Winter Term has begun: Students in more than 30 classes including "Shredding 101" (left) and "El Camino" (right) are off on their adventures! "Going Viral: Marketing Winter Term" students (top) will be showing all the action on social media soon.

Schedule Alerts: Updated Symposium Times

• New Parents and Guardians: On Jan. 24 from 6 to 6:45 p.m. please join Head of School John Packard for a reception for new parents and guardians in the Keating Room. Invites will be sent tomorrow as we are requesting RSVPs for this reception.



• All Parents and Guardians: On Jan. 24 from 7 to 9 p.m. join us for our annual Winter Term Symposium when you can learn more about both your student’s Winter Term as well as the many other offerings available this year!

Academics

Students on the Forefront: 2025

The Students on the Forefront internship catalog for 2025 is published! These internships are open to rising sixth-form students (class of 2026). To read more about the program please visit our Students on the Forefront page.

Winter Term will pause on Wednesday for a Martin Luther King Jr. Day program: Advisors will meet with their students after Chapel to discuss themes from the service and the message of King.

Student Life

Long Weekend Following Winter Term  

The last day of Winter Term is Jan. 24 with the Winter Term Symposium from 7 to 9 p.m. Families are invited to attend the symposium and more details will be shared closer to the event.

There are no classes on Jan. 25 or Jan. 27, however, there are some athletic events on Jan. 25.

Boarding students may leave campus after their school commitments on Jan 25. Students who do not have an afternoon activity commitment on Jan. 25 may depart after the symposium on Jan. 24. All boarders must return by Jan. 27 at 9 p.m. Please note that there will likely be some 1st team practices on the afternoon of Jan. 27.

Weekend Bulletin  

There are so many great activities happening this weekend -- including a last-minute opportunity to ski or snowboard on Sunday at Cranmore Mountain Resort! On campus Saturday, the Best Friend Challenge in the theater offers prizes for the winning pair, followed by broomball in the rink and open house at the Head of School's home with catering from Raising Cane's. For full details see the Weekend Bulletin.

Inclement Weather Policy  

Brooks School does not normally suspend classes during snow storms or other extreme weather conditions. Day student families are asked to make their own decision about the safety of travel and to notify the school in cases of absence due to weather conditions.

A student who is unable to travel to school due to weather conditions will be able to join class virtually in these circumstances. Likewise, a teacher who is unable to travel to campus for class will also be able to hold a virtual class and will communicate this decision directly to the students.

Additionally, if the commute home is dangerous, we will partner with day students on staying on campus with a boarding student.

All-School Photo Ordering  

A reminder that if you are interested in ordering our all-school photo, you may do so here. 

Athletics

Girls 1st ice hockey (above in an earlier game) scored a win yesterday, 2-1 over Pingree School.

Weekly Schedules Reminder

Afternoon Activities are in full swing during Winter Term. There will be some changes to schedules for various reasons. Weekly schedules can be found in the community group in OnBrooks. OnBrooks will be updated with changes as well. There are games for most teams on Jan. 25 and students are expected to participate in these games before possibly leaving on a weekend.

Business Office

Student Accounts: Retirement News

On Jan. 6, Student Accounts' Marie Ranfos began transitioning away from her role in accounts as the Business Office prepares for her April 1 retirement. Ranfos has been the face of Brooks School’s student accounts for nearly 24 years. She has been the go-to for family inquiries regarding tuition management accounts, student debit accounts, laundry plans and so much more. We are truly thankful for her commitment to Brooks, our students and families over the years and wish her well in her upcoming retirement.

Going forward, Accountant Christine Llewellyn will be the main contact in the Business Office for student accounts. Ranfos is leaving some big shoes to fill, but Llewellyn is ready to begin working with Brooks’ families and students in a more direct capacity. She has been an accountant at Brooks since October 2023, and up until now her work has been behind the scenes. We are excited to have the opportunity to transition her, with her passion for accuracy and commitment to excellence, to a more family-facing, student-centric role at Brooks. For questions regarding student accounts, Llewellyn can be reached at cllewellyn@brooksschool.org and at (978) 725-6322. Well-wishes for Ranfos can be directed to mranfos@brooksschool.org.

Family Programs

Commencement Weekend Details

With commencement weekend less than six months away, we want to direct all class of 2025 families to our Commencement 2025 page. Here you can find an outline for the various events over the weekend and a helpful FAQ section. If you have any questions, please contact Director of Family Engagement and Giving Mary Merrill.

January Zoom Calls with John Packard

Next week Head of School John Packard is hosting two Zoom meetings with our families in China and Korea:



• Jan. 15 at 8 a.m. (EST), families in Korea

• Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m.(EST), families in China: New day and time!

Registration is Open for the Boston Reception!

The greater Brooks community is invited to join us at The Lenox Hotel in Boston on Feb. 4 for our annual Boston Reception. You can register online via our Boston Reception page. We are grateful to Brooks alumnus and The Lenox Hotel owner Gary Saunders '73 for welcoming Brooks alumni, parents, guardians and friends to this special annual celebration.