FAMILY CENTER
A ME S S AGE F R OM
C RISS Y C ÁC ERE S
Dear Brooklyn Friends School Community, Since the opening of the Preschool on the second floor of Pearl Street in 1985, Brooklyn Friends School has had a strong belief in and commitment to early childhood education. Leading our meaningful program for two-year-old children since its founding, and designing every element of it, has been our illustrious Director of the Family Center, Sara Soll. Thus, it is with bittersweet joy and tremendous love that I ask you to join me in celebrating Sara, who after 35 years impacting generations of children, families, and colleagues, has made the decision to retire from Brooklyn Friends School at the end of the 2021-2022 school year. In 1986, already a parent of two BFS students, Sara’s journey as a member of the BFS colleague body began with her role as one of the earliest members of the Preschool teaching team, where she immediately stood out as an extraordinary early childhood educator. Since then, as teacher, and subsequently Director of the Family Center for the past decade, Sara has guided hundreds of children on how to be a friend and a compassionate member of a community, launching each one of them on a lifelong journey of learning through play. As I have personally shared with her, Sara will always be a beloved member of our Brooklyn Friends family, and the way that she has led with boundless expertise and her full heart and soul will continue to influence how we care for the learning and growing experiences of our youngest students for generations to come. We joyously look forward to collectively celebrating Sara throughout this school year to honor her undeniable legacy. Before occupying its current home at 189 Schermerhorn Street beginning in 2011, the Family Center was founded in 1991 as a full-day program for two-year-olds. From its inception, The Family Center has been more than “childcare”—it has been and is a strong and compelling early childhood program that reinforces our commitment to educating the “whole child” at the earliest possible age. With Sara’s full support of this as a worthy and
HE A D OF S C HOOL
important evolution of the Family Center experience, I share an exciting development. Beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, the Family Center will come full circle, and our youngest students will return to Pearl Street where the program once began, officially denoting our Preschool program for two year old students as the official entry point to Brooklyn Friends School. The planned “inaugural” class will have a dozen students. This step boldly recognizes that early childhood education is a foundational starting point for the arc of our 2-year-old through 12th grade Quaker school, giving students the opportunity to exponentially grow in their identities as strong learners and kind and justice-minded human beings in our world. The Family Center has held an important place in the history of Brooklyn Friends, and I recognize that change often brings with it varied emotions. As such, I encourage us all to remember that this is a physical movement. The program, teaching colleagues, and soul of the Family Center will continue to be with us and thrive. At this moment, I humbly request that you join me in honoring the validly bittersweet happiness of this occasion, as we focus on centering both our beloved Sara, our Family Center colleagues, and our youngest students and families in the time ahead. In the weeks and months ahead, we will be sharing many opportunities on how you can show your appreciation and care for the way Sara has shined the light on our community. On the opposite page, please read a personal letter from Sara.
With deep appreciation, and in partnership,
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