The Brilliance Bulletin - 01/19/26

Each week, this newsletter will share a variety of updates and information about The Genius School, including exciting highlights, upcoming events, and important announcements. Stay tuned to keep up with all the amazing things happening in our community!

Thank you to all of our families who took the time to attend Genius Conferences. Your presence, engagement, and support are a powerful part of what makes The Genius School thrive.

Family partnership is a core tenant of The Genius School. When families and educators work together, our scholars benefit academically, socially, and emotionally. We truly value the time you invest in understanding your scholar’s progress, goals, and growth.

If you were unable to attend your scheduled conference, it is important to contact the Front Office as soon as possible to reschedule an in-person conference. These meetings are a critical part of our shared commitment to your scholar’s success.

Thank you for continuing to show up, stay connected, and partner with us to unleash genius.

We’re excited to kick off our Double Good Popcorn Virtual Fundraiser, and we need your support to make it a success!

Starts: Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Ends: Sunday, January 25, 2026 at 8:00 AM

Double Good’s virtual fundraising events are designed to be short, high-energy “sprints,” not long marathons. Through extensive testing, they’ve found that a 4-day window creates a sense of urgency that helps families share more, engage friends and supporters quickly, and raise more money in less time. This focused timeline helps us maximize participation and impact for our school.

Families can participate in two easy ways:

Creating a pop-up store helps maximize our fundraising efforts and allows you to share with friends and family near and far.

1. Download the Double Good App: Find the app here

2. Enter the event code: STHKQY

3. Create your family’s pop-up store and share your link

Double Good popcorn is award-winning, ships directly to buyers, and 50% of every sale goes directly back to support The Genius School.

No problem! If you’d prefer to simply purchase popcorn without creating a store, you can use the direct purchase link below to place an order and support our school.

Buy popcorn here: https://popup.doublegood.com/s/7ut067xk

Why Double Good?

• No door-to-door selling

• Popcorn ships directly to buyers

• Prices start at $11

• Delicious, high-quality snacks that support our scholars

Thank you for showing up for our scholars and helping support programs and opportunities at The Genius School. Every share and every purchase makes a difference!

As we plan ahead for the 2026–2027 school year, we ask all families to complete the Intent to Return Survey.

This survey helps us:

• Plan class sizes and staffing
• Prepare materials and programming
• Ensure we are meeting the needs of our scholars and families

Completing the survey does not lock you into a final decision, but it is an important step in helping us plan responsibly and effectively.

Please take a few moments to complete the survey if you have not already done so. Your response directly supports thoughtful planning for the upcoming school year.

Our Black History Month Program is rapidly approaching and is one of the most meaningful events on our yearly calendar. Every scholar will be participating in the program, and preparation is essential to its success. The program will take place on Thursday, February 26, 2026.

Individual student scripts and performance pieces will be sent home this week. Please work with your child nightly to practice their lines. While scholars will be practicing regularly at school, consistent practice at home is critical to ensuring students feel confident and prepared for the program.

This year’s Black History Month theme is: Always Here: Systems, Science, and the Black Roots of America

Rather than focusing only on individual historical figures, students will explore how systems shape history, how stories are told, and how knowledge grows and evolves over time. Scholars will be encouraged to think critically, ask questions, and see Black history as an ongoing and foundational part of American history.

More details will be shared as the program approaches—we look forward to celebrating this important work with our community.

Our FACTS Family Portal has been updated, and families can now access report cards and track grades for the current quarter.

This tool is a great way to:

• Stay informed about your scholar’s academic progress

• Monitor growth throughout the quarter

• Partner with teachers by reviewing assignments and performance in real time

How to Access Grades in FACTS

1. Log in to the FACTS Family Portal

2. Click on Student

3. Use the drop-down menu to select Gradebook

4. Choose the class you would like to view

5. Select the current term to see grades and assignments

Understanding the Gradebook

• Assignment – Name of the assignment

• Pts – Points your scholar earned

• Max – Maximum points possible

• Avg – Class average

• Status – Assignment submission status

  • Valid = Turned in

  • Missing = Not turned in

  • Excused = Not required

• Category Average – Overall grade for the class

• Term Grade – Final grade for that term

If you need assistance accessing or navigating your FACTS Parent Portal, please contact the Main Office, and we will be happy to support you.

We are excited to share some wonderful news with you.

As our PreK–1 student body continues to grow—truly an answer to prayer—we are pleased to announce the addition of a new staff member, Mr. Kiheem Brown Jr.

Mr. Brown has experience working with early elementary students and is eager to support our growing community. He will be assisting our Early Education Director, Ms. Mitchell in the PreK–1 Early Education Center, helping us strengthen daily routines, instruction, and student support under her direction. In addition, Mr. Brown will provide elective support through Physical Education, contributing to our whole-child approach for students across PK–7.

We are grateful to be able to respond thoughtfully to growth by adding support that enhances both instructional quality and student experience. We look forward to welcoming Mr. Brown and are confident that his presence will be a blessing to our students, staff, and families.

Our Early Education Center is growing, and we’re excited to share that The Genius School is now accepting CCDF for our Early Ed program. This means more families can access a high-quality, faith-centered, brain-based learning environment for their little geniuses. We are currently enrolling potty-trained children ages 3–4, and this season is the perfect time to secure your child’s spot in a classroom designed to nurture confidence, curiosity, and early academic success. Spots are limited, and enrollment is already underway—so don’t wait to take the next step.

We had an amazing time celebrating the 100th Day of School, and our scholars truly showed up in style! From creative outfits to big smiles, it was a joyful day filled with fun, learning, and community.

Be sure to check out the video below to see all of our scholars dressed up and celebrating this special milestone. Moments like these remind us that learning can be both meaningful and fun—and that our scholars are growing every single day.

Thank you for helping make the 100th Day of School such a memorable experience for our students!

Galatians 5:22–23, reminds us about the Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Through discussion, reflection, and real-life connections, scholars explored how these values show up in their daily choices—at school, at home, and in the community. Faithful Friday continues to be a meaningful opportunity for students to grow not only academically, but also in character and purpose.

• February 13 - Mental Rejuvenation Day (No School)
• February 16 - President's Day (No School)
• February 26 - Black History Month Program (6:00 pm)
• March 4 - Professional Development Day (Synchronous Learning)

We’ve heard your feedback, and we appreciate our families’ partnership in helping students look sharp and feel confident each day. To make things a little easier, we’ve updated our dress code — either hunter green or navy blue ties are now acceptable for all students.

Please remember that full uniform (including tie) is required daily, as it reflects our Genius standard of excellence and readiness to learn. Students not in proper dress code may be held out of class until the uniform is corrected, so please double-check each morning before heading to school. Thank you for continuing to support our shared commitment to excellence in every detail — from how we learn to how we show up.

Thank you so much for your continued flexibility and understanding during weather-related delays. Because many of our students and staff travel from all across the city, safety must always come first. For that reason, we will more often than not err on the side of caution when making decisions about delays or closures. To ensure you receive timely updates, please be sure your contact information is kept up to date in FACTS, as all official messages will be sent there and shared on our social media platforms. We truly appreciate your partnership and trust as we work together to keep our community safe.

During Genius Conferences, families received their child’s Individualized Genius Plan (IGP)—a personalized roadmap designed to support each scholar’s academic growth and success. Together, we reviewed student data, celebrated areas of strength, and identified focus areas for continued improvement. Each IGP outlines the specific steps, supports, and goals that will guide your child’s learning this quarter.

All students received personalized flash cards to strengthen foundational skills in both reading and math. Students in grades 2–7 received math fact flash cards aligned to their current Rocket Math level. As students show mastery and move up in Rocket Math, they’ll be given new flash cards to match their next level of learning.

Every student also received a set of leveled sight word flash cards. Beginning with our incoming Pre-K scholars, our school-wide goal is for every student to know all 1,000 sight words by the end of 3rd grade. As students master their sight word sets, families should contact their child’s teacher or Mr. Cassoday to schedule an assessment at school. Once a student demonstrates mastery, they’ll receive a new set of words to continue growing.

We encourage families to practice flash cards nightly for just a few minutes—consistent, focused practice at home makes a powerful difference in building fluency, confidence, and long-term success!

Before fall break, our Genius Scholars in grades 3–7 completed their ILEARN Checkpoint 1 assessments. These results were shared during Genius Conferences as part of each student’s Individualized Genius Plans (IGPs).

Families, we ask for your continued partnership in supporting these goals at home. Please help your child work through their assigned IXL skills for about 20 minutes in ELA and 20 minutes in Math each day. Our team is tracking student progress and will reach out if additional support is needed. Remember, this is a true school–home partnership—your involvement makes a measurable difference in your child’s growth and confidence. At school, we’re continuing to provide targeted remediation while also beginning our preparation for Checkpoint 2. To ensure every scholar is fully prepared, consistent practice at home is key.

When your child completes their IXL skill plan, please contact Mr. Cassoday so your child can take Checkpoint 1 – Opportunity 2. This allows us to monitor growth and make sure each student is on track for success on the end-of-year ILEARN Summative Assessment.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership and commitment to helping our Geniuses shine!

Thank you to all of our families for your attention to the updated dress code over the past few weeks — we’ve seen a big improvement as we start the year strong! That said, we still aren’t quite at 100%, and we need everyone’s help to ensure consistency. Please remember that Monday through Thursday students should be in white button-down shirts (not polos) with a tie or cross tie, and navy blue pants are required every day (not khaki). Following the dress code helps our scholars look sharp, feel confident, and stay focused on learning. We appreciate your partnership in making sure every student comes to school prepared and in full uniform each day.

• Monday through Thursday, students should be in dress uniform — this means a button-up shirt (not a polo) with a tie, and a cross tie for girls, along with navy pants every day.
• Friday is our regular uniform day. Dressing for success not only reflects our school pride but also helps create a focused learning environment.

Thank you for helping us start the year off right by making sure your child comes to school in full uniform each day. You can view the complete dress code here: Click to View Dress Code

As we settle into the school year, we’ve noticed an increase in common illnesses going around. To help keep our school community healthy, we are asking families to partner with us in taking extra precautions. Please remind your scholar about the importance of good hygiene habits such as regular handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, and avoiding the sharing of food or drinks. If your child is not feeling well, please keep them home to rest and recover — this helps prevent the spread of illness to others. Together, we can create a safe and healthy environment where all of our scholars can learn and thrive!

To help our days run smoothly, please note our arrival and dismissal procedures.

• Arrival is from 8:15 to 8:30 AM. Students arriving after 8:30 AM are considered late and must be walked into the building by the person dropping them off.
• Dismissal takes place from 3:30 to 3:45 PM.

For families needing additional care, we’re pleased to partner with the Riley Youth Community Center to offer before and after care. Before care runs from 6:00 to 8:15 AM, and after care runs from 3:45 to 6:00 PM. This program provides a safe and engaging environment for students outside of school hours. For more information or to register, please visit: Before & After Care Details

A successful year starts with being prepared! If you haven’t had a chance to bring in your child’s school supplies yet, please send them in as soon as possible so our scholars have everything they need to learn and thrive. Having supplies in the classroom helps us start each day smoothly and keeps students ready for every activity. You can view and download the complete supply list here: Click for the Supply List. Thank you for your support in making sure our classrooms are well-equipped for a fantastic year!

Our student dress code can be found here.