Brighton Elementary begins in new building
Judging by the smiles on the faces of Principal Beverly Raines, teachers and students, the $18.1 million school is a hit.
Warm colors everywhere, chalkboards ready to be marked up, a science lab with ceiling lights arranged in constellations. The new building, at 6725 45th Ave. S., is the first major school construction project to be completed with levy money approved by district voters in 2001.
The opening ceremony was a burst of U.S. style: singing the national anthem, hearing a proclamation from the mayor, receiving a golden key to the city and pledging allegiance to the flag. Superintendent Raj Manhas welcomed the 240 students with a pun, saying, "It's the children who brighten the building."
A year ago, when Brighton was in temporary quarters in the E.C. Hughes building, its enrollment dropped to fewer than 100 students.
Losing so many students during construction forced the school to lay off three teachers. But it also turned Brighton into a case study of what many think urban students and staff need to succeed.
Teacher Joyce Piatek, for example, suddenly was overseeing only 13 to 15 fourth-grade students instead of the 30-student class.
In that small community, Raines said, some children developed genuine relationships with their teachers. "I think that was one of the neatest things that happened last year," she said. Now that the school is full-size again, Raines has told teachers, "We've got to establish that kind of relational piece with those students so they like us, they want to learn, they feel comfortable with learning."
Black, Asian and Latino students with names such as Mohamed, Saim, Ifra and Zhu make up Piatek's class this year. About 40 percent of the school's students speak limited English, and nearly 90 percent qualify for free or reduced-price lunches.
Geraldine Duro, whose daughter Kay sat timidly in the back of class, stood at the door for a while watching with a mix of hope and concern. She moved to Seattle with her three children from the Philippines two months ago. Kay, 9, is shy and doesn't quite grasp English yet, Duro says.
Piatek, once again with a class of 30, asked her students to write their responses to a question she'd written the board: What are your goals, dreams and aspirations for fourth grade?
"My goles are to finish foth grade and lern how to do timestables."
"I want to work hard to buy a SUV for my family and I want to have a good education and get higher grades."
"My aspirations for 4th grade is to learn lots of things and pass the wasal."
Several students indicated they know all about the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) and hope they can pass it in April. Last year, Brighton's pass rates in math and reading soared: from 36.5 percent to 76.9 percent in math, and from 32.7 percent to 69.2 percent in reading.
It remains to be seen if the school can repeat that kind of improvement this year with class sizes twice as large as last term.
New school buildings typically attract more students, but the district allocated Brighton money for only 152 students, which meant Raines couldn't hire more teachers over the summer to preserve lower class sizes. In October, the district will make adjustments based on enrollment, which could increase the school's budget. But by then, the school may have lost its opportunity to hire teachers of its choice.
"With the WASL, it could all turn next year," Raines said.
Sanjay Bhatt: 206-464-3103 or sbhatt@seattletimes.com
