Brighton Alternative High School 'More than Just Another High School'

By Colleen Deaven

Each year since its inception in September of 2010, The Bridge Alternative High School has grown. As Carol Kiser, administrative assistant, put it, “Like water moving and changing as it makes its way under a bridge, our program is constantly changing and growing, moving in a direction to meet the needs of our students.”  

The 2013/2014 school year will be no different. The Bridge Alternative High School of Brighton Area Schools will go to a Monday through Thursday full-time day program starting in September. The Bridge will continue on a trimester calendar in an effort to help students earn 7.5 credits per year to stay on track to graduate with their original graduating class.  This new program offers wrap-around services to ensure student success.  These wrap-around services create a safe, caring, and supportive learning environment to inspire students to achieve social, emotional, and intellectual success for life beyond high school.  

The Bridge is truly so much more than just another high school.  The Bridge is a place where young people feel at home.  While The Bridge offers all of the benefits of the Michigan Merit Curriculum standards, including ACT testing, it also offers enrichment opportunities and a very involved staff. In the words of English teacher Carly Evans, “All the students need is someone to listen to them when they are having a hard time and give them a sense of comfort. This helps the students trust us as teachers, which a lot of them haven’t had.  I know that every staff member at The Bridge is willing to give up prep time as well as time before and after school to help these students.  That’s what makes us such an amazing group.”

A full time Academic Coach is on staff to guide students while in school, as well as help them make sound decisions about their future both academically and vocationally.  The Bridge teachers keep this in mind as well.  Cherilyn Haas teaches Chemistry and science electives.  She will be teaching forensic science and human anatomy this year. Ms. Haas understands the importance of making these courses relevant to students, “I am excited to teach these new classes. My focus will be collaboration and problem solving and I plan on tying the curriculum in to actual jobs students can apply for after graduation.” 

Kristin Smith teaches U.S. and world history, as well as English. Ms. Smith will teach a new English elective course called Reading and Writing Literature.  She looks forward to giving the students a “great creative outlet.” Ms. Smith shared, “I know we have some talented writers in our school already, and the new class will help further their opportunities to grow and develop.”

Jacob VanNote teaches several art classes at The Bridge.  He too is excited for the school year to begin, “I'm excited for another year of opportunities to help our students explore their creativity and find their passion for the arts. Our students are very creative individuals and every year they challenge and inspire me as a teacher and as an artist. This give and take relationship allows us to connect and is essential in our shared growth as artists and learners.”

While the 4 day Monday through Thursday program focuses on academics, the Friday Enrichment Program includes online PLATO courses for credit recovery so students can get on track to graduate on time.  Also on Fridays, students will have the opportunity to take advantage of academic tutoring, ACT test preparation, as well as other enrichment opportunities such as our Exploration of Music class that will begin on Friday, September 20. Other enrichment opportunities include our Student Assistance Program, as well as our service learning and work credit programs.  

Another exciting program The Bridge will offer this fall is Reaching Higher.  This program offers a combination of leadership skills, communication skills and self -esteem building.  The students that complete this course will have the opportunity to participate in the service learning program where they can earn an additional ½ credit towards graduation.  One of the school social workers, Barb Williams, is the advisor for the program, “This valuable program is truly life changing! We hope to offer this opportunity to as many students as is possible.”

The teachers at The Bridge are all trained in differentiated instruction in an effort to meet all of its students’ academic needs.  In addition to highly qualified teachers, The Bridge has school social workers on staff to address students’ emotional and social needs as well as coordinate the Positive Behavior Support Program and the Student Assistance Program.  Both of these programs focus on meeting the needs of students so that they can be successful in school and beyond.  The Bridge staff works hard at meeting the needs of its students.  As Matt Evans, math teacher, said, “We have a chance every day to help students who have been given up on or given up on themselves to realize they have skills to be valued.  There isn’t a more rewarding job in the world than seeing that student succeed.”

Brandon McDaniel started with The Bridge in the fall of 2010.  He took the 2012/2013 year off from teaching to pursue other career interests.  Mr. McDaniel will come back this year part time.  When asked why he decided to come back, he said, “When I was away from the students and staff I felt almost homesick.  I love teaching and it is so rewarding to see these students grow.  So many of them have faced adversity in their short lives, so they know how important a second chance can be. These students have actually taught me so much and I want to be part of their second chance.”

Mr. McDaniel will teach The Bridge Leadership class in the upcoming school year.  The class will focus on helping students prepare to be leaders in their further education as well as the workplace after they leave school. The class will involve volunteering throughout the community as well as organizing fundraisers to benefit several important causes. The students will study great leaders from a variety of settings and begin to synthesize what it means to be a leader and how they can start to replicate being a leader in their own lives. In the final weeks of the class the students will go head to head against other students from other alternative programs throughout the state at the Michigan Alternative Education Organization S.T.A.R.S. conference (Success Teamwork Achievement Recognition Self-Esteem).

Cristina Burkett, The Bridge biology teacher, gave up becoming a medical doctor to pursue her dream to be a teacher.  “It is difficult to express how much I truly love my job as an alternative teacher. A few days after school ended this past year, I opened my email to find a message from one of The Bridge students. The message was one single line that simply read, ‘I miss you.’ It was then that I truly realized what our program means to these kids. We are not just teachers.  We are mentors and trusted adults that are there to support them in any way they need-whether it’s help with school work or a hug because they are having a bad day.  I can’t think of anything more rewarding than that.”

As one student put it, “Our structure is a castle gate with the gate doors open.  It symbolizes a safe haven for students in our school; however, the open doors symbolize our open mindedness, and kindness to all in our school.”

While The Bridge staff’s end goal is to see each student walk across the stage at graduation and receive a diploma, they see the whole child.  The new 4 day program will foster all Bridge students’ individual talents and work to enrich those talents, as well as meet all students’ social, emotional and academic needs to realize their true potential.