Announcements

September 5, 2017

Harvey Recovery Efforts

As we mentioned last week, The Bright School is finalizing school-wide efforts to help victims of Hurricane Harvey. We have received many ideas from families with connections to the Houston area, and we are working through the details of long-term efforts to help with items children need. We also are aware of the current forecasts for Hurricane Irma and needs that might arise from that storm. More details will be coming.

In the meantime, you can give monetarily, and our families have recommended the following organizations as providing direct and effective help:

Red Cross
The United Way
Samaritan's Purse
Amazon

Those families interested in helping with displaced animals, may wish to contact McKamey Animal Center.

Help Ensure Splash Day is Friday

Thanks to all the parents who have donated or made a pledge to the Bright Fund. We've reached 86% parent participation so far, and if we reach 90% overall, the children will get to celebrate with Splash Day.

Friday is a free dress day for all students. Students should wear swimsuits under their clothes and bring a towel, sunscreen, undergarments, and a plastic bag -- all labeled with their names. 

If you have not donated or made a pledge, we're counting on you! Go online to donate or click below.

Which After School Classes Begin This Week?

Check this list to see when your child begins after school classes. Parents are welcome to pick up students from the class location and sign them out with the instructors. Otherwise, students will be brought to the Early Childhood Center's front desk after their classes. Students not picked up immediately will be checked into Bright Afternoons. Please do not park along the concourse to wait for your child.

Mondays

Soccer Shots (JPK-PK 2-3 p.m.) (K-2 3-4 p.m.): Monday, September 11

Tuesdays

Chattanooga Ballet Creative Movement (2:30-3 p.m.): Today FULL
Chattanooga Ballet Pre-Ballet (3:15-4 p.m.): Today
Chattanooga Ballet Grade 1 (4:15-5:15 p.m.): Today
Spanish Club Pequenos with Sra. Claudia (JPK-PK 2:30-3:15 p.m.): Tuesday, September 12
Spanish Club with Sra. Claudia (K 3:15-4 p.m.): Tuesday, September 12
Woodshop (3:15-4:30 p.m.): Today (all sessions FULL)
Word Club (3:15-4:15 p.m.): Tuesday, September 12 
Yoga (3:05-4:05 p.m.): Tuesday, September 12

Wednesdays

Angela's Athletes (3-3:45 and 4-4:45 p.m.): Wednesday, September 6

Thursdays

Art (3-4:15 p.m.): Thursday, September 7 (all sessions FULL)
Spanish Club with Sra. Avendano (grades 1-3) (3:05-4:05 p.m.): Thursday, September 7
Imagine That (2-2:50 p.m.): Thursday, September 14 FULL
Create the Play (3:15-4:15 p.m.): Thursday, September 14 FULL
Words Words Words (4:30-5:30 p.m.): Thursday, September 14

Bonanza Information

Food Pre-Orders Due Friday

Step right up and plan ahead for fun at Bonanza! Order forms for food, wristbands and tickets were handed out at Parents' Night. If you didn't receive a form, you may download it here. Food must be ordered in advance of Bonanza. Forms are due this Friday.

Jazzy Jars and Cakes

If you signed up to bring a Jazzy Jar, please drop it off in the morning or afternoon car line this Thursday or Friday. JPK and PK parents may bring them to the ECC. Do not bring cakes until Thursday and Friday, September 14 and 15.

Volunteers Needed

Bonanza chairs Lisa Skates and Kathy Lawson need help collecting jars and cakes from the car line the next two Thursdays and Fridays. If you would like to volunteer, please sign up online.

For more details about Bonanza, visit the website.

Box Tops "Bonanza" due Friday

Bring in all those Box Tops you have been collecting over the summer and turn them in to the office by 3 p.m. Friday. Please put them in a bag labeled with your child's name and grade.

Students who bring the most Box Tops will receive Bonanza-related prizes. Winners will be announced and prizes will be awarded on September 15. The overall school winner receives the choice of a jazzy jar or cake from the cakewalk and 10 Bonanza tickets. Each grade level winner will receive 10 Bonanza tickets. 

Our goal this year is to collect 12,000 Box Tops, which equals $1,200, to pay for the new water filling station next to the gym.

Parent Portal Open to Schedule Conferences

The Parent Portal is now open to schedule parent-teacher conferences on September 28 and 29. September 28 is a half day with dismissal at 11:30 a.m. for students. There is no school on September 29. Click this link to access the Parent Portal. To schedule a conference, select "Student Profile" along the top menu. This will take you to a new page. Along the left side menu you will see Teacher Conferences. Once you select this, you will see the options for conference times. If you have multiple children enrolled at Bright School, in the top right corner you will toggle between your children's names to schedule a time for each of their teachers. 

Book Orders Due Today

Illustrator Courtenay Fletcher and author Susan Bernardo will be visiting the library on Thursday. They are the team behind the recently published picture books The Big Adventures of Tiny House and Sun Kisses, Moon Hugs. Courtenay Fletcher is also the illustrator of The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm.  

Grades 1-2 will attend the presentation from 9-9:45 a.m., and PK and kindergarten will attend their presentation from 10:15-10:45 a.m. Fletcher and Bernardo will sign books after each presentation. If you would like to purchase books for your child to have signed, please download this form and return it with payment to the office by this afternoon. Parents are welcome to attend with their children.

Shop Needs Old Shirts

Shop teacher Richard Parks is seeking old/used adult button-down style shirts for the students to use as paint smocks. If you have any to donate, please bring them to the office. Thank you!

Spread the Word about Bright

The first admissions event of the year is a Playground Playdate this Sunday, September 10 from 1-2 p.m. Prospective families will be invited to this event. If you know a family who might be interested, please send the parents' contact information to Brooke Moore, director of admissions. 

Save the Date: Sodexo Listening Session

Join us next Tuesday, September 12, after the Bright Family Breakfast in the dining hall for a listening session with staff from Sodexo, which provides our food and dining services. Parents are encouraged to bring comments and concerns to discuss in the group. Last year's session was very helpful, and several suggestions from parents were implemented. For more information, contact Kim Brown.

Auction Help Needed

Calling all auction volunteers! We need many helpers to solicit and collect items and gift certificates from local businesses. Parents Ashley and John Sorrow are the auction chairs. An informational auction volunteer meeting with lunch will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 13, in the KEC boardroom. Please contact Kim Brown if you plan to come.

Middle School Admissions Meeting

Fifth grade parents are invited to an informational session to review and learn more about the middle school admissions process. Parents may choose to attend at 8:15 a.m. in the library or 5 p.m. in the KEC boardroom on Thursday, September 21. In the meeting, we will answer questions and review the steps Bright School will complete for your family and upcoming dates and deadlines. You also will receive important forms you need to return. We are here to help you have a successful journey through the admissions process. Please email Renee' Kropff at [email protected] if you are not able to attend either time.

Bright Family Breakfast Next Tuesday

The first Bright Family Breakfast will be next Tuesday, September 12, from 7-7:45 a.m. in the dining hall. All families and children are welcome. The cost is $3 a person. 

The menu is:
French toast
Scrambled eggs
Sausage patties
Hash browns
Yogurt and fresh berries
Homemade monkey bread
Assorted cereal
Coffee, water, and juice

Sunshine Math Begins

Sunshine Math worksheets for September are available on the website for downloading and printing. This an optional math program for grades K-5. Students should turn in completed worksheets in the main office. For more information and to download the worksheets, visit our Sunshine Mathwebpage.

Ready for Some Football?

The Bright Parent Social Committee invites you to join Mr. Morgan for a day of NFL fun! We are kicking off the school year by inviting parents and students to Nashville to see the Tennessee Titans vs. Cincinnati Bengals game on Sunday, November 12. The Bright School Game package includes charter bus transportation from Bright School, a Fan Zone buffet lunch and three drinks at the stadium as well as a game ticket.

Children are welcome if accompanied by a parent. The cost is $130 per person. The deadline for reservations is September 15. You may download this form and turn it into the office with payment.

Questions? Contact Lynne Forato, parent social committee chair at [email protected] or 423-641-3310.

Save the Date: Your Child's Play

These dates have been added to the school's online calendar, but here is a handy list of grade-level plays this year. All plays begin at 8:15 a.m. Families and other guests usually choose to attend the play on the second day, but everyone is welcome on either day.

Fourth Grade: Dec. 14-15
Second Grade: Jan. 25-26
First Grade: Feb. 13-14
Third Grade: March 15-16
Kindergarten: April 12-13
Fifth Grade: April 26-27

Nominate Our Library for Grant

Help us win a $10,000 grant to make improvements to our library. All you need to do is go to the PTO Today website and enter the Build a Bright Future Contest by writing no more than 200 words about how our school would use the grant. You can say our library needs an update since it was built in the 1960s, that we would like to add a makerspace to the upper level and while storing books and allowing for children to take them home is important, our library has evolved into a space that holds more than just books. Click this link to enter by October 31. For more information, contact Kim Brown.

Shop for Spirit Wear Online

The new bookstore is open across from the main office, and spirit wear for children and adults is available online.

The bookstore will hold regular hours on Tuesday and Thursdaymornings. If you would like to volunteer to work in the bookstore, visit the volunteer sign up page.

Only clothing items (shirts, jackets, etc) with the official Bright School logo (house with name) and the "Property of Bright School" sweatshirts are allowed to be worn in the classroom and at assemblies. Spirit shirts, which include the new athletic B logo, may be worn on special t-shirt days but are not part of the uniform. Outerwear may be worn before school, during recess and after school. Belts and socks purchased at the bookstore may be worn with the uniform.

 

 

 

Not Receiving the Emails? Contact Me.

Deanna Luna

Director of Communications and Marketing
Phone: 423-305-6460
Joined Bright staff in 2023
B.S., Catawba College
M.S., University of Tennessee at Chattanooga