Mrs. Andrade Mrs. Civil Ms. Hayward Mrs. Ledbetter Mrs. Jackson
Welcome to our page! We are excited to get to know you for the 2024-2025 school year. Please be assured we will do all we can for a successful first-grade year.
We want to thank you in advanced for your patience and support as we navigate through the school year. Please be comforted that our main goal is the safety of your child. We will continue to live out Brighten's mission statement to nurture habits of scholarship and ethical character in a joyful, engaging, rigorous and equitable learning environment. We are looking forward to partner with you to insure your child grows academically and socially in this very important foundational year. Let us know if we can help in any way. Remember, We are CREW!
The first-grade team is blessed to have Mrs. Tonya Ledbetter as our team paraprofessional. She will be working closely with the children to provide extra practice. She will be the main contact person for first grade especially during school hours while we are teaching. Please make sure to join your class remind as it will be our main way of communication. You can also use email to contact us.
We will continue to update you on "what we are learning" every Friday through remind. Mrs. Ledbetter will send out a newsletter with academic and calendar updates. It is also important that you check your child's binder daily so we can keep in communication. Please take a moment to get to know the fabulous first-grade team.
Contact Information:
Mrs. Jackson [email protected] Remind Code: @
Ms. Hayward [email protected] Remind Code: @
Mrs. Andrade [email protected] Remind Code: @
Mrs. Civil [email protected] Remind Code: @
Tori Andrade
This will be my 30th year of teaching and my 19th year at Brighten Academy. I am a proud founding teacher of our school. I received my undergraduate degree in Early Childhood education from Auburn University and my master’s degree from Piedmont College. I received my Gifted Endorsement through Douglas County schools and my Dyslexia Endorsement through MRESA this past year. I have 2 children, Joshua (22) and Macy Beth (19). They were both “Brighten babies” who attended our school from 3-year-old pre-kindergarten through 8th grade. Joshua is now working as a contractor remodeling homes and Macy Beth is a sophomore at Mississippi State University majoring in Biology. My husband Jay and I are now “empty nesters” and enjoying spending time together with our biggest baby, our yellow lab, Biscuit. I am excited to get to know you all and be a part of your first-grade year.
Marie Civil
This is my 27th year teaching and 12th year at Brighten Academy. I received my undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. I taught in MA for a year then moved to Rochester, NY where I taught for 8 years. I received a Master's Degree in Arts for Children at the State University of New York (SUNY Brockport). I moved to Douglasville, Georgia in 2007 to teach at a Fulton County School. I was a Brighten parent for three years before joining the first-grade team. I received my Gifted Endorsement through the Douglas County School. My husband Roosevelt and I were born on the beautiful island of Haiti and grew up in Massachusetts. We have three sons. This year, my eldest Caleb will be a sophomore at Georgia State University, Alain, a freshman at the honors college at Kennesaw State University, and Tyler a junior at Chapel Hill High School. All three boys have been part of the Brighten family since kindergarten. They still enjoy visiting and attending school events. When not in the classroom, I enjoy reading, traveling, and spending enjoyable moments with my family. I look forward to getting to know your family and having a wonderful year with our first graders!
Ashlee Hayward
My name is Ashlee Hayward. I am excited to be part of the Brighten Academy family this year. I have been teaching for 9 years. I have taught all grades, except 5th, but my favorite grade is 1st. I have a fiance, a dog and a cat. My pet's names are Zelda (dog) and Bartholomeow (Cat). In school, my favorite subjects were reading and art. I also played the flute in band and did marching band in high school. I am a GA Bulldawgs fan and I collect flamingos and gnomes. I cant wait to be your child's teacher this year!
Michele Jackson
I am happy to join the faculty of Brighten Academy this year! I hold a BS degree in Elementary Education and a MS in Ed Leadership. I grew up in southwestern Pennsylvania but have now lived in Georgia longer than I lived in Pennsylvania. My husband Michael and I are long-time residents of Douglas County. We have two children, Alexander and Lauren, and a daughter-in-law, Anna. Alexander works as the Director of Operations for a college football team, Anna works as a victims advocate, and Lauren is an ER nurse. My hobbies include reading, crafting, and travel.
Tonya Ledbetter
This will be my 14th year as a Paraprofessional at Brighten Academy. I am originally from Augusta and graduated with a B.B.A. from Augusta University. My wife, Melissa, and I have two daughters, both of whom attended Brighten from Kindergarten through 8th grade. Marisa graduated from Kennesaw State University in 2023 and Anna begins her junior year at KSU this year. Our family also has three rescue fur babies, Jovi, Lulu, and Zoey. When I'm not at school, I enjoy thrifting, reading, and spending time with my friends and family. I am passionate about helping students thrive and supporting the amazing women that make up the 1st grade team.
