Outside the CLASSROOM
Bob & Joanne Brandwood When Bob and Joanne Brandwood arrived at Blair
Academy in 1985, he was a rookie independent-school teacher, she was an aspiring lawyer, and their first child was on the way. Today, Bob is the senior member of Blair’s faculty, Joanne has made a career pivot from the courtroom to the classroom, and they are the proud parents of five Blair graduates: Elizabeth ’03, Kath ’05, Steven ’06, David ’08 and Sarah ’09. What happened in between is a story filled with learning, sharing and love for each other, their family, friends and Blair, the place they have called home for 35 years.
The learning part of the story is not just about
and with Blair students, who have benefited
what has transpired in Blair’s classrooms,
from firsthand accounts of experiences in
although, of course, that is a big slice of it.
Europe, Africa, the U.S. South and more. Bob
Thousands of students have delved into the
has shared his lifelong love of soccer and
finer points of poetry, prose, literature and
swimming as a Blair coach, and Joanne’s
writing in Bob’s English classes since his first
innate desire to serve others is something
day on the job, while the latest generation of
she has shared liberally in her work as a legal
Bucs has studied U.S. and European history
services attorney for 12 years, as well as in her
with Joanne since she joined Blair’s faculty in
role as co-coordinator of Blair’s community
2013. Along the way, they both learned a lot
service program.
about being teachers themselves, surrounded
Finally, there’s love. Spend any time at all
by colleagues whom Bob describes as
with Bob and Joanne, and it is clear that love
“fabulous educators.” And, of course, Joanne
for each other and their family is the bedrock
attended New York University School of Law—
of their lives. And, the fact that they have
amid the whirlwind of raising five children and
remained at Blair for 35 years speaks to their
Bob’s Blair commitments—and graduated with
love for their colleagues, who have become
her JD in 2000.
lifelong friends, their love of the school-year
Sharing is something that comes naturally
rhythm that affords them time to travel, and
to the Brandwoods, and they have shared
their love of the Blair experience that is an
deeply of themselves at Blair and beyond. In
integral part of their children’s lives and bonds
the early 1980s, they met while teaching at the
them even closer as a family.
same school in rural Botswana, as Bob worked
Whether or not you are among the scores of
on a local government contract, having been
Bucs who know the Brandwoods as teachers,
recruited in the United Kingdom by the British
mentors, advisors, coaches, advocates,
Council, and Joanne served as a Peace Corps
colleagues or just wonderful people, here we
volunteer. They are adventurous travelers,
invite you to get to know them better, both
who shared this spirit with their children
inside and “outside the classroom.”
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