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What's for Lunch? Click
here
for the menu.
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Third graders performed "Stay Tuned" last week. The play, written by teacher Allie Hyer, is about children who learn about healthy eating and exercise through the power of their TV and some of our favorite TV shows like the Addams Family and Brady Bunch. The play promotes Bright Fit Night, which is April 17.Pictured above is Okra, who more or less resembles Oprah, was played by Peytan McGraw. She's joined by Campo Perdomo, Katie Kopet, Cooper Brooks and Cate Hemphill.
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