Brightmont Academy Newsletter

October 2024 Newsletter

tiffany.samson@brightmontacademy.com (The Brightmont Academy Team) — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 09:07:20 GMT

Upcoming Events and Holidays

We will be having our Fall-Themed Halloween Party on Thursday, October 31st. Students are welcome to wear their Halloween costumes throughout the day and enjoy festive treats with peers, teachers, and office staff. Please no blood, masks, or weapons. Costumes must be suitable for a school setting.

We will have Brightmont’s 2024 Parent Meeting Conferences from November 4th through November 18th. An email link will be sent out to sign up for a parent meeting with Tony. At the time selected, we will review your child’s current progress.

Please note there will be no school on Veterans Day - November 11, 2024.

Campus Policies

We will be distributing our Student/Parent Handbook during the month of October. Once the handbook is reviewed, both parent and student will sign the last page of the handbook and return it to office staff at Brightmont's Seattle campus for documentation purposes.

Student immunization records must be updated for the 2024/2025 school year.

Student Clubs

We will be starting clubs here at Brightmont Academy in October. They are as follows:

🐉 Dungeons and Dragons - Introduction of Dungeons and Dragons. Enjoy an awesome adventure in a fantasy world from the comfort of your school. In the process we will learn good communication skills, teamwork, and storytelling.

✍️ Journalism - Join the Brightmont Herald and learn the basics of putting together a newspaper. We will review software, interview skills, writing techniques, and graphic design.

🎨 Zini and Arts - Students will create visual multimedia art. Zinis are small booklets made from a single sheet of paper that expresses an idea, showcases art, and spreads information.

🃏 Chess - Review of the basics of strategies and rules you can use in real chess competitions.

🔬 Science - Three teachers will be pooling their collective knowledge to share in fun science experiments. Planned exploration around dissections, model volcanoes, microscope labs, and more will be had.

Study Lab and Enrichment Activities

The Brightmont Academy Study Lab is a hub for students to review coursework, work on assignments, and prepare for exams. Our Study Lab learning specialists are dedicated to enhancing students' executive functioning skills - critical cognitive processes that enable them to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully. Students have multiple areas open to them during this time, ranging from desks with computers, a comfortable communal sitting area, and a community space that houses many games and puzzles for social and brain breaks!

Our Brightmont Academy Learning Specialists are working to create not only a productive and welcoming Study Lab, but also a sense of community among students and staff. In the upcoming months, we plan to roll out a variety of enrichment options to enhance students' educational experiences through a variety of clubs, personal growth activities, creative outlets, and community service projects. This program will encourage creativity, collaboration, and civic engagement while providing students with opportunities to explore their interests and develop new skills. By fostering a sense of belonging and responsibility, this program aims to empower students to explore their passions and make a positive impact in their communities.

Podcast Episode

Tony Beals will be a guest on The David Kaufer Podcast “The Lighter side of the Spectrum” at the beginning of November. Stay tuned for more information and how to access the episode!

ACT Testing Dates

Test Date	Regular Registration Deadline	Late Registration Deadline
October 26, 2024	September 20	October 7
December 14, 2024	November 8	November 22

Check the ACT website for registration information.

Brightmont Academy offers Test Prep services. Click here to learn more.

2024-25 SAT Testing Dates

Nov. 5, 2024	March 8, 2024	June 7, 2024
Dec. 7, 2024	May 3, 2024

Check the SAT website for registration information.

Brightmont Academy offers Test Prep services. Click here to learn more.

How Environment Facilitates Learning

ruth.wilson@brightmontacademy.com (Ruth Wilson) — Wed, 07 Feb 2018 17:00:00 GMT

The physical learning environment makes a difference in the student’s ability to focus and learn. It’s not just that schools strive to provide a quiet and orderly setting; sometimes there are other less obvious factors that can play a role in a student’s comfort level at school and his or her ability to focus on instruction.

Helping Students with Professional Performance Goals

ruth.wilson@brightmontacademy.com (Ruth Wilson) — Wed, 17 Jan 2018 18:55:51 GMT

Many talented young people who have the opportunity to begin their careers early or to compete at a high level find that their school performance suffers, even though they may be very capable students.

Dual Enrollment Explained - College and High School Credits

ruth.wilson@brightmontacademy.com (Ruth Wilson) — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 16:00:00 GMT

The term “dual enrollment” can be defined differently in different situations, but generally refers to any option that allows a teenager to enroll in college classes before they have graduated from high school. Every state offers some type of dual enrollment option, although eligibility and the process for gaining access can vary significantly. In general, students need to be at least 16 years old or be classified as a junior to be eligible to enroll in college level courses.

When Illness Impacts Academics

ruth.wilson@brightmontacademy.com (Ruth Wilson) — Wed, 13 Dec 2017 16:00:00 GMT

The school system is designed to push students out of their comfort zones and expose them to new challenges. We know this causes some students stress and presume that through hard work, focus, and sheer determination, they will overcome all barriers to learn requisite material and earn their diploma. However, some students are also burdened with health issues that require frequent doctor visits, hospitalizations, and other absences that interrupt the educational process.

The Value of Getting Started

ruth.wilson@brightmontacademy.com (Ruth Wilson) — Wed, 06 Dec 2017 16:00:00 GMT

In a world that values high achievement and accomplishment while viewing procrastination as a character flaw, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and not attempt a goal in the first place. For students, these feelings are often compounded with the instant feedback they get from teachers and peers about the timeliness, quality, and even the appearance of assignments that are turned in. Every classroom contains at least one student who is accruing zeros by not turning in assignments. While there are some students who have missing assignments because they missed hearing the directions or chose not to complete the assignment, many are missing assignments because of an inability to initiate the task. Below are tips to help push past that barrier of getting started.

The Value of Private School Education

tiffany.samson@brightmontacademy.com (The Brightmont Academy Team) — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 17:00:00 GMT

Higher Education and Financial Benefits

Tutoring: It's Not Just for Students Who are Behind

ruth.wilson@brightmontacademy.com (Ruth Wilson) — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 17:00:00 GMT

Tutoring is a common intervention for students who are falling behind, but it can be equally effective for preventing such regression or just providing an extra boost to students who are already competitive academically. Tutoring can be underestimated as an effective vehicle to improve all students' performance when the student or parents believe that tutors would only respond to issues of struggling students, or incorrectly assume that the role of the tutor is to assist with assignments provided by another educator. In reality, many tutors bring an extensive amount of training and experience to their position and are able to create detailed education goals and lesson plans. Consider some of these other valid reasons to enroll in tutoring to be proactive.

What's the Difference Between Honors, AP®, IB® and College Classes?

ruth.wilson@brightmontacademy.com (Ruth Wilson) — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 17:00:00 GMT

College prep high school curriculum is designed to help high school students meet graduation requirements, and also be prepared to meet college admissions standards and to perform well in college classes once attending. Many students want to boost their competitiveness for college admissions even further by showing advanced coursework on their high school transcript, and many schools competing for the most advanced students offer many kinds of accelerated courses.