Principal's Welcome Back Message

• Samantha Davidson, Instructional Coach

• Jessica Tan, 4th Grade Teacher

• Cristal Ragano, Intervention Teacher

• Nik Laahs, School Psychologist

• Sussy Yamarone, LVN Nurse (Teri Lai, RN will still cover our IEPs)

• Claudia Arteaga , Elementary Office Assistant (5 hours)

• Emma Huang- Art Teacher

• Mailin Chan, Counselor

• Elizabeth Lopez-Mondragon, shared counselor w/Fremont

• Buttercup Soto, LC Instructional Aide

• Cady Burkhart, Acting Assistant Principal shared w/Fremont

As we look forward to welcoming our students back to school next Thursday, I wanted to share an important leadership update with our Brightwood community.

I am pleased to announce that Ms. Doris Gorski has been appointed as Brightwood School's new Assistant Principal. Ms. Gorski is currently on a leave of absence and will join our school community upon her return. We look forward to welcoming her when that time comes.

In the meantime, I am excited to share that Ms. Cady Burkhart will serve as our Acting Assistant Principal. Ms. Burkhart will be supporting both Brightwood and Fremont Elementary this school year, and we are grateful to have her leadership and experience as part of our school community. She has already been working closely with our team to prepare for the start of the school year and is looking forward to getting to know our students, staff, and families.

As we begin the school year together, Ms. Burkhart will play an important role in supporting the day-to-day operations of our school, partnering with teachers and staff, and helping ensure a positive and successful start for all students.

Please join me in welcoming Ms. Burkhart to Brightwood and in extending a warm welcome to Ms. Gorski. We are excited for the year ahead and look forward to seeing everyone next Thursday for the first day of school!

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Here's to a wonderful school year!

Sincerely,

Candace Griego, Principal- Brightwood

Hello Brightwood!

I am excited to join your school community! As an educator with more than 25 years of experience, I have worked in English Language Arts instruction, culturally responsive curriculum development, student advocacy, social justice, conflict mediation, positive discipline, spoken word poetry, and mental wellness.

I am passionate about educating the whole child—heart, mind, and body—and believe schools should cultivate environments where every student feels a sense of belonging, inclusion, and purpose. Throughout my career, I have been committed to creating educational spaces that center love, joy, and growth.

For the past three years, I have served as an Instructional Specialist in Student Support Services, where I have focused on the district's response to substance use, advancing equity and belonging, and promoting restorative practices in classrooms. I look forward to bringing these experiences and this passion to Brightwood and becoming a part of your school community.

Sincerely,

Cady Burkhart, Acting Assistant Principal Brightwood/Fremont

For free school lunches, students will not need to enter their student ID#

The Back to School sales have begun! For those of you who like to get a head start, here are the Supply Lists for the 2026-2027 school year.

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*Please note that 3rd grade has two different supply lists according to teacher. Also, students are not expected to have all their supplies on the first day of school. More info will be provided by your child's teacher.

• TK / Kindergarten Orientation & Back to School Night: 8/11/26 , 4:00-5:00pm

• New Student Orientation & Tour: 8/11/25 at 5:00pm in the Brightwood Cafetorium. This orientation is intended for students new to Brightwood (including TK/Kinder)

School starts at 8:00am for all students. Dismissal times will vary by grade. Short Wednesdays & minumum days include a 30 minute lunch period.

*The first day of school is a MINIMUM DAY.

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All activities are subject to change. Visit our website and subscribe to our calendar for the most up to date information.

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All students 1st-8th grade will meet their teacher on the upper playground first thing in the morning. Signs will be posted for students to line up with their teacher’s name. TK & Kindergarten will meet their teachers on the Kindergarten playground. TK/K parents may walk their children onto the K playground on the first day of school only.

Student classroom assignments/schedules will be available in the PARENT PORTAL beginning on or before August 12th at 4:00pm. We will not be posting the class rosters outside of the office.

*Due to class sizes there is a possibility of the need for students to be reorganized into different classes after the first day of school. We will notify you if that change is needed.

Parent requests to change to a particular teacher/classroom will NOT be granted. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

We went form 20% to 28% just last week! Way to go!

Let's keep up the momentum and fill out the form to reach 35% or beyond!!!!

AUSD is considering new classroom SCREEN TIME GUIDELINES as part of a 2026–2027 pilot program.

The draft proposal includes no classroom screen use for TK–1 students, age-appropriate daily screen-time guidelines for grades 2–12, and exemptions for required assessments such as i-Ready diagnostics, SBAC, and other state-mandated testing.

We value the input of our families, staff, and community members. Please take a few moments to review the draft proposal and share your feedback through our short, anonymous survey. The SURVEY takes approximately three minutes to complete. Your feedback will help inform the pilot and guide future decisions regarding the use of technology in our classrooms.

Alhambra Unified School District is now participating in California’s Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI). This program expands free on-campus mental health and wellness services for our students.

Services Provided to Students

• Classroom lessons on stress management and healthy relationships.

• Counselor check-ins and small-group emotional support.

• Direct referrals for individualized care when needed.

How You Can Help

The district can now request state reimbursement using student health insurance. Families will never be billed, and there are no out-of-pocket costs. This does not change your insurance coverage or public benefits.

Please submit your child's insurance details securely via this link or utilizing the QR code below

Information Security

• Secure: Fully protected under HIPAA and FERPA privacy laws.

• Cost-Free: No co-pays, fees, or family charges.

• Safe: Zero impact on public benefit eligibility.

Thank you for your partnership in supporting student success. For questions, please contact your school principal or Marisol Sanders, CYBHI Administrator, at cybhi@ausd.us.

As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we ask all parents, guardians, and students to review our new Mobile Communication Devices Policy. This flyer outlines our expectations for student use of mobile communication devices during the school day and is designed to support a safe, focused, and productive learning environment.

Thank you for taking the time to review this important information and for partnering with us to support student success.

Students are required to wear school uniforms in accordance with Board Policy 5132. (Tops: Polo style navy, white or light blue BOTTOMS: Khaki or Navy Blue). Click HERE for Brightwood’s Uniform policy. Click HERE for the AUSD Dress Code Policy. Official Brightwood School spirit-wear will be available for purchase in late August/early September. Please contact the school office if there is a need for a uniform waiver.

The Brightwood office will reopen, Monday, August 3, 2026.

Office hours: M-F 7:30am-4:30pm

Office Phone: 626-570-6200.

Check out our impact report below!

We encourage you to visit the school website often and to subscribe to the calendar. Our school and district also utilize Blackboard Connect, a communication system that enables us to send out mass phone and/or email messages with important information to all parents. In order for the system to be effective, it is imperative that parents update the on-line information through the PARENT PORTAL as soon as possible. We encourage all parents to include a current email address when you update your child’s information.

We encourage you to join our wonderful PTA. The Brightwood PTA supports our students and families in new and innovative ways. PTA is a great way to show your support to Brightwood School. I strongly encourage you to join PTA during their annual membership drive. For more information about PTA visit our school website www.brightwoodelementary.org and click on the parents tab.

We need YOU to help make our school the best it can be! Volunteering is a wonderful opportunity to engage with your child's education and make a real difference. Your involvement is essential for the success of many key events.

Note: To participate in any on-campus activities, you must be fully cleared by the office.

For Volunteer Guidelines please visit AUSD Website.

- New Volunteers must have: Fingerprint clearance (estimated cost - $65), Current Tuberculosis (TB) test results

- Returning Volunteers must renew their volunteer status at the start of each school year.

PTA will cover limited fingerprint clearance for volunteers who need financial assitance, with a commitment to volunteer 3 events or in the classroom.

Complete the form below.

Please remember that all incoming 7th grade students are required to submit proof of their TDAP vaccination before school starts. This is a California Department of Education vaccination requirement. Please email your proof to ha_myndi@ausd.us. Ms. Ha will follow-up with you if she needs you to bring in the original copy.

Please report any absence to the front office by completing the ABSENCE REPORTING form. You can also call the main office during office hours M-F 7:30am-4:30pm

You can also find the form on https://www.brightwoodelementary.org/

For more information about our school or district, please visit the Alhambra Unified School District’s website www.ausd.us, Brightwood School’s website www.brightwoodelementary.org