December 12, 2022

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we move into our final week of the first semester with Exhibitions of Learning underway, I wanted to take a moment to check in as Winter Break draws near. The winter is a series of shorter sprints, unlike the longer stretch we were in through the fall. As soon as we return from Thanksgiving Break, we have a longer pause over the winter holidays awaiting us almost immediately. With our departure now just days away, I am glad to report that we have made very good use of this first sprint during these colder months. All of our winter afternoon activities are underway, and we are in the midst of enjoying a number of culminating first-semester experiences. We had some impressive smaller concerts ahead of yesterday’s wonderful winter concert. On Thursday evening, we will enjoy our first totally unrestricted Lessons & Carols service in three years. All of our winter teams have started their seasons, with a number of holiday tournaments awaiting them at week’s end. And, the cast and crew of Chicago have begun their work on this wonderful musical we will all have a chance to enjoy at the end of February. In sum, winter at Brooks is off to a great start!

Aside from enjoying the extended period of time Winter Break affords all of us to catch our breath, we are also looking forward to getting into Winter Term in early January. For those of you who are returning parents and guardians, you know that this decided change of pace and venture off the beaten path is a welcomed three-week stretch at Brooks. We like to think that Winter Term has our student body happier to return to school in early January than any other in New England! It will be fun to get started with these team-taught, immersive, and deeper dives into subject matter and experiences that tend to resonate over time. We hope all of you will be able to join us for the symposium on Saturday, January 21, at 9 a.m., when our students will have the opportunity to share with you what they have been doing.

In my effort to continue sharing Brooks School moments that stand out for me when writing to all of you, I am drawn to the holiday tree lighting we held outside the head of school’s residence on the first Friday evening after Thanksgiving Break. Close to 20 years ago, and well before I began as head of school, a student suggested that the beautiful cypress tree along Main Street and on the corner of our home would be an excellent tree to light for the holidays. This student was inspired by the tree in Rockefeller Center in New York, and our tree was referred to as the “Brooks-a-feller” tree for a period of time. In the years that have passed since the inaugural lighting, the tree has grown substantially, and the challenge that our grounds supervisor, Bill St. Cyr P’13, P’14, has to string the tree lights in his customarily beautiful fashion has grown at the same rate. When you add to the equation squirrels who like to gnaw at the lights, you get a feel for the Herculean task lighting this tree has become! Through it all, Mr. St. Cyr keeps at it, and we have him to thank for this year’s final product.

By virtue of the pandemic two years ago when we were entirely remote in December, and not being able to live in the house last year during construction, we have not been able to hold a tree lighting with hot chocolate, holiday cookies, and carols since 2019. Thus, it was a lot of fun to gather with a number of students and colleagues, count down from 10 together, and then see this beautiful tree come to life for all of us to enjoy. We then sang a few carols, enjoyed the moment, stayed for a while in and around our home, and ushered in the holiday season. In a year when we are continuing to find our way to experiences that have eluded us through the pandemic, this was yet another moment of that sort. We had a great time. So, as you are driving along Great Pond Road, entering campus, or walking along Main Street after dark, I do hope you will have an opportunity to enjoy the tree, the lights, and the work we will continue to do to keep the squirrels at bay!

We will look forward to seeing you early in 2023 when we return to school eager and excited to move further into what has been a superb school year to this point -- due in large part to the great work your children are doing in and out of the classroom. As always, if you have any questions or thoughts you would like to explore with me, please let me know. For now, I wish you all a wonderful holiday season full of time with family, friends and good cheer. Take good care.

Best,

John R. Packard

Head of School