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We have several upcoming events and activities extended to you to learn more about life at Brooks. A quickly approaching event is Family Weekend, which is scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, October 3 - 5. We have an action-packed program designed for you and your family. In addition to meeting up with your student and getting a better sense of their day-to-day life on campus, the organization Social Awakening will be here to offer a parent/guardian presentation on cellphone and technology use on Friday, October 4 at 2 p.m. Their presence next week will be an engaging way to deepen our understanding of the impact that social media has had on the teenage (and adult!) brain. We hope you take the time to attend if you are able.
Another event series that I’m looking forward to are the dinners with parents and guardians throughout October, November and December. These small gatherings are a wonderful time for us to be together in person. In addition, I’m grateful to families in China and Korea (and faculty members Amy Wang and Kihak Nam, who graciously agreed to provide translation) for making the time to join Zoom meetings; it is special for me to connect with families both near and far. We will continue to offer similar opportunities throughout the year to be in touch and I hope you are able to attend when you can.
Today, the school's board of trustees will be on campus for our fall meetings. This group of dedicated alums, current and past parents, and friends of the school continue to go above and beyond in their dedication and commitment to ensuring Brooks has a promising future and a positive and meaningful impact on generations to come. Grounded in the three pillars of immersive learning, culture of exploration and genuine belonging, we approach our centennial in two years with strong board leadership, who are in partnership with school administrators and our dedicated educators.
I am pleased to share that I have continued John Packard’s tradition of running the “Hello Campaign” in an effort to get to know students by their names within the first couple weeks of school. Students are able to approach me on Main Street and test me on the spot. If I do not recall their name correctly, I pay them with Brooks Bucks that are redeemable in the School Store and the snack bar, affectionately known as Linda’s Cafe. I’m not going to pretend that it’s been easy; walking on Main Street these days has felt intimidating when packs of students rush me and test me on my naming ability. I admit that I have put quite a bit of money into the Brooks student body, but I am making headway and more importantly, have had many memorable interactions with your students even those who are hoping to playfully trick me! I have a competitive spirit and I am determined to meet my goal. There will be more activities throughout the fall to build community and keep things buzzing on campus.
We look forward to seeing you over the next few weeks with so many exciting events to attend. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or others on campus with any questions or thoughts about the school year thus far. Hope to have many moments to catch up with you in the near future.
With appreciation,
Nina Freeman
Acting Head of School
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