Back To School News
September 2022
Letter From the Head of School
Dear Brighton School Parents and Community,
As Head of School at Brighton, it is my pleasure to welcome everyone to our 40th year of providing educational excellence! We are all excited to have students return to a pre-pandemic level of education and experiences. Soon our classrooms and hallways will be filled with energy and enthusiasm for learning that can’t be matched. It is our mission to help every child feel welcomed, connected, and part of our Brighton School family. Additionally, we strive to challenge each student to grow in their academic abilities and become responsible world citizens. At Brighton, we have amazing teachers who spend hours planning and creating activities to engage our students in learning both inside the classroom and beyond the school walls. Our teachers utilize research-based best practices and analyze academic data to determine current skill levels and help students set goals for growth and improvement.
I am honored to serve as Head of School at Brighton. It is truly a privilege to be a part of a community where teachers, parents and students care for each other and strive to build positive relationships that support academic and social growth. Please feel free to contact me at (425) 640-7067 or suzanne.adams@brightonschool.com.
Once again, welcome back! Let’s make this another great year at Brighton. Go Eagles!
Warmly,
Suzanne Adams
Head of School
Meet the 2022-2023 Brighton Staff
Suzanne Adams
Sarah Parks Lobb
Jessamy Livingston
Teresa Subert
Brandon Lobb
Kate Nowak
Teaching and Auxilary Staff
Office Administrator
Julie Lobb
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Sam Cozens, floating position
Serena Rettell with Laura Albert
Shawna Millete with Daisy King
Kayla McArthur with Nathan Ashbrook
PreKindergarten:
Gina Pair with Peyton McArthur
Michelle Chittenden with Wendy Dalton
Julie Petesch with Joyce Michael
ELEMENTARY PROGRAM
Jason Warren, floating assistant
Kindergarten:
Megan Wehrly
Deanna Daneshi-Farr
Samantha Mooneyham
Kiersten Andermin, long-term substitute
Debbie Ashbrook, assistant
First Grade:
Monica Schippers
Dawn Vinzant
Janice Wick, assistant
Jill Schaller, assistant
Second Grade:
Julie Wakeman
RJ Rongcal
Emma Garcia, assistant
Third Grade:
Mike DiLorenzo
Erin Kinnear
Hanna Rehnfeldt
Jonathan Soriano, assistant
Fourth Grade
Nancy Richmond
Estefania Gabriel
Carrie Crawford, assistant
Fifth Grade
Claire Buckmiller
Darlene Corbitt
Nick West, assistant
MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM
Gordan Whitaker
Logan Limon
Nancy Thaler
Hannah Bodnar
Chris Robertson
Matt Harrow
Torye Banura
Julie Gerard, assistant
Physical Education
Ryan Wasserman
Hayden Evans
Music
Kaori Okada
Art
Cynthia Gahan
Drama
Matt De la Cruz
STEAM
Rebecca Ferguson
Spanish
Pierre Morse
2022 - 2023 Brighton School Calendar
Meet The Teacher
Students with last names beginning with A-M: 10 - 10:45 am
Students with last names beginning with N-Z: 11 - 11: 45 am
*Please make every attempt to arrive during your designated time to ease the flow of traffic and parking.
Comfort Kit (emergency preparedness)
(Note: water (72 hours supply) and first aid kits are already in place in all classrooms.)
Put all items in a one gallon freezer zip lock bag labeled with your child’s name.
The following is a suggested list of supplies. Remember the four categories and pack those things your child will enjoy. All items can be purchased at Fred Meyer, Ed’s Surplus, Target, Bartell Drugs, etc.
Nourishment: Granola bars, raisins, fruit snacks, juice, beef jerky, nuts, fruit cup, Vienna sausages, etc. (all items must have expiration dates beyond June 2023).
Warmth: Pair of socks, emergency space blanket.
Personal Hygiene: Wipe ups, toothbrush/paste (travel size)
Emotional Support: Letter of comfort (see sample), family photos Sample letter of comfort: Hi_________ If you are reading this, something has happened that means you will stay at school longer than usual. We hope you enjoy the things we packed in your comfort kit. We are thinking of you and I’m sure we will be together again soon. In the meantime, enjoy your snacks. We love you very much. Mom and Dad (Include a family photo taken at a fun time)
If you have any questions about compiling your child’s comfort kit, you may contact the school office. Please note: It is very important that each child has a kit at school for his/her physical and emotional comfort, even though we hope it will never have to be used.
Emergency Pick-Up Form (emergency preparedness)
Click on this link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1asxe7BntcThfXaCAgntbCcgQF-41q2vi/view?usp=sharing to print and fill out the following emergency release form. Please bring to the Meet the Teacher event.
This form is used for verification of student pickup in an emergency situation and online devices aren’t available.
Welcome Back Coffee with the PTO
Student Arrival
Drop-Off Procedures
There will be two ways of dropping students off for school in the morning.
1.) Drive-thru drop-off will take place in the drive through area (north parking lot). Please pay special attention to the directions being given to drivers by Brighton staff. We are using one lane to drop off students and leaving the other lane to pass. Please use the open lane after you have dropped off your student.
Preschool and Prekindergarten teachers will be out at drive-thru and will take in the first 3-5 students that arrive. Each "pod" of 5-6 students after that will be walked in by a staff member and taken to their individual classrooms. This minimizes the amount of time students are waiting outside and increases classroom activity time and morning transition time!
2.) Parents may walk their students into the building to drop-off. Parents may briefly walk their student to class or say goodbye in the lobby. Please no loitering.
* Please arrive during your designated drop-off time. Please do not get in the line any earlier than your designated time to allow everyone a chance to get through on time.
* If your student arrives late you need to park and walk your student into the lobby. Your student will be issued a tardy slip by their teacher that will be sent home to be signed by the parents and returned to the teacher the next day.
* Siblings will be able to be dropped off at the same time. Please arrive at the oldest students drop-off time.
If you are using our before care service you will bring your child into the school lobby to drop them off.
Student Arrival Times
5th - 8th Grade: 7:50 - 8:00 am
2nd - 4th Grade: 8:00 - 8:10 am
K - 1st Grade: 8:15 - 8:25 am
PS/PK: 8:40 - 8:50 am
Student Departure Times
MS: 3:10 - 3:20 pm
5th Grade: 3:00 - 3:10 pm
2nd - 4th Grade: 2:50 - 3:00 pm
K - 1st Grade: 2:40 - 2:50 pm
PS/PK: 2:30 - 2:40 pm
*Half-day PS/PK: 11: 35 - 11:45 am
Student Departure
Pick-Up Procedures
* Pick up will take place in the drive-thru area (north parking lot).
* Please pull to the front of the drive thru (follow Brighton staff directions), remain in your car, and a staff member will walk your student to your car.
* If you need to pick up your student early, please call the Brighton School Office at (425) 640-7067 to set a pick up time. The latest time to pick up early is 2:20 p.m.
* Parents/guardians should carry identification.
* If you have more than one student please arrive at the later end of the earliest assigned pick-up time. We will load your first student then bring your older student to you when they are dismissed. (ex. student 1 pick up time is 2:30 - 2:40 p.m. and student 2 is 2:50 - 3; arrive at 2:40 p.m.)
* Brighton School has a late pick-up fee of $10 per minute.
We are aware that the drive-thru is not ideal but ask for your patience and understanding as we navigate the process together. We have added staff to ensure this process moves as quickly as possible. Please pull to the first numbered space. Also, please only pull into the lane closest the building so that traffic can keep moving on the inside lane.
The traffic caused during drop-off and pick-up can cause stress on our neighbors. Please help us in being friendly by coming at your assigned time, do not block driveways, do not park on private property, and do not drive the wrong way down the road.
For everyone's safety, we kindly ask that you try to have your student arrive on time and be picked up on time via our drive-thru and door drop services. Thank you!
Be A Good Neighbor
We love our neighbors and need your help to nurture this relationship! Thank you!
Please expect longer than normal wait times for drop-off and pick-up for the first few weeks. This system takes time for new families to get the hang of it and for staff to work out some of the kinks. We are so grateful for your patience and understanding.
Visitors On Campus
We are proud to announce that we are welcoming visitors back to our campus. Parents are able to drop-off in the building, volunteer, and attend class events. Vendors will be allowed on campus if they are necessary for the maintenance of the building or are providing special events.
At this time we ask that if you are on campus you keep your visit short. Please drop-off your student or help with a class event in a timely fashion. Loitering in the lobby or hallways will not allowed.
Families may arrange an on-campus meeting by contacting either the classroom teacher or the administration team.
Student Belongings
* Everything that a student brings to school will need to be labeled with their name. This includes backpacks, clothing, facial coverings, water bottles, etc....
* All students (PS - 8th grade) will need to keep their belongings in a backpack that they can easily carry in and out of school. Bags MUST close with contents inside.
* Older students will be assigned a locker which they may keep their backpack and materials in. The lockers do not lock, please no valuables.
*Preschool and PreK: an additional newsletter will come out before school with a detailed list of what to pack.
*Student cell phones will need to be silenced and kept in backpacks at all times. They are not to be used for student/parent communication during the day. If a student needs to reach a parent, they will be allowed to use the office phone.
*Students are not allowed to have smart phone watches on campus.
* Brighton School is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
Water Bottles
Lunch & Snack
* Please note: students staying for aftercare should have an additional snack daily.
New boxed lunch option
Please see the sample menu below:
Bagel & Cream Cheese
offered daily throughout the month
with yogurt tube, baby carrots, seasonal fruit
Monday
Yakisoba Noodle Salad
with edamame, chicken & clementine
Pinwheel Sandwiches
rainbow veggies & cheese pinwheels, scratch tortilla chips, salsa, fruit
Tuesday
Ham & Cheese Slider
Hawaiian roll, fruit kebabs, veggie chip
Yogurt Parfaits
layers of vanilla yogurt, berries, granola with veggie sticks and blueberry muffin
Wednesday
Teriyaki Chicken Kebobs
rice cake, broccoli w/ranch, fruit cup
Southern Fried Tofu
bbq sauce, pretzels, carrot & celery sticks w/jello cup
Milk for purchase
General Illness Policy
- If a child becomes ill during the day, they will stay in a separate area while awaiting pickup. Students are required to be picked up within 60 minutes.
- Students may return to school after they have been fever/fever reducing medication free and/or symptom free for 24 hours, whichever is longer.
- The presence of any symptoms below generally suggests a student has an infectious illness and should not attend school, regardless of whether or not the illness is COVID-19.
- Fever (100.4 or higher)
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- New loss of taste or smell
- Vomiting
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- New onset of severe headache (especially with fever)
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose (mucus is green/yellow)
- Nausea
- Diarrhea (defined as 2 or more loose stools in a 24 hour period)
If your child DOES have any of the symptoms above:
- Keep your child home
- Consider getting your child tested for COVID-19
- Contact Brighton School (425-640-7067) and report that your child is sick. We may ask additional questions to determine when it is safe for your child to return to school.
COVID Exposure
Following a COVID-19 exposure (in or outside of school): Regardless of vaccination status, all students may remain in school as long as they do not show any symptoms of COVID-19. Students should be tested between days 3 - 5 after exposure. You may use an at a home test for this. Please note that the CDC is currently recommending 3 at home tests to confirm results and avoid false negatives. In the meantime, we strongly recommend that all exposed students wear a mask until testing is complete. This aligns with our mission to keep students in the classroom as much as possible.
We will still notify families when an exposure occurs in their student's classroom.
Thank you for continuing to follow our illness policy in an effort to keep our students as healthy as possible! We appreciate your partnership.
Return to School Guidance Following Positive COVID-19 Test
If you tested positive for COVID-19 :
- Quarantine for 5 days from start of symptoms or date of positive COVID test if asymptomatic.
- Students and staff may return after 5 days, as long as they are fever-free for at least 24 hours and other symptoms are improving. Masks should continue to be worn inside and outside for the remaining 5 days. (10 days total)
You should isolate regardless of your vaccination status.
Sanitization
* High touch surfaces will be sanitized frequently during school hours.
* Indoor materials will be sanitized daily.
* Hand sanitization stations have been installed in every classroom for extra use by students.
* Restrooms will sanitized 2x daily.
* Upgraded air filters have been installed.
* Shared items will be limited and disinfected between use.
* Additionally, our janitorial service will conduct deep cleaning and disinfecting nightly.
Face Coverings
* Staff and students in Preschool - Grade 8: Per the Governor's mandate, face coverings are no longer required indoors or outdoors. Masks are optional unless there is additional protocol to follow. (i.e. COVID positive with no symptoms etc.). We understand that no environment is 100% risk-free and as such we recommend students wear masks.
COVID-19 Parent Participation Agreement
Monitoring at Home: Parents agree to monitor their child’s health each day and keep their child home if he or she has a fever of 100.4 degrees or above, cough, fatigue, and/or other physical symptoms that require observation, health isolation, or medical treatment. If a child is sent home due to illness, they may not return until they are symptom and fever free without medication for 48 hours, whichever is longer.
COVID-19 Safety Procedures and Protocols: Parents consent to the safety measures taken by the School in accordance with relevant regulations to reduce the spread of COVID-19, and agree to comply with any safety directives issued by the School, including not attending School for a period of time due to risk of exposure.
No Zero-Risk: Parents understand that these are safety measures and not a guarantee that anyone will be prevented from contracting any illness.
Tuition: Parents understand and agree that as long as the School is providing educational instruction for students, the tuition obligation remains unconditional whether or not their child is able to attend due to the child’s health or any directives issued in response to potential exposure in accordance with Paragraph 3 above. If it is necessary to temporarily close the school due to orders from the federal, state, or local government, the school will offer distance learning and tuition will continue at standard rates.
Accommodations: If parents desire a reasonable accommodation for their child to participate in the school programs with the safety protocols in place, parents will make such a request in writing to the School administration and cooperate in the interactive process as set forth in the School’s ADA Policy.
Additional Policies & Procedures
Extended Care
Extended care drop-off and pick-up will be through the front desk in the main office. When you arrive please check in/out at the desk and a staff member will assist you in directing your child where to go or being reunited with your child.
Office Phone Number (425) 640-7067
Morning care begins at 7:00 am
Afternoon care ends at 5:30 pm
Communication
* Weekly Updates: Teachers will send a weekly update to families. These will include dates, information on special events, classroom news, and supplies that might be needed for class.
* Monthly Brighton Newsletter: Brighton news and updates from the Head of School.
* TADPOLES: Every day Early Childhood teachers will send home a variety of photos and a synopsis of your student's day. You will receive these via email and/or the Links2Home app. Information about how to access the Links 2 Home app will come.
* Social Media: Please follow us on Facebook for photos, reminders, and updates.
* As a reminder all school billing questions should be directed to Office Manager, Kate Nowak, at kate.nowak@brightonschool.com
Afterschool enrichment programs
Fall 2022 after school enrichments:
Soccer (5th - 8th grade): $250
Volleyball (5th - 8th grade): $250
Cheerleading (2nd - 5th grade): $250
Coyote Kids (K - 2nd grade): $360
Kids Crossfit (4th - 8th grade): $200
Band (5th - 8th grade): instrument rental fee
Curriculum Nights
Preschool/PreKindergarten: Monday, September 26: 6pm - 7pm
Kindergarten - Second Grade: Tuesday, September 27: 6pm-7pm
Third Grade - Fifth Grade: Wednesday, September 28: 6pm-7pm
Middle School: Thursday, September 29: 6pm-7:15pm
School Picture Day
Bring your best smile!
Brighton School
Office Hours 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Website: www.brightonschool.com
Location: 21705 58th Avenue West, Mountlake Terrace, WA, USA
Phone: (425) 640-7067