Year 2020 has brought changes to many organizations. Employees and leaders are finding new ways to navigate and thrive given our new normal. Æ··ïÂ¥ is excited to welcome our new VP of Human Resources, Kim Kemp, PHR, SHRM-SCP, to the organization beginning on Monday, November 2.

Kim comes to the BSA Family with over a decade of human resources leadership in healthcare and retail built on years of operational leadership and business management. She focuses on driving recruiting and talent results by leveraging both traditional and innovative recruiting development techniques, has a tremendous passion for people and believes in supporting a safe learning environment for all ages as well as a drive to make communities stronger.

Kim believes that the environment our teachers and center leaders provide for children and their families is life changing. She strives to support and invest in those individuals so they can reach their highest potential as they continue to positively influence the future of the children and families they serve.

Please join us in welcoming Kim Kemp and wishing her success in her role as VP of Human Resources.

Æ··ïÂ¥ is pleased to announce that Aliyia Brown has been promoted to District Director within the Philadelphia Region, reporting to Interim RVP, Sharen Woodley. Aliyia will support field operations for multiple academies including 23rd & Allegheny, Erie & Castor, Mellon, Wayne & Chelten, 40th & Market, and Kellys Corner.Ìý

Aliyia has been a valued member of the Brightside team for over 15 years. Her career at BSA began as an assistant teacher and has continued to advance, becoming a lead teacher and ultimately an Academy Director where she recently led her team and academy to STAR 4 designation!

Aliyia brings a wealth of ECE knowledge and experience to the field and plans to be an advocate for her team in supporting them any way she can.

Please join us in congratulating and wishing Aliyia much success in her new role.

Æ··ïÂ¥ is happy to share thatÌýMs. Sharen Woodley,ÌýInterim Regional Vice President of Philadelphia, andÌýMs. Tracy Sammons Venonsky,ÌýDirector of Quality Assurance, have been chosen as diversity presenters for this year’s Early Learning Virtual Summit.

On LinkedIn, COO Jack Safer shared the great news saying, “Anything more prideful than witnessing educators continue to grow in their career and share their knowledge with the masses?”

During these extraordinary times, with the 4th of July holiday around the corner, let us celebrate the core values that strengthen our communities and our country.

Values such as caring, unity, social justice, partnership, excellence and acceptance are essential in building a better society.

As this unique year 2020 moves forward, let’s continue taking care of our family, friends, and neighbors. This 4th of July, we wish you a safe and enjoyable holiday!

Dear Brightside Family,

With genuine compassion and sincerity to strengthen our communities through the ongoing commitment of service, this year Æ··ïÂ¥ will join with the initiative to recognize Juneteenth this coming Friday, June 19th.

Juneteenth is a recognized holiday commemorating the end of slavery for African Americans remaining in captivity within the United States during year 1865. In bringing awareness and to enhance inclusive practices within our organization, it is our goal as a company to celebrate and appreciate the diversity of all employees, families, and children together as a whole, which constitutes the foundation of our Brightside community.

PHILADELPHIA LOCATIONS:

As a follow up to Governor Tom Wolf’s announcement, Philadelphia will be moving to the Yellow Phase. We are permitted to reopen on June 5. We will utilize June 5 as an in-service day to train our teachers and staff on the implementation of our new policies and procedures and reopen to our families on June 8, 2020.

A communication was sent to staff and families with more details on upcoming policy changes when the academies reopen. Please be sure to read the message and email us at info@bsaECE.com with any questions.

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We appreciate your patience as we work through these unprecedented times. Please stay safe and healthy. We wish you and your loved ones well.

Æ··ïÂ¥ Management

Æ··ïÂ¥ is proud to announce the hiring of Keri Driscoll as our new Senior VP of Operation. Keri brings over two decades of leadership and operations experience in the early childhood education and retail industries.

Prior to joining BSA, Keri was Senior Director of Center Operations for KinderCare Education. She is known for being a strategic change leader and creative problem solver with a proven track record of delivering innovative solutions across a broad spectrum of business operations.

Keri brings her passion for fostering a culture that delivers great experiences for teachers, children, and families by inspiring all levels of the organization to reach their greatest potential.

The Senior VP of Operations role will empower and support our field leadership and academies to provide a safe and nurturing educational environment that positively impacts the lives of the children, families, and the local communities we serve.

Please join us in welcoming Keri and wishing her success in her role!

Dear Brightside Staff, Families and Partners:

We hope this letter finds you and your loved ones well and healthy. The last few weeks have brought unprecedented changes to all our lives. In PA, Governor Wolf’s emergency procedures mandated that businesses and organizations, including child care programs, remain closed until at least April 6, with the possibility of further extensions. Our communities are still making sense of the profound effects impacting our personal and professional lives.

Now more than ever, Æ··ïÂ¥ champions its commitment to providing high-quality education to children of all families and communities.

What we are doing
On our website, we have created a with links to useful information, parenting and learning materials, and YouTube videos of story readings and active exercise routines. Additionally we also developed an early educator’s resource page with links to trainings, workshops and useful information for ECE personnel.

We have taken an active role in providing engaging virtual connections with our staff and families. This week we began utilizing Kahoot! games and hosted a Virtual Spirit Week, providing much needed fun, stress-relieving opportunities to our community.

The value of child care and early education
Child care is a vital resource of society. Parents can better engage in careers or school opportunities when their children attend safe, and nurturing child care programs. High quality early education allows children to become valued members of their communities when they grow up. Our services directly influence the degree in which families and communities thrive.

We need your help
Early education services have long been underfunded and are more challenged than ever during these stressful times. We are urging PA legislators to allocate some of the state’s emergency funding to early childhood education providers.

We urge you to take a few minutes in support of early education programs. Click below to .

Families, communities, and the nation thrive with high-quality child care programs available to support their children’s development. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions at info@bsaECE.com.

Wishing you and your family health and safety.

Sincerely,

Jack Safer, COO and BSA Management

Æ··ïÂ¥ is now hiring hiring across its 30+ locations in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. We encourage early educators to apply and get their paperwork started now so their potential job is awaiting them when we reopen after the COVID-19 closures.

Both management andÌýteaching positions are available. Share this exciting news within your network and community so we can employ as many educators as possible given the current unprecedented events.

View Positions and Apply Today at

Click on the above link to find available roles and apply.

Our benefits include:

• Group Health Coverage – Medical, Prescription, Dental, Vision
• Generous paid time off with paid holidays
• Company Sponsored Life Insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match
• Career growth
• Bonuses
• Discounted Child Care
• Voluntary Short Term Disability
• Free Hugs!

Contact us at info@bsaECE.com with any questions.