Far Brook School Report on Philanthropy 2021-2022

Report on Philanthropy

Statement of Purpose

Our purpose is to create a supportive and caring community that cherishes love of learning, creativity, and individuality, and that provides teachers and students with both support and freedom to take risks in order to reach their full potential.

Implicit in our philosophy is the goal of bringing students to their highest level of academic and personal competency, both for their present and in preparation for their future education. In addition, we share a much larger purpose.

We see Far Brook’s mission as a desire to use and to adapt the principles of progressive education and its philosophy of pragmatism for a changing world, and while valuing academic excellence and respect for nature, to instill a creative response to learning with great art, drama, music, and literature as models.

Our approach to education demands that both students and teachers be active participants in a reciprocal learning experience. We recognize the role of metaphor, ritual, and tradition in children’s lives and the power of the arts in the learning process. Our curriculum is unified by interdisciplinary studies of thematic units and great historical eras, which allow children to relate themselves to the universe and to the history of mankind. A Far Brook education takes place in an environment of natural beauty and intimacy, where character and citizenship are valued as much as achievement, process as much as product.

It is our desire to touch the lives of children so they may live life wisely and with great joy.

Cover photo: Thanks to the generosity of the Leff Family and the Fredda S. Leff Special Projects Endowment, we were fortunate to welcome artist and environmental activist Alejandro Durán to campus on May 3 and 4.

Dear Far Brook Community,

We are pleased to share Far Brook’s 2021-2022 Report on Philanthropy. This annual report reflects the year that has passed and allows us to report some of the School’s accomplishments and areas of growth. We appreciate the ongoing partnership with our families, which was critical as we entered the third school year impacted by COVID-19. The faculty and administrators are extraordinary, and their unwavering dedication and commitment to teaching and our students continue to amaze us.

Far Brook students are remarkable. Their intellectual curiosity, good humor, humanity, and empathy are impressive. It is powerful to see them imagine the impact they can have on our world. This was exemplified in April when the Junior High traveled for the first time to Selma, Montgomery, and Atlanta on a four-day civil rights/social justice trip. They heard from a professor at Emory University, visited the Rosa Parks Museum, the Freedom Rides Museum, the Civil Rights Memorial, Alabama State University, the Memorial for Peace and Justice honoring the victims of lynching, the Legacy Museum, the National Voting Rights Museum, and the Georgia Aquarium. In Selma, they heard first-hand accounts of people who participated in the marches that led to the 1965 Voting Rights Act. It was an extraordinary opportunity.

As we approach Far Brook’s 75th anniversary in 2023, we are steadfast in our commitment to our progressive roots, rigorous academic standards, rich curriculum, and commitment to diversity, equity, and social justice.

The generosity of the Far Brook community remains strong, and the School is on firm financial ground. These ongoing philanthropic investments are imperative to our success as we move forward.

PHILANTHROPY

The Far Brook community is exceedingly generous. In 2021-22, we received $1,371,763, including donations to The Far Brook Fund, restricted gifts, events, campaign pledges and gifts, and pledge payments.

As is common in independent schools, the funds raised during the past year were critical in funding 7% of the operating budget. These contributions help Far Brook maintain our academic excellence, commitment to tuition assistance, and faculty support. In addition, these dollars allow the School to provide unique educational opportunities as described below.

Strength In Community, Far Brook’s Initiative for Students and Faculty: This major gifts effort began in 2018 to raise funds for Tuition Assistance, Student Scholarship, Faculty Endowment, and the Faculty Fund for Innovation. It closed on June 30, 2022, after successfully raising more than $2,200,000. This total included nearly $45,000 raised through the silent auction at our June Jam event on Saturday, June 4. We are thankful for the generous outpouring of support from our extended community. Please see this report’s additional information on Strength In Community and June Jam

Endowment: Far Brook’s Endowment has seen significant growth over time. As with many other educational institutions and non-profit organizations, our Endowment decreased in value during 2021-2022 due to significant volatility in many different financial markets. As of June 30, 2022, the fair market value of Far Brook’s Endowment was $8,152,943.

IN OTHER AREAS OF THE SCHOOL

Lower School: The year was busy and productive, with outstanding academic engagement, play, and social and emotional growth opportunities. One of the most important initiatives was the continued development of our community outreach. We expanded our partnership and ongoing relationship with The Apostles House, Family Promise, and Isaiah House both on campus and at their facilities. In the classroom, with students as young as N3, we talked about how these organizations are our true superheroes. Far Brook was honored to be asked to sponsor a room at The Apostles House Family Shelter in Newark, and our work there was featured in the NJ Star-Ledger. Thanks to a technology grant, we expanded our design thinking class beyond the parameters of Woodshop, bringing the engineering design process to outdoor learning. As always, we reviewed and continued to enhance each grade’s curriculum. We focused on providing more learning support for K–Grade 3, and, with the Upper School, we expanded Far Brook’s Teaching Fellows program with a more robust monthly workshop around progressive education best practices and pedagogy.

Upper School: Upper School students continued to thrive and grow in a year that saw the return of immersion travel and learning experiences, class trips, and shared performances. Some highlights included the Middle School and Junior High’s team-building experience at Fairview Lake, the Junior High’s civil rights/social justice trip to Selma, Montgomery, and Atlanta, the Sixth Grade’s three-day trip to Washington, DC, class plays and music performances presented in Far Brook’s outdoor theater, the return of Upper School musical performances in Thanksgiving Processional, Stabat Mater and Other Voices, and the new Spring Choral and Orchestral Concert. As COVID guidelines loosened, we were able to incorporate once again, student project-based and experiential learning throughout the

Upper School academics and specials. Taking action through Community Outreach, Seventh and Eighth Grade students continued to assist the incredible work of St. Ann’s Soup Kitchen and Bridges Outreach to support the vulnerable communities these organizations serve. Due to the success of our pilot Spanish Language program, which began in 2020–21 with the Fourth and Fifth Grades, the School continued to roll out this World Language opportunity to other grades. An Upper School teacher leadership committee was formed to design a program to create increased opportunities for teachers to meet on a regular basis to reflect on their teaching and curriculum. This provided additional time for collaboration across grade levels and disciplines and support for our remarkable Upper School faculty community.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: The scope of our diversity, equity, and inclusion work continues to expand with many meaningful opportunities for our community. Highlights included:

4Widening The Lens: Eleven independent schools joined Far Brook for our sixth annual diversity conference, presented virtually on Saturday, November 13, 2021. The theme: “Where Do We Go From Here?

Affirming Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Independent Schools” was a response to growing challenges to the value and content of DEI efforts in our schools.

4Beloved Community Morning Meeting Celebrations: Over a week, Far Brook students shared poems, writings, songs, and art, reflecting the ideas and impact of Martin Luther King, Jr. and his vision for a Beloved Community.

4Heritage Morning Meetings: An affirmation of the joy of living and learning in a diverse community, these mornings are an opportunity to share and celebrate our heritage and culture with one another.

4Midweek Dialogue: We continued to offer parents an opportunity to gather weekly on Wednesdays to discuss race and current events in a safe and supportive space.

4GLSEN Day of Silence: Our community joined together to eat lunch in silence and create art in support of this national event highlighting the silencing effects of discrimination and harassment against LGBTQ+ young people.

4Dr. Del Sasso: A clinical psychologist specializing in gender and sexuality diversity throughout the lifespan, Dr. Sasso presented virtually to our families in November and February and to our faculty in April, where they gave an overview of sexuality and gender diversity and additional information about talking with and supporting students.

Facilities and Operations: Maintenance of Far Brook’s 9.5-acre campus and 12 buildings is prioritized each year. We completed a facilities audit which enabled us to establish a working baseline to strategically build a comprehensive picture and timeline of how the School should be maintained over time. A new larger sandbox was built with stadium seating and a staircase connecting it to the Lower and Middle School and Annex buildings. We installed a new phone system throughout the School, updated the PA system, and expanded the one-to-one technology equipment program for students on campus. General maintenance included new roofs on Moore Hall and the Gym, renovations to five Middle School bathrooms, and the installation of new floors in the Annex. Early in 2022, we began to plan for a complete renovation of the Middle School, and construction started in June.

Auxiliary Services and Summer at Far Brook: The School’s first Director of Auxiliary Services, Melissa Williams, was hired in November 2021. This newly created position encompasses the creation of Summer at Far Brook, the School’s comprehensive summer camp program, after-school and enrichment programs, facility rentals, and strategic partner programs. Summer at Far Brook was hugely successful and surpassed all enrollment and income projections. Camp launched with a 9-week program and offered:

4Young Leaders program for 9th–10th grade students

4Seven unique day camp groups for N3–8th grade students

4Six single-sport clinics, including partnerships with MLS Red Bulls and SwaxLax

430 specialty camp programs

We enrolled 411 campers from 309 households. Campers came from 2 countries, 3 states, and 33 NJ towns; 30% of campers enrolled were Far Brook students, and 70% were outside the community. Twenty Far Brook faculty and staff worked at Far Brook this summer, as did 13 alumni.

Enrollment Management and Marketing: The 2021–22 year saw a return of some of the in-person Admissions events that had been reimagined virtually during COVID-19. We opened the campus for prospective families to tour, and many applicant visits were in person. The Admissions Team continued hosting virtual interactive open houses, information sessions, playgroups, and parent interviews. Eighth Grade student leaders participated in a newly created Admissions Student Tour Guide Program, touring newly admitted students and families and sharing their Far Brook experiences. The partnership with our digital advertising consultant on marketing strategies continues, and we continuously refine the process to recruit mission-appropriate prospective families.

For the 2022–23 year, we again saw record numbers of applicants and have the second highest enrollment in the School’s history.

Placement: This was another strong year for placement. The Class of 2022, our newest alumni, cast a wide net and enrolled in a broad array of schools, from independent day and public schools in New Jersey to boarding schools in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Please see the Enrollment Management and Placement page that includes the list of high schools as well as the colleges and universities where our Class of 2018 alumni are enrolled.

We are so appreciative of the partnership our community has with Far Brook and your commitment to Far Brook’s mission.

With deepest gratitude,

Amy Ziebarth Head of School

Marc Schwartz Chair, Board of Trustees

“Our Buermann-Hughes family has been attending and giving to Far Brook since its inception in 1948. Our family members are flourishing today because of the gifts Far Brook instilled in us—what it is to be a creative, productive human being and how to pursue a life journey of happiness—AND WE GIVE BACK IN APPRECIATION!!”

James (Jay) E. Hughes, Jr. ’56, Emeritus Trustee

Financial Report

We are pleased to report that Far Brook School’s financial position remains strong. Below is a summary of the 2021–2022 year

Summary of Philanthropic Support

We are incredibly grateful to our community of current parents, alumni, alumni parents, trustees, grandparents, faculty, administration, and friends who continue to give thoughtfully and make Far Brook a philanthropic priority. Thank you for making the Far Brook experience possible for every student. Below is a summary of support for 2021–2022.

“As a new family to Far Brook, we are grateful to see our child become accustomed to the learning environment in no time. Our gift was in recognition of the value that the school brings to our family and to the community. We plan to continue our support of Far Brook’s nurturing culture and invest in future generations.”

Julie Zhu and Owen Meng, current parents

Endowment

As of June 30, 2022, Far Brook’s Endowment totaled $8,152,943, representing an endowment per student of $31,357.

Our Endowment provides regular income, through smart investing and prudent management, for academic programs, tuition assistance, DEI initiatives, faculty development, facilities, and general needs. It ensures Far Brook’s long-term security and sustainability by creating support for future opportunities.

Endowment Funds create lasting opportunity and impact…

Arts Endowment Funds

Kramer Art Fund

Fredda S. Leff Special Projects Endowment

Polly S. Niebling Drama Fund

Building Endowment Funds

Milton H. Stern Endowment Fund

The Ruth and Max Segal Family Library Endowment Fund

Faculty Endowment Funds

The Elliott Averett Family Fund for Teacher Benefits

Faculty Endowment Fund

Faculty Opportunity Fund

Endowment for Teacher Benefits

Moore Faculty Benefit Fund

Scholarship Endowment Funds

Mary Adams Scholarship for Mathematics and Science

Edwin A. Finckel Scholarship for the Arts

The Founding Families Scholarship Endowment Fund

The George Bartol Scholarship

The Hite Scholarship

The James E. and Elizabeth Hughes Scholarship Endowment Fund

William R. Johnson Scholarship for the Arts

Barbara Jordan Endowment Scholarship

The Koven Family Scholarship

The Paula Levin Lower School Scholarship Fund

Marks Student Scholarships

The Opportunity Scholarship Fund for Excellence

The Caroline Pfohl and Damien Ho Scholarship

Carol Silver Endowment for Student Scholarships

Expendable Funds

The Faculty Fund for Innovation

High School Tuition Assistance Fund

The Joan H. Stern Speaker Series for Faculty Development Music and Instrument Fund

“I give to Far Brook not just because the teachers and administration spoke directly to my understanding of what I dreamed and hoped school could be for my daughter but because what they said was and is consistently evident as part of the school’s DNA. I give even though I know that the seemingly tireless hours spent pouring into our kids and all that happens at Far Brook, and the resulting smiles, laughter, and joy I see from nearly everyone, is priceless.”

Cassaundra Sledge, current parent

$2.2M+ Raised 242 Donors

A heartfelt thank you to our exceedingly generous donors…

Far Brook launched Strength In Community: A Major Gifts Initiative for Students and Faculty in 2018 and officially closed this effort in June 2022, raising more than $2,200,000.

78% of gifts were $1,000 or less

We extend a heartfelt thanks to the donors who partnered with us to support Tuition Assistance for students and professional development for faculty through the Faculty Endowment Fund and the newly created Faculty Fund for Innovation, which invests in curricular initiatives, in real-time, that enhance the Far Brook experience. The Junior High Social Justice trip to Selma, Montgomery, and Atlanta became a reality because of this fund, as did the many new technology, art, and environmental initiatives our children will continue to experience. We believe investing in our students and faculty is the most important investment we can make.

2 New Endowment Funds Faculty Opportunity Fund

The Paula Levin Lower School Scholarship Fund

3 New Expendable Funds

8% of gifts were $20k or above

The Faculty Fund for Innovation High School Tuition Assistance Fund

The Joan H. Stern Speaker Series for Faculty Development

“The education that Far Brook gave our children turned out to be a gift to our whole family. We give because we want to ensure that Far Brook can continue giving that gift to other families.”

Mary Sue and Peter Fisher, former Trustee, Emeritus Trustee, and alumni parents

An evening celebrating friendship, community, and music

On Saturday, June 4, 2022, under a perfect starry sky, Far Brook hosted June Jam, a celebration of friendship, community, and music.

Throughout the evening, under a tent on the field, adult guests enjoyed magical musical performances by extraordinarily talented and well-known special guests who are also members of our community. Guests dined on delicious food, sampled beverages from cantina bars, and were treated to waffles and toppings from a dessert truck.

More than 55 families made in-kind donations to the Silent Auction and Wine Pull, which raised nearly $45,000, supporting Strength In Community, Far Brook’s major gifts campaign for Students and Faculty. June Jam was the culminating celebration of Strength In Community and all that it continues to make possible for Far Brook.

Oh, what a night!

“Giving to Far Brook aligns with our values of progressive education. We want this for all children and families. We are delighted that our contribution will help create more access to the incredible educational opportunities Far Brook offers.”

Kate and Kofi Amoo-Gottfried, current parents

Participation is most important. Every dollar counts. $411,214 RAISED

THANK YOU to our amazing community for your generous support in 2021–2022.

“I give to Far Brook because I have seen and experienced the school’s commitment to and love for our community.”

Alisha Martinez, Assistant to the Head of School; Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, and Community; Placement Coordinator

Every gift truly makes a difference and supports our remarkable students, faculty, and the School, providing essential resources for new technology, diversity and equity initiatives, creative programming, tuition assistance, salaries, benefits, and much more.

We are delighted to share that our current parent participation rate, at 83%, continues to well exceed the national average, and our faculty and staff once again reached 100% participation for the 6th year running. Their dedication to our students is not only demonstrated each and every day in the classroom but also in their philanthropic support of our School—it is truly inspiring.

Enrollment Management and Placement

Number of Students:

students:

Number of Families:

New Families:

Students of Color: 46%

Communities: 36

Secondary schools attended by the Class of 2022: Newark Academy

Phillips Exeter Academy

Gill St. Bernard’s Science Park High School Phillips Academy Andover

Summit High School Pingry School

Union County Vocational/Technical High School

Morristown Beard School Montclair Kimberley Academy Seton Hall Prep

Far Brook’s Class of 2018 are freshman at the following colleges and universities:

Columbia University

Colgate University

Hamilton College

Lehigh University

Bard College

Washington University in St. Louis Bucknell University

Harvey Mudd College Brown University Union College

Northwestern McCormick School of Engineering Princeton University

Elon University University of Wisconsin-Madison Drexel University University of Richmond Parsons School of Design

“Far Brook school came into our lives during a time in the world when a community was needed more than ever. Our son’s days at school foster his love of nature, encourage exploration, and cultivate a genuine love of learning. We are particularly grateful that he is growing up understanding the value of community and the importance of being an active participant in one that is so nurturing and supportive. These are some of the many reasons we support Far Brook.”

Amy and Rob Striem, First Grade Teacher and current parents

Volunteer Leadership 2021-2022

Board of Trustees

Marc Schwartz, Chair

Carmine Fanelle, Vice-Chair

Chris Burns, Treasurer

Doak Sergent, Secretary Harsh Sule

Renée Sekino Wolfe

Amy Ziebarth, Head of School

Diane Bakst

Kenyanna Scott Bell Nadine Burnett Alice Davison

Jessica Howe Adam Keil ‘92 Tanya Nicholson Miller Amy Yin

The Far Brook Fund Co-Chairs

Tanya Nicholson Miller Amy Yin

Parent Community Connection (PCC) Leadership Team

Hilary Hoover, Co-Chair

Neil Marks, Co-Chair

Keisa Anthony Kenyanna Scott Bell

Robyn Bennett Katy Burns Sandy Castor Wendy Doran-Paley Carolyn Elbert Kim Pounds

Amanda Richardson ’98 Kerra Sollog Darren Vengroff Eucabeth Williams

Special thanks to the PCC Leadership Team for planning our virtual Fall Festival and other community events in 2021–22, supported by other wonderful volunteer parents.

Far Brook’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice

Diversity, equity, and a commitment to social justice are central to Far Brook’s identity, community, and educational mission. Embracing our society’s broad range of experiences, perspectives, and ways of being and knowing creates the best learning environment for students and the most enriching community. As an independent, progressive school, Far Brook recognizes the complexity of its relationship to privilege. We expect of our community members—including our students, faculty, staff, Board of Trustees, and families—a clear commitment to:

4Intentionally build and support the diversity of our community and authentic relationships across identities and experiences. This fosters academic excellence, enriches student learning, and increases understanding. Far Brook promotes representation, diversity, and inclusion through curriculum development, admissions, hiring, professional development and leadership, student and parent groups, and events for the broader community.

4Learn about all forms of oppression and fiercely defend the humanity of all people. We prioritize anti-racism, recognizing that racism has been a systemic barrier in education and society. Far Brook teachers develop curricula for all ages that explore essential questions about identity, family, community, power, and justice, providing mirrors for students’ own experiences and windows into the lives of others.

4Acknowledge privilege, name social inequities, and confront biases and historical misrepresentations. Our choices, from what and how we teach, to the ways we engage with each other, to where we allocate resources, aim to bolster students’ sense of agency, advance equity and social justice, and promote a sense of belonging for all.

4Support, in word and deed, partnerships with the broader community in ways that promote solidarity. This includes projects that respond to needs in the community, inspire action in situations of injustice, and strengthen our connection to the world beyond Far Brook.

Our community members think critically, speak their truths, and nurture caring, respect, and mindfulness. Far Brook believes in our shared humanity and equips our students to imagine and create a world where equity, empathy, and kindness prevail.