February 3, 2021 By Tom Tolen / news@whmi.com Two employees of Brighton Area Schools have been recognized for their efforts during a COVID-19 incident that left an entire kindergarten class at Spencer Elementary School in quarantine, including their regular classroom teacher. Kris Valade and Cody Alexander - who filled in on a momentâs notice â were chosen as âShining Starsâ by the Brighton Area Schoolsâ Board of Education at its meeting last week. According to Spencer Principal Bill Renner, the class â one of four kindergarten classes and a junior âKâ class at the school â was placed in quarantine last November when there were a couple of positive tests for the coronavirus. That left the class and its principal quarantined in their homes for two days. Kris Valade is a teacher in the Brighton Virtual Academy program and Alexander is a district literacy coach. Since Renner knew both teachers from previous school assignments, he âreached out to them,â asking them if they could fill in. Without hesitation, Valade and Alexander accepted the challenge.