October 25, 2022


Dear Parents and Guardians,


As autumn rolls along and we move further into the fall, I am pleased to report that we have found a nice pace and rhythm as temperatures get a bit cooler and the days get a bit shorter. October is my favorite month of the year at Brooks, and we have been doing all we can to enjoy these beautiful autumn days with lots of opportunity to be together in and out of doors. It feels great to be in full stride with a lot to look forward to over these next four weeks before Thanksgiving Break.


Our hope is that the time you were able to spend on campus during Family Weekend went well and that you managed to take in a good part of the program. We were thrilled to get some great weather and to have so many people here in person without the sort of restrictions in place that have burdened us through the pandemic. As the year moves along, we will look forward to more occasions to get together on campus for games, performances, and parent and guardian dinners we will be hosting periodically. To maximize in-person time, and keep the Zooms to a minimum, will be the hope!


In the spirit of trying to give you a bit of a window into some of what has stood out at school over the past couple of weeks, I bring you the 2022 Chipotle Challenge. While I suspect word of this annual event has perhaps made its way to you through some number of other channels, I do want to let you know what this is all about. I learned a number of years ago that we can persuade students to do just about anything if a Chipotle dinner is the incentive. This notion, combined with my feeling that our spectacular campus should be explored and enjoyed by students, led me to this idea seven years ago: I would identify a number of locations on campus that I find particularly beautiful, and direct students to visit those locations in groups of three or more. At each location, they are required to take a picture or a video of themselves there, and then send those pictures and videos to me. If they complete the challenge by the end of October, they will enjoy an evening of Chipotle with me in November before we break for Thanksgiving.


Each year’s Chipotle Challenge has a different twist to it, and this year I have sent students and colleagues in the direction of six locations on campus where we remember former students and faculty members with benches and plaques recalling who they were. My hope is that this year’s participants will see and feel both the beauty of their campus and the ways in which we remember those who continue to matter to us. So, if you find yourself on campus and are interested in taking a beautiful walk, here is the route and description of each stop I shared with the school in Chapel:


First Stop - This will take some doing, as construction on our new boathouse is well underway, but there is one bench and one plaque that are must-visits as part of every Chipotle Challenge. The bench remembers Joe St. Cyr ’14, son of Bill St. Cyr who takes care of the grounds and has had more to do with the beauty of this campus than anyone over the past 30 years. Joe died far too young, and this bench captures who he was. Not far from this bench is a plaque remembering Peter Nicholson ’79, who died in service to this country. It’s no accident that this site was chosen for these two memorials. It is a breathtaking spot, particularly on a perfect fall day.


Second Stop - Once you clear yourself of the boathouse construction site, continue along the path until you approach the makeshift sailing program launch area. You’ll see a big and beautiful oak tree on your right and a plaque at the base of the tree. Diffy Mellen ’32 was in the first graduating class at Brooks after beginning here as a second-former, or eighth grader, in 1927. A fun fact about Diffy is that he was the first Brooks School student to set foot on this campus, as his mother got the arrival date wrong and came a day or two early. As a result, Diffy and his mother spent their first nights at Brooks with Mr. Ashburn in the head of school’s house. The view from what is now Diffy’s spot is worth taking in.


Third Stop - From here the Chipotle Challenge is completed by walking the whole length of the fire trail along the lake and capturing a picture at my favorite stop on the trail. You will know you are there when you get there -- a point that juts out, with the lake and incredible fall colors all around you.


Fourth Stop - After making it to the northwest corner of the fire trail, and then up the trail towards the playing fields, developing an appreciation for the cross-country team’s challenging route, you should make your way to a plaque remembering Anna Trustey ’16 on the corner of Anna K. Trustey Memorial Field. It is well worth reading.


Fifth Stop - Head out towards the north entrance to the school and look for two seldom-visited plaques these days. The first remembers Oscar Root, who was on the faculty for many years and planted most of the beautiful flowering trees we continue to enjoy today. A bit closer to the entrance is a plaque remembering Murray S. Danforth, Jr. ’42. Much of what was planted in that part of the campus was planted in his honor. In addition to attending Brooks, he served on the board of trustees for more than 25 years, and the organ that Mr. Humphreville plays so beautifully in Chapel was given to the school by his family while he was a student here in 1939.


Sixth Stop - There is a bench overlooking the lower field hockey and lacrosse field that Taryn King ’03, starred on before we had Anna K. Trustey Memorial Field. Taryn died while studying abroad as a Bowdoin College student in 2006. She was just 21 years old. This is her 20th reunion year, and the inscription on the side of the bench honors her. It is well worth reading when you are there.


By the beginning of next week, scores of students will have had fun with the challenge on what I hope is a perfect fall day. While I can’t promise all of you a Chipotle dinner if you complete the challenge, I am confident you would enjoy the walk!


I will look forward to staying in touch as we move into November and the final stretch of the fall season. There will be a lot to take in and celebrate before Thanksgiving Break. For now, take good care and enjoy the balance of the fall.


Best,


John R. Packard

Head of School