Brighton Central School District principals told the Board of Education on Sept. 30 that the 2025–26 school year opened smoothly across the district, with some schools reporting rising enrollment, expanded extracurricular participation and increased demand for school meals.

Enrollment and activities: Danielle Edmonds, principal at TCMS, said TCMS enrollment in the first month was between about 780 and 790 students and that the building welcomed 26 new sixth-graders, 18 new seventh-graders and 17 new eighth-graders. She reported more than 150 seventh- and eighth-graders participating in modified athletics and said the TCMS cross-country team placed first in New York state and third nationally in a large invitational. Edmonds also described a pilot of a new math curriculum for seventh and eighth grades: "CPM is college preparatory math," she said, and teachers piloting it reported high student engagement.

Breakfast and lunch participation: District leaders said meal participation rose significantly this fall. Superintendent Lou noted the sharp growth in participation: "We've doubled over 60% of our participation," he said during the meeting, and principals acknowledged food-service staff and building administrators for handling the surge with existing staff.

Programs, supports and other highlights: Principals reported multiple districtwide efforts and programs, including Fulbright Teaching Scholars in district classrooms, extensive club and activity offerings, grade-level assemblies on habits of mind, and targeted social-emotional learning. Several principals described new student-orientation formats, expanded instrumental-music recruitment and classroom-visible thinking routines. Several schools also described intensive engagement around chronic absenteeism and expanded in-school supports and tutoring for students returning from suspension.

High school notes (summary): The high school principal described a new enforcement of the electronic device policy — banning internet-enabled devices during school hours and requiring devices to be stored in lockers — a program the high school labeled as an effort to "disconnect to connect." The principal reported only a small daily number of devices collected and said the change was accompanied by signage and student-led messaging; the board did not take an action on the policy at the Sept. 30 meeting.

Why it matters: rising enrollment and sharply higher meal participation create operational demands on staffing, food service and school logistics; pilots such as the CPM math program and expanded extracurricular options affect curriculum and student opportunity. Principals asked for continued communication and planning to manage construction disruptions, programming and student supports during the school year.

No board vote was required for principals’ reports; comments served to inform the board and public about start-of-year conditions, programming pilots and operational pressures.