NOVEMBER 2, 2023
Thank you to all of our families who both volunteered and donated items to our annual Ghostly Goodies event this year!
Schedule & Campus Alerts
Tomorrow

Nov. 3 is a special schedule for Beloved Community Day with athletic contests being played in the afternoon.

This Weekend

SATs are scheduled for Nov. 4. There are no classes or afternoon activities on Nov. 4. Students in "Footloose" can depart campus on Nov. 4 at 12 p.m. following their dress rehearsal.

Students may leave campus for a weekend leave after their last commitment on Nov. 3 and return on Nov. 5, by 8 p.m. Students should use REACH and choose "Nov. Weekend" for their request if they choose to take a weekend leave.

Gates Reminder

Brooks has updated our two primary entrances with new gates: 

  • The Main Entrance gate will close Mon. - Sat. at 10 p.m. and reopen at 7 a.m. This gate will remain in the closed position from Sat. at 10 p.m. through Mon. at 7 a.m. 

  • The Athletics Entrance gate will continue to remain open 24/7. 

  • Student IDs will not operate the Main Entrance gate.

  • Any vehicle that approaches the Main Entrance gate from inside campus to exit will prompt the gate to raise. The gate will then automatically close behind the vehicle.
Student Life
Student Photos
Mark Lawrence Photographers came to campus on Sept. 26 to take individual headshots of students. The company sent out this ordering link to families. Mark Lawrence Photographers will return to campus on Nov. 7 to either retake photos for students who wish to have their photograph retaken or to take photos for those students who were not able to attend school photo day in Sept. Students or families interested in this should take advantage of the company’s return to campus and instruct their child to report to the Center for the Arts' Bowers Room between 10 and 11 a.m. A note to students will go out on Monday next week as well.
Class Rings for the Class of 2024
Capture the Tradition! On Nov. 7 at 10:05 a.m., Kate Toman from Jostens will be in Room X to talk with sixth formers about purchasing class rings. This will be a 15-minute meeting for anyone who is interested.
Challenge Success Survey
Brooks School is planning to survey the student body on Nov. 14 using the Challenge Success Survey through REACH. We hope to gain data that will help inform us about how the student body is feeling and how we can best improve our programming on campus. The Challenge Success team, a non-profit affiliated with the Stanford University Graduate School of Education, is a great partner for this work as they will help us make sense of our data and provide Brooks with suggestions for programmatic changes based on student responses. For more information please read the Research Information Sheet Regarding Survey Participation (provided in English and Spanish) and Introduction and Opt-out for Parents.
Students in the campus Graphic Design Club created this poster for the fiesta that will wrap up tomorrow's Beloved Community Day, focused on "Building Beloved Community through a Latinx lens" featuring a variety of workshops.
Thanksgiving Break Heads Up
Thanksgiving Break will begin on Nov. 18 at 12 p.m. Our dormitories will close and all students are expected to depart campus no later than 4 p.m. that afternoon.

  • Some international student families choose to sign their child up for a Thanksgiving Break “camp.” One such opportunity, of which we have become aware, is with Cogito World Education. Details are available through the Cogito World Education website.

  • All students will be expected to submit a REACH request for Thanksgiving Break indicating their travel plans. This will become available for students to submit this week. 

  • Have student-specific questions regarding travel and transportation? Please direct them to Associate Director of Student Affairs Cora MacKenzie.
Thanksgiving Break Transportation


  • Brooks will provide transportation to Boston's Logan Airport and South Station on Nov. 18. Those shuttles will depart campus at 12 p.m. and will take approximately 45 minutes to 75 minutes to get to each location, depending on traffic. Please ensure some flexibility regarding the timing of your student's flight, train or bus to ensure that they make it on time. 

  • All families are responsible for their student's transportation back to school at the end of Thanksgiving Break. There will be no shuttle service.
Weekend Bulletin
Check out the Weekend Bulletin for more information about this weekend’s events including a trip to see Merrimack College hockey, BINGO in the dining hall and a Sunday morning pancake breakfast at the Smith's home on campus.
Academics
Field trip! AP United States Government & Politics students got the chance to act as members of the Senate and House of Representatives at The Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate in Boston on Friday.
December Exhibitions of Learning (EOLs)

  • Exhibitions of Learning (EOLs) make up the last week of classes before we depart for Winter Break. An EOL is a debate, discourse, presentation, portfolio, exam or other class experience that occurs in special, extended A-H blocks from Dec. 9 through Dec. 14. Every major course has an EOL.

  • We are happy to share the December EOL Period schedule with you here, which also includes some important student reminders. Attendance is required for all students during the EOL period and elective absences or early departures will only be permitted in extreme extenuating circumstances. 

  • Please note that attendance is also required at Lessons & Carols programming on Dec. 14 in the evening. In early Dec., the student affairs team will collect student travel plans for Winter Break.

For questions about EOLs, please contact Academic Dean Currie Joya Huntington. For questions about attendance and travel regarding Winter Break, please contact Associate Director of Student Affairs Cora MacKenzie.
Arts
Get Your Tickets for Fall Musical "Footloose!"
The immensely talented student performers and technicians of Brooks School Firetrail Theatre have gone above and beyond to bring the iconic musical “Footloose” to life for three nights only (Nov. 9, 10, 11)! This production is a testament to their dedication, creativity and passion for the arts and an event you won't want to miss. Come cheer on these students as they showcase their extraordinary talents on and off stage. Your support means the world to them!

Athletics
Worth a watch: Leo Charlamb '26, with assistance from Chen Zhuang '25, created an amazing crew highlights video!
Athletics Planning
Don't forget: There is a special schedule with all games being played tomorrow, Nov. 3. There will be no athletic practices or games on Saturday, Nov. 4.

The winter season is approaching! Tryouts for winter season 1st teams will begin the week of Nov. 13. The 2nd and 3rd level teams, and other afternoon activities, will have a meeting during the Nov. 13 week and officially start on Nov. 28, upon return from Thanksgiving Break. Practice schedules and meeting times will be available via the Community Group in OnBrooks by Nov. 13. 
Congratulations are due to girls 1st soccer goalkeeper Lana Gibbs '24: She was invited to play in the 2023 High School All American Game in Charleston on Dec. 9! Coach Jason Braga shares, “Being named an All-American is a testament to Lana's relentless dedication, unwavering passion and skill on the field."
Health & Wellness
Healthy Eating Contest
Brooks School's Health & Wellness Center team kicked off its second "B Well" wellness program health challenge this week with the "Strive for Five." Students were challenged to consume five servings of fruits and vegetables every day for a week. Each day that students participate in the challenge, they are entered to win a prize.
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