The Brearley School 590 East 83rd Street New York, NY 10028 610 East 83rd Street New York, NY 10028 212.570.8600 www.brearley.org
A Student’s Guide to The Brearley School
ACADEMIC YEAR 2021–2022
A Student’s Guide to The Brearley School WELCOME 1 BREARLEY DAYS
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“Here is where our spirit’s flame is fired.” 2 INTELLECTUAL ADVENTURES
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“Everything is possible. Not just anything, but everything.” K through Life Trailblazing Seniors Talking in Class A Conversation with Faculty 3 Tips on the Art of Note-Taking, One Brearley Girl to Another 3 LIVELY PURSUITS
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“A great intersection of fun and hard work.” Performing and Creating in Four Parts Spirited Athletic Competition Every Role, Every Opportunity Brearleyisms 4 VIEWS FROM HERE
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“A place where I can always be myself.” Not Your Average Campus Map “Perfectly Imperfect” Parents Share
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OUR INVITATION TO YOU: WHAT KIND OF BREARLEY GIRL WILL YOU BE?
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STATEMENT OF BELIEFS
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BREARLEY AT A GLANCE
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People say they know a Brearley girl when they meet one.
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She is independent and poised. She thrives on high expectations and learns for the joy of it. She believes in herself and dares to try hard things. She has the confidence to lead and the skills to work as part of a team. She prizes her friendships and makes choices with a sense of balance and good judgment. There is a generosity about her and a desire to help others, whether they are in the next room or around the world. What makes her this way? And how can so many girls share these traits when no two Brearley girls are alike? What makes each student here so much herself as well as part of a sisterhood that stretches throughout her life? On the following pages, students from Lower School through Upper School invite you to get to know Brearley. Who better to describe what makes a Brearley girl than Brearley girls themselves? Welcome to Brearley. We’re so glad you’re here.
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BREARLEY DAYS
“Here is where our spirit’s flame is fired.” Any weekday morning, step into either school lobby and the truth of this line from our school song roars to life. Fueled by innate curiosity, surrounded by other bright, happy girls, here is where our spirit’s flame is fired. Stand in the swirl of the lobby to experience the joy and exhilaration of being immersed in an academic culture that takes girls and ideas seriously. Witness the unbridled exuberance of a school where students of all ages can’t wait to arrive and begin the day.
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“I think the essence of this place is the eighth grader who is coming of age, trying to find her voice and discovering the space to do that—a very special safe space that I have never found again but carry with me wherever I go—especially when I’m the only voice of color, the only woman’s voice in the room.” ALUMNA ’94
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“We have the kind of closeness where you walk down 83rd Street and know everyone. When I get in the elevator, I’ve already greeted 15 or more friends.” CLASS VII STUDENT
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A DAY IN THE LIFE
A Ninth Grader 8:00 Arrive at school, meet with friends 8:15 Homeroom 8:30 History 9:25 Free Period 10:20 Self-Government Meeting 11:05 Math 12:15 Free Period 12:45 Lunch 1:15 English 2:10 Science 3:00 Pack up 3:15 Varsity Track Practice 4:45 Home 6:00 Cello Practice for Upper School Orchestra 6:30 Supper 7:30 Homework 10:00 Pack-up/Read for pleasure 10:30 Bed
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“I really do think if school weren’t required, most of the people at Brearley would still show up every day.” CLASS X STUDENT
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A DAY IN THE LIFE
A Kindergartner 7:45 Arrive for early drop-off; draw in library 8:10 Homeroom 8:30 Assembly—Children’s author visit 9:25 Language Arts 10:10 Snack 10:30 Science 11:25 Lunch & Recess 12:15 FunFit 1:05 Math 1:55 Work and Play 2:40 Homeroom 3:00 Pack up 3:15 Afterschool Clubhouse 4:15 Home 6:00 Supper 7:00 Parent Read Aloud 7:30 Bed
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“The diversity of interests and personalities here blows me away. People do everything— art, sports, advanced computer engineering. It’s fantastic. We all have the same goals of being kind, communicating with each other and our teachers, and being driven in our work. I really value those underlying goals within a diverse community.” CLASS XII STUDENT
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“I love how you can learn many things while still having tons of fun. This is my happy place.”
A DAY IN THE LIFE
A Sixth Grader 8:00 Arrive at School, meet with friends 8:15 Homeroom 8:30 Spanish
CLASS IV STUDENT
9:25 Orchestra Practice 10:15 Community Time 11:00 Lunch and Recess 11:55 Math 12:45 Debate Club 1:15 English 2:00 Photography 3:00 Pack-up 3:15 Dance Troupe 4:00 Home 5:30 Homework 6:30 Supper 7:00 Homework 8:00 Pack-up/Read for pleasure 9:00 Bed
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“I came here because I wanted a school where my voice would be heard and where I could have leadership positions. This strong intellectual community is what I love.” CLASS X STUDENT
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INTELLECTUAL ADVENTURES
“I am always surprised by my students: how creative they are and how much initiative they take. Everything is possible. Not just anything, but everything.”
Brearley’s mission has long combined the highest academic rigor with insistence on a larger purpose: a “passionate exchange of ideas” at school prepares girls of “adventurous intellect” to put their knowledge and habits of mind and character to meaningful use beyond school.
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K through Life
At the core of the Brearley experience is exceptional teaching and a deep curriculum Brearley’s carefully planned curriculum engages students and their teachers in an intellectual exploration that makes school exciting. Classrooms, laboratories and studios brim with vigor and purpose as students strive for discoveries and reach for insights that will enhance their understanding of everything from electrical currents and game theory to Mandarin, King Lear, and the history of the Muslim world. Here, you are part of a warm and welcoming environment for girls who love to learn. For a full list of course offerings, see our Course of Study.
Middle School Classes V–VIII
Lower School K–Class IV
In Lower School, students focus on problem-solving skills, the expression of ideas and character development, along with the acquisition and exploration of a language base. THE CURRICULUM INCLUDES Language Arts Mathematics Social Studies Science Work and Play Respect and Responsibility Library Art Crafts Music Physical Education Service Learning Mandarin Technology Composition Carpentry Health & Wellness: OWL (Our Whole Lives) 20
In Middle School, each girl is encouraged to develop a sense of her strengths as she learns new material and masters new intellectual, social, emotional and physical skills. Recognizing not only the individual needs of each student but also the fact that those needs change from year to year, the program includes a progression of growing responsibility and independence. THE CURRICULUM INCLUDES English Mathematics History Science French Mandarin Spanish Reading and Writing Skills Drama Music Studio Art Library Technology Physical Education Latin Writing Workshop Public Speaking Health & Wellness: OWL (Our Whole Lives)
Upper School Classes IX–XII
The Upper School represents the final stage in a program that develops a student’s confidence in herself and in her growing skills in many disciplines. Its rich and vigorous academic, athletic and artistic curriculum is centered in a strong community that supports students in their self-discovery and produces resourceful young women who are prepared to find their places at college and in the world outside of Brearley. English Baldwin, Bishop, Chaucer, Chekhov, Donne, Faulkner, Fitzgerald, Gogol, Hawthorne, Hurston, James, Lahiri, Larkin, Lowell, Melville, Morrison, Pushkin, Rushdie, Shakespeare, Thoreau, Tolstoy, Turgenev, Twain, Wharton, Woolf Mathematics Geometry, Algebra II, Calculus, Advanced Calculus, Linear Algebra, Interschool Math, Interschool Game Theory History 20th-Century World History, U.S. History, The Atlantic World, China and Japan, Modern European History, History of Warfare, History of World Art, Modern Latin America, Law, Economics and Public Policy, Science Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Sustainability, Computer Science and Programming, Columbia Science Honors Program, Science Research Seminar, Advanced Biology, Advanced Chemistry, Advanced Physics
Modern Languages French, Mandarin, Spanish Classics Latin, Greek Studio Art Drawing, Mixed Media on Paper, Oil Painting Music Vocal Technique and Literature, Chamber Music / Orchestra, Instrumental Techniques, Music Performance Drama Craft, Production, Playwriting Health & Wellness OWL (Our Whole Lives) Physical Education Junior Seminar Senior Seminar Special Upper School programs • Columbia Science Honors Program • Brearley Science Research Seminar • Interschool advanced math courses • Health & Wellness: OWL (Our Whole Lives) • Semester programs at the Mountain School program of Milton Academy and the Maine Coast program of the Chewonki Foundation • School Year Abroad in France, Spain, Italy or China • Summer study with Brearley faculty in India or China • Independent Senior Spring Project • Civil Rights trip to Alabama
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Trailblazing From architecture to theater, research and filmmaking
In senior projects, each student pursues her deep curiosity about the world in a unique way. Her project often reveals the breadth and depth of what she knows and her appetite for continued discovery. The internships, research and volunteer projects she designs give her an experience of impacting individuals, organizations and institutions. Collectively, the range of senior projects over the years captures the intellectual vibrancy that runs through the School not just during senior year but in every grade throughout the student body. GABRIELA JULIA “For my Senior Spring I’m “I decided to do a lot of things interning at the American for my senior project because Museum of Natural History, I have a lot of different learning how to drive a interests. I took a couple of car, learning to swim, and mini courses in ethics and taking mini courses in Greek, ‘fab lab’—creating things out Anglo-Saxon literature and of math. I’m also teaching philosophy. It’s been super first-grade music with Ms. fun. In my internship I’ve Joaquino, a teacher here. I been working mostly in the did an independent study in ELLEN Hall of Ocean Life. It’s been science. And I’ve been doing “I’ve been working at an interesting, because I’ve been more crafting and baking NYU neurogenetics lab, learning how to teach two because I’m not a very skillful researching lysosomal storage. different age groups of kids person when it comes to the I really wanted to use my and learning how to interact visual arts. I have been trying Senior Spring to work more with large groups of older more of those projects and on the experimental side of kids to keep them engaged.” blogging about it—even the science. I have always loved failed efforts. Those failures science in school, but I wanted still teach me. I still put them NORA more experience in the on my blog. Brearley has “I’m doing this really amazing scientific process. I thought taught me how to roll with internship at The American the lab’s experiments would the punches.” Reader, which is a literary be more conclusive and that magazine. They have about the process would be much six interns. The rest of ANNA quicker. But now I’ve learned them are in college or out “I’m doing four mini courses— how constructive failure can of college, so I am definitely Anglo-Saxon Literature, be. I’ve learned how important the youngest, which is a little Constitutional Law, Russian it is to wade through the intimidating, but I’m really Literature, and Modernism uncertainty that comes with lucky to be there. Because as a Philosophical Problem.” the scientific process.” the program isn’t that well established, it’s meant they let me do more than I might otherwise have gotten to do.” 22
CAMILA job of weaving disciplines “I’m doing a photography together—writing creatively project based on the in science or understanding photographs of Charles Jones, the mathematics of art.” who is seen as this kind of master of food photography. His photographs are longexposure shots of vegetables and fruit. They are really captivating to me because they are so simple and beautiful. He took them on a NIA very old-style camera in the “I studied abroad last year in 1880s. I’ve always loved to China. When I came back cook, so for me it made sense I wasn’t really sure how to do a photography project I could translate what I’d MACKENZIE about food. Inspired by his learned in terms of culture “Music has been a huge part setting and manipulation, back to America. I joined a of my life since I was little. I constructed a box in my program where I could help I’ve been going to Juilliard backyard with a flat overlay people who live in Chinatown Pre-College since sixth on the top that allows me to learn English. I decided to grade, so I knew that when it let in more or less light as devote my senior project to came time to choose a senior well as change the size of the learning more about Chinese project it would be musicarea being shot.” immigrants. They have these related. I participated in really amazing stories about Young Arts Week New York, their lives in China. What FUNMI during which I got to work better way to document them “My senior project represents with Mikhail Baryshnikov than to film our conversations what my interests have and a bunch of amazing and also tell my audience broadened into these past 13 young artists from around about the things I learned years. I took an internship at the country. They came from while I was in China?” the Manhattan Theatre Club. all different types of art forms, I evaluate scripts by aspiring so I worked with fine artists, playwrights to say whether SYBIL dancers, jazz musicians and or not we should produce “I designed my project cinematographers to create them. I also discovered that I around the topic I want to a multidisciplinary show. have a passion for dramatic study in college, which is That approach tied into the arts. A huge part of my architecture. I created my interdisciplinary way we project was memorizing a own independent study, learn at Brearley. What we monologue from The Two where I would do a lot of learn in math might also tie Gentlemen of Verona to urban exploration in New into what we’re learning in York, going to neighborhoods perform for an audition for English or history. I’ve been the Shakespearean Young I don’t usually go to and learning that there is a lot of Company summer program.” interaction between math finding buildings that really interest me. I picked five and music that I had never buildings that I thought were even considered.” KATHARINA interesting, and I would sit “My project is working nearby and just observe and for the Academy of Art draw them. The years at preserving, hydrating and Brearley have helped me do mounting insects using things for myself. With my pins and wax paper into a independent project I don’t three-dimensional position have a teacher giving me a so that they look animated schedule or assignments. It’s and alive. It’s a combination interesting working things of science and art. I helped out for myself.” give a lecture and tutorial to graduate students on the process. I think Brearley teachers do a really good 23
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Talking in Class Mapping a single conversation emblematic of so many more Students learn to think with agility and to speak and write with exceptional fluency, power and precision as they grow here. Each day they gain practice developing the self-assurance to speak up, propose ideas and participate actively. Eavesdropping on this Upper School Political and Social Philosophy elective gives a glimpse of how opinions are formed and ideas are explored on a path to a deeper understanding of material in partnership with teachers.
STUDENT 1
STUDENT 2
Was Plato the first feminist?
Well, he suggests that everyone has natural talent—women aren’t excluded from that. No one is inherently better than anyone else.
STUDENT 3
He also seems to think that women might have a higher pain threshold.
STUDENT 4
STUDENT 2
I’ve noticed at my volleyball practices that male coaches tend to be more squeamish around injuries.
Though he did want to abolish the family at one point. It reminded me of the Owenites in American history.
Directly from an alumna’s notebook
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STUDENT 4
Plato says that women have no single or fixed nature. The women in Sparta are different than the women in Athens.
STUDENT 4
Right, and Plato believes that only truth is good.
STUDENT 3
STUDENT 1
If only truth is good, then what do you do about politics?
Probably shouldn’t get involved.
STUDENT 1
STUDENT 6
Well, most people are blinded by appetites—they can’t want good. Socrates thought that we all wanted to be good.
How?
STUDENT 5
It also messes up his opinion of a “good person,” as someone who dedicates himself to finding that little bit of reason.
STUDENT 3
STUDENT 1
Maybe for the philosopher, then, reason should be on the bottom.
Wait, this “three-part soul” is a huge step away from Socrates’ idea that every man wants to be good.
STUDENT 6
STUDENT 4
Too idealistic.
What if we inverted the pyramid so reason was on the bottom?
STUDENT 5
STUDENT 2
There’s reason, appetite and emotion. What if they’re not in balance?
Was Freud inspired by this in his tripartite soul? Ego, superego and id?
STUDENT 1
They’re balanced in a pyramid, with reason on top and appetite on the bottom. Temperance keeps everything in place.
STUDENT 1
STUDENT 6
Well, he’s suggesting that the state is a heuristic. That is, when we are governed by reason, then that’s enough regulation.
My question is, how can you regulate this kind of thinking?
STUDENT 5
STUDENT 3
Who are the Owenites again?
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A Conversation with Faculty The gift of friendship and high expectations
Brearley teachers are as excited as their students to come to school. Highly accomplished in their fields, they are attentive to each student’s aspirations and pace of development— her personality and talents. By asking much, and by serving as role models of commitment and achievement, teachers here inspire their students to stretch beyond their perceived limits and to internalize the connections between good work habits and success. Below, faculty members who specialize in a range of disciplines and teach Brearley girls of all ages talk about why teaching these students at this school is so special.
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How is your teaching style or approach different because it happens here? “My teaching continues to evolve as a result of being in the classroom with our students. To meet a student where she is, plant an idea, watch the idea germinate, then graft another branch, on and on until a mighty learning oak appears, is just what it’s like working with these girls. Their innate curiosity, zest for learning, and feeling of limitless opportunity keep the teaching life new and vibrant, even after almost three decades here.” MARIA ZIMMERMANN, ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR STUDENT LIFE AND HEAD OF THE LOWER SCHOOL
“With these students, the sky’s the limit. There is nothing you cannot try in the classroom because there is nothing these girls are not game to tackle. That means we can remain creative and fresh in our approach even after 25 years.” LAURIE SEMINARA, SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
“Classroom communities at Brearley function as natural affinity groups of young girls. Teaching in this setting has enabled me to focus on integrating our academic curriculum with social justice issues specifically faced by girls and women in our society. You might call the group of students who arrive to my door everyday a “class,” but we call ourselves a family—we learn, we laugh, we sing, we dance together; we make mistakes, we get on each other's nerves once in awhile, we hug, we heal and we take care of one another all school year long. Being a teacher at Brearley has granted me the privilege of a front row seat to this perennially blooming sisterhood.” ARIEL SANABRIA, CLASS I ROOM TEACHER
“While I am responsible for my students meeting each lesson’s objectives, it is my students who truly become the teachers. Brearley students are relentless questioners who examine each lesson with a critical eye. They guide the discussion, based on what is important to them. Through this, knowledge is shared and wisdom is gleaned. I love working in a school environment where teachers and students learn together.” COCO YANG, CLASS III ROOM TEACHER
What difference does cross-divisional teaching make to your students and to you as a teacher? “Because our teachers teach across the divisions, they are able to guide the students carefully and support them well through the curriculum. They know very well where the program begins and ends.” JIM MULKIN, ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR ACADEMIC LIFE, CLASSICS DEPARTMENT
“I am a better teacher to my Upper School students for knowing how to simplify complex explanations and make appropriate lessons, readings and presentations for Middle School students. I also remember how the Upper School girls thought about questions when they were younger. I know there are little girls inside my Upper School students, and I have a sense of the older student who lurks inside every Middle Schooler I teach.” GAIL MARCUS, HISTORY DEPARTMENT
“Cross-divisional teaching is part of our ‘special sauce.’ As a teacher, you become a prism for your discipline—the filter pulling out the essence for different age groups.” SHEILA KRAMER, DEAN OF STUDENTS TIM BROWNELL, HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT LIFE
“From the perspective of an Art Teacher who works in three divisions, I have the opportunity to see students from when they enter school, in the middle of their ‘tweenage,’ and on to their senior year. The trajectory of such growth can be invisible or startling. People develop unpredictably and cross-divisional teaching gives a teacher ‘purchase’ from which to observe growth patterns. A child who bites her saltine crackers into horse shapes in Class I becomes a ‘horse’ artist in Class V, and a biology enthusiast as she graduates. Or a student who tells you in a penciled note after first grade that ‘Art’ was her second favorite subject, graduates with a portfolio of tremendously crafted and sophisticated photographs. These trajectories are held in one's heart. Cross-divisional teaching helps each student to be seen by her teachers.” DALE EMMART, ART 27
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Alumnae and parents talk about the caliber of a Brearley education, saying it really is different. To what do you attribute that difference? “The idea of intentionality is at the core of a Brearley education. Considering how to structure an argument, opinion, or the consequence of a chain of thought by avoiding the arbitrary constructs of a powerful toolbox. Our students are expected to strive and hone their attention for intellectual pursuit and they do so.” DE
“One big reason is the cross-divisional teaching mentioned before. Another is the commitment to quality teachers. My work builds on the successes all my students bring from their work with all of their other teachers. Students expect to have a good class. That fizz of a shared idea, a shared accomplishment, which happens so often in my classes, is harder to generate in a different atmosphere. Alumnae in college come back and tell me, over and over again, that we didn’t warn them: they thought all classes were like the ones they had at Brearley.” GM
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“The best English classes that I have ever taught at Brearley all have this single trait: we are so fully immersed in the language of a text that insights come fast and furious from everyone in the room, accompanied by laughter and a sense of wonder that a human author can encompass so much in words (or is it the other way round, that the language is using the person so powerfully?), and in these classes, I stop being the teacher and become the student of my students, the student of literature.” JEELEONG KOH, ENGLISH
“Small classes and teaching loads are part of it too. I have time to be a professional historian, keeping up with the latest developments in history, so Brearley students’ education in history is up to date. I have time to concentrate on and get to know my students every semester. Another factor is that each department, working collaboratively, creates its own curriculum. We hire people who not only love their disciplines and their students, but who have a level of quality that isn’t fully definable but is visible in the school. We can focus on the best for our students in an atmosphere of professional respect, in which teachers and administrators are a team, so the environment allows for the generation of new ideas and for continuing self-evaluation and improvement.” GM
When you think about your students, what are some favorite ah-ha moments that you have witnessed? “‘I see it!’ announced one Class I student after decoding her first two-syllable word. She was so excited about having ‘cracked the code.’”
If you could tell a prospective student only one thing about Brearley, what would it be? “If you find adventure in learning, you should come to Brearley.” GM
“It’s possible that the deepest learning experience of your life will be here.”
MZ
“In Chemistry we were discussing the invention of Kevlar when a student said, ‘Wow, everything literally is Chemistry!’ When discussing carbon monoxide poisoning and the importance of detectors, a student said, ‘Every day we learn something that is critical for all people to know … How is it that I never knew this?’”
MZ
LS
“Students expect to have a good class. That fizz of a shared idea, a shared accomplishment, which happens so often in my classes, is harder to generate in a different atmosphere.” 29
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Don’t just write down what your teacher says. Write what your friends say too.
Note your own opinions, not just facts.
No one will grade your notes—they’re just for you! Write down whatever you need to remember, in whatever form helps you remember best. If that means drawing pictures, draw away! My favorite part about taking notes is going back to them, and being transported right to the very moment—the conversation and the interplay of ideas I was having when I was writing them.
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LIVELY PURSUITS
Why is Brearley such a vibrant place? One parent describes the School as “a great intersection of fun and hard work.” You might notice the decibel level at Brearley can rise pretty high. The energy is contagious with animated conversation. A student says this comes from knowing one another so well and being excited to share and be with your friends. When those friends are described as big-hearted, ambitious, funny, motivated, quirky, unique, vocal, eloquent, original, brave and gregarious, it’s no wonder exuberance spills out of classrooms and into corridors and common spaces.
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Performing and Creating
PART I
Drama Drama at Brearley has always been a serious undertaking. As an alumna has written, the journey down those two flights of stairs to the B Deck theater “is a journey to the heart of the school.” In any given year there is a steady offering of Shakespeare, ancient Greek drama, Gilbert and Sullivan, American musical theater and classic plays from Sheridan to Shaw. Modern playwrights represented on the Brearley stage include Henley, Hellman, Kushner, Stoppard, Miller, Ensler, Williams and Wasserstein. Theater is woven into the School’s traditions, from seasonal presentations to the annual class productions that are integral to the Brearley experience. Afterschool productions give a broader taste of what playmaking is. Student crews design, build and paint scenery and work with faculty and visiting artists. In the Upper School Tech Club, run by students working with a faculty advisor, girls who want to learn technical theater are mentored by more experienced students and may later become mentors themselves. Boys from other schools are also invited to audition for major productions.
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IN OUR PROP CLOSET Fourteen oars for rowing across the river Styx; one headless body, one pay phone, three yard-long giant toothbrushes; thirty tankards for sailors in The Pirates of Penzance; one life-sized furry dog puppet
in Four Parts
Ambitious, intense, extraordinary
PART II
Music Brearley has a long history of fostering the development of musical skills, and our program provides students with a wide range of opportunities to demonstrate their expanding musical engagement. Starting in Kindergarten and continuing through Class VIII, music is taught twice a week. From Classes III through VIII, girls are also taught to play a variety of instruments and private lessons are available by separate arrangement for students in Classes II through XII. One third of the students in Classes K through XII are enthusiastically involved in extracurricular musicmaking. Girls eagerly join the Middle School Singers, Middle School Orchestra, Middle School Jazz Band, Recorder Ensemble, Middle School Bells, Upper School Chorus, Upper School Jazz Band, Upper School Orchestra, and the B-Naturals, our auditioned a cappella group. All perform several times throughout the year, both at School and elsewhere in the city. Brearley musicians stage shows and concerts for other schools, neighborhood civic groups, as well as at professional venues including Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. RECENTLY PERFORMED The Carnival of the Animals, Camille Saint-Saëns; Tundra, Ola Gjeilo; “De Colores” (Spanish folk song); Warrior Legacy, Soon Hee Newbold; “Zol Zain Sholem” (Yiddish folk song)
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PART III
Visual Arts A faculty of artists carefully develop a curriculum that combines the diversity of art history, the tactile practice of “making” and the usefulness of revision. Early in the Lower School, the education of eye-to-hand coordination begins the process. Girls learn the basic elements of picture building through emphasis of line, color, texture, composition and observation. Ceramics, photography, woodworking and digital media further expand our students’ facility and appetite for balancing new skills with their vivid ideas. The Art Department emphasizes the excitement of making a singular work of art by cultivating patience, confidence and the independent thinking necessary to shape a robust imagination. Above: Artwork by Class VIII student
SAMPLE OF MEDIA AND TECHNIQUES USED IN CLASSES K–XII Tempera paint, pencil, ink, watercolor, charcoal, collage, drypoint etchings, photographic and block printing 38
PART IV
Dance The dance studio on the fourth floor at Brearley is always full of movement—leaping, stretching, bending and skipping. Our youngest students are encouraged in their creativity and self-expression at the same time as they learn to appreciate various dance styles. In Middle School, the curriculum emphasizes styles including formal modern dance technique and composition, hip hop and African dance. Students may participate in the Middle School Dance Ensemble, which has a major performance each fall. In Upper School, students participating in Varsity Dance work on all aspects of producing a yearly show, with choreography by faculty, guest artists and students. Elective dance classes are also offered to Classes IX through XII, including modern dance, jazz and choreography.
CHOREOGRAPHERS AND STYLES STUDIED BY STUDENTS Isadora Duncan, Jane Comfort, Anna Sokolow; ballet, African dance, modern dance, hip-hop, jazz 39
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spirited athletic competition
One of New York’s most extensive independent school athletic programs
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With fourteen varsity sports, dedicated coaching and a strong reputation, Brearley athletics is one of the city’s leading independent school programs. In recent years, our teams have brought home league championships in track, softball and lacrosse, as well as New York State championships in cross country and volleyball. Our Friday Sports Program offers students in Classes K–IV gymnastics tailored to their age group. Competitive athletics begin in Class V, with seven club sports during the year for students in Classes V–VI. Participation in the program gives many girls their first chance to be part of a team, where valuable lessons in cooperation and skill development are learned. In Middle School, Brearley’s no-cut policy enables girls to explore their athletic interests, knowing they are guaranteed a spot on the team of their choice regardless of prior experience or ability. The Middle School interscholastic program features nine sports as well as a junior dance troupe over three seasons. In Upper School, our primary goal is to provide opportunities for as many students to participate in Varsity Sports. Brearley’s program offers at least one team per season that is a no-cut team, welcoming all students.
upper school sports Badminton Basketball Cross Country Dance Fencing* Field Hockey Lacrosse Soccer Softball Squash Swimming Tennis Track and Field Volleyball** middle school sports Basketball Cross Country Dance Lacrosse Soccer Softball Swimming Track Volleyball * Interschool ** Junior varsity
“Brearley helped me develop my love for athletics. My coaches encouraged me to try out for lacrosse last spring even though I had never played before. Now I play starting attack and lacrosse is my favorite sport.” CLASS X STUDENT 41
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Every Role, Every Opportunity
Stepping up to self-government, selflessness and self-discovery We believe each student realizes her greatest potential when she challenges and understands herself fully as a person and as an active participant in a larger place and purpose. We believe leadership and service go hand in hand. With each year at Brearley, students take on increased responsibility for themselves and others. From service project coordinator to class president to newspaper editor to theater lighting technician, girls play every role here. They become accustomed to stepping up to the challenges and opportunities before them. They develop a talent for inventing new ways to impact their community in school and beyond. We believe girls’ capacity for leadership is both equal and special. When a girl’s confidence is rooted in her intellectual abilities and in a set of values and life skills learned inside and outside of the classroom, she will dare to test the unfamiliar as she pursues a life of meaning and purpose.
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SELF-GOVERNMENT VS. STUDENT GOVERNMENT
SERVING IS LEADING
SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS
Brearley’s Self-Government— as opposed to the more common “student government”—is unique. As the preamble to the organization’s first charter states, “The aim of SelfGovernment is to develop in each individual a sense of responsibility by providing an organization through which students can govern themselves.” SelfGovernment at Brearley has sustained and reinvented itself for over 80 years—and continues to be experienced by students here as a vital demonstration of their confident role in their own education.
From their first years at Brearley, girls experience the satisfaction that comes from helping others. The unity, mutual trust and cooperation that begin on the Lower School playground flow naturally into every aspect of education here. With that foundation, and inspired by the models of community service they see demonstrated by older students throughout the school, girls extend their hearts and minds to serving the wider world around them, see the impact of their collective efforts and realize their power to effect positive change. Formal communityservice programs and requirements for service in school and beyond exist in each division. Students often design service projects for their “Senior Spring.” Over time, exposure to advocacy, activism and philanthropy, in addition to traditional volunteerism, impacts each Brearley girl’s notion of being a contributor to the world.
Upper School students serve as editors, writers, artists, photographers and business managers for the School’s three student-run official publications.
“My good friend and I are running against each other in the upcoming Self-Government elections. Obviously, one of us is going to win and one of us isn’t, but it’s not going to affect our friendship. That’s really important. It’s something I love about this school. We don’t put each other down. We motivate each other.”
THE ZEPHYR (NEWSPAPER)
THE BEAVER (LITERARY MAGAZINE)
YEARBOOK
CLASS XI STUDENT 43
3 LIVELY PURSUITS
SAMPLE OF CURRENT UPPER SCHOOL CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS
GLOBAL GIRLS: Promotes global gender equality
ANIME: Enhances understanding and appreciation of anime
POLITICAL AWARENESS COMMITTEE: Provides action opportunities and education on pressing issues in and outside of school
ART: Hosts gallery and special exhibits trips and visits to artists’ studios ASIAN AWARENESS: Open to students of any ethnicity: the only requirement is enthusiasm BEAC (BREARLEY ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION COMMITTEE): Provides action opportunities and education on environmental issues in and outside of school BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL AWARENESS: Explores topics related to finance, economics and entrepreneurship
SERVICE COMMITTEE: Provides service opportunities within Brearley and its surrounding communities SUMMER HEART: Raises money to send children from the Exodus House Program to Brearley’s day camp, Summer Start UMOJA: Open to all students; discussions focus primarily on the sisterhood of the African American and Caribbean American students in the Brearley community
CLASSICS: Encourages students to continue their interest in ancient Rome and Greece
SAMPLE OF MIDDLE SCHOOL AFTERSCHOOL ACTIVITIES
CREATIVE WRITING: Offers opportunity to present writing and receive feedback from classmates and a faculty advisor
3D Design and Printing The Blue Skirt (Middle School newspaper) Brearley Video Club (filmmaking) Brearley News Channel (film, edit and produce weekly newscast) Carpentry Ceramics Debate Hacklab Photography Poetry Circle Robotics Theatre VIII Drama
DEBATE: Participants learn to compete in Lincoln-Douglas debate and Original Oratory ELLA: Open to all students; discussions focused primarily on the experience of Latina students in the Brearley community. FILM: Offers seminars, screenings and discussion of current and classic films Q&A: Open group discussion focusing on local and global issues pertaining to the LGBT community 44
Advice from Class IV (Applicable wisdom for all)
(1) Don’t be afraid to be confident, spunky and a little weird. (2) Ask questions whenever you don’t understand something. (3) Volunteer your answer, thought or idea. (4) Listen to teachers as well as peers. (5)Follow the core values: courage, responsibility, respect, kindness, honesty. (6) Do your homework first.
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3 LIVELY PURSUITS
Brearleyisms
An illustrated, un-definitive glossary of terms and customs Like many schools we have our Spring Fling, Winter Carnival and Homecoming, but we also have plenty of little traditions complete with a lexicon all our own. RIVER LINGO Brearley’s location on the East River has led to the school’s many boating references. The Lower School play area is the “Pier,” some of the building’s floors are referred to as “decks” and extra help sessions with teachers are called “floats.” Is that because they keep students afloat or because they sometimes take place outside of class, as teachers and students “float” together in hallways or the library? No one can say for sure. THE CAF
CLASS MASCOTS Each class in the Middle and Upper School has its own mascot. At the annual Mascot Assembly in May, a tradition that dates back to at least 1923, the Senior Class passes its mascot to the students in Class IV, and both classes sing about their mascot. Balthazaar the Camel Fridgie the Penguin Tigger the Tiger Socrates the Owl Amelia the Duck Olaffub the Buffalo Jimbo the Elephant Theodore the Bear DRESS CODE
Lower School girls wear the enduring Brearley tunic, with four red buttons, two pockets and side pleats. Middle School girls have options: the A-line skirt or pants. Upper School: No uniform required
Conversations are as tasty as the food. The Caf incorporates organic and locally produced foods in a menu designed to appeal to diverse tastes and diets. While serving daily deliciousness, the Caf also educates young palates and minds, advancing food awareness and developing a respect for food and its role in the environment.
“When I finally graduated to Upper School, I folded away my uniform for good in a box, as you might do with a wedding dress; somehow I knew even then, with its rips and paint stains and filthy White Team belt, it would become both a palimpsest of my youth and a touchstone for a way of living life (rigorously, idealistically, athletically) that I hope I’ll never lose.” ALUMNA ’86
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DOUGHNUT ASSEMBLY Friendship, camaraderie and mentoring between grades and school divisions makes Brearley a close community. Opportunities such as the Doughnut Assembly give Lower School students a chance to get together with the Upper School, creating a circle from youngest to oldest minus the middle. And, yes, doughnuts are served. FLOATS Floats are very much a part of the Brearley academic culture. Students and teachers welcome these one-on-one sessions, which can be requested by students or initiated by teachers. FRIDAY FLOWER During the Upper School’s weekly meeting, random acts of kindness by students are recognized with a flower. Students, teachers and staff nominate recipients throughout the week. HOUSE SISTERHOOD In a newer school tradition, Lower School students are divided into houses (Harry Potter style) named after former Heads of School. Upper School student leaders liked the concept so much that they recently voted to adopt a similar model to join Middle and Upper School students in a house system that connects younger and older students. GILBERT AND SULLIVAN It’s tradition for Class VII to perform a Gilbert and Sullivan musical each year from among a rotating cycle including Ruddigore and The Mikado. Alumnae often bond by asking, “Which Gilbert and Sullivan did you do?”
MOUNTAIN DAY
Every fall, Classes V through XII venture to Bear Mountain State Park for a picnic lunch, noncompetitive activities and games designed to give students throughout the Middle and Upper Schools a chance to have fun together in a splendid outdoor setting. Many faculty and staff members come along and participate in activities with students, such as hiking up the mountain, walking around the lake and playing facultystudent volleyball. PIER TIMES
If the outdoor play area is the Pier then it stands to reason students would refer to recess as “Pier times.” What makes these times especially fun is that students from different grade levels can connect and get to know each other. QUIET ELEVATORS
Shhhhh!
As we said, Brearley can be a boisterous place, so silence is golden in the elevators that ferry students of all ages as well as teachers, staff, parents and visitors up and down the school building.
RED AND WHITE TEAMS The Red and White Teams have been a Brearley tradition since 1923. In Classes V to XII, girls join one team or the other for Field Day competitions. Once assigned a color, that affiliation is kept for life. Middle and Upper School Field Day is
another of Brearley’s eagerly anticipated traditions. It is a day of community spirit and friendly Red and White Team competition, and is one of the few events when the entire Middle and Upper Schools come together for a full day. BEV The beaver owes its role as Brearley mascot to its inclusion on the school seal. While many schools have the beaver as a mascot, few have carried on this tradition as proudly as The Brearley School. A life-size “Beverly Beaver” cheers on Brearley teams at varsity games and Homecoming, and whimsical line drawings of beavers have been featured in many Brearley publications since the 1930s.
SCHOOL SEAL
The Brearley seal was designed in 1890 and is thought to have appeared in print for the first time on the cover of the school catalogue for 1890–1891. The seal incorporates images of the lamp of truth, the book of knowledge and three beavers. Some believe the beavers have the same heraldic origin as those on the seal of the City of New York, possibly to mark the importance of the beaver fur trade to the economy of early Manhattan. SCHOOL SONG “By Truth and Toil” SOURCEBOOKS
Rather than textbooks, Brearley history classes use primary sources curated and annotated by the Brearley history faculty. SENIOR SPRING As one student said, “The first thing they tell you in Kindergarten is that you can do anything and be anything. This culminates in Senior Spring.” During the Senior Spring semester, each girl has the time and resources to pursue exactly what interests her and to make the most of this freedom (see page 22). 47
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VIEWS FROM HERE
“Brearley is my home away from home. It’s a place where I can always be myself and never doubt that my teachers and classmates will be rooting for me.”
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In the late 19th century, Brearley was a radical idea—a school that aspired to change society’s perceptions of girls and women. Establishing itself as an intellectual center offering an extraordinary academic program to girls from across New York City, in a relatively short period of time Brearley demonstrated that girls could equal, if not surpass, boys in the classroom. Well-prepared alumnae soon became pioneers in fields long dominated by men. Today, we remain a school, yes, but for many we have also become an ideal about achievement unconstrained by gender. A singular place that is all about its students—who they are, what they are capable of and what they can become. 49
4 VIEWS FROM HERE
“Perfectly Imperfect” By Jane Foley Fried Brearley Head of School
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sk any Brearley teacher and she or he will tell you that the best part of being at this school is the opportunity to work with the students here. Their earnestness, integrity, love of learning, compassion and diverse backgrounds inspire us. But all of that is about how we see our students and may not resonate 100 percent with how they see themselves. Research that I was involved with prior to coming to Brearley suggests that girls’ choices about courses or leadership positions are related to their self-perception as much or more than their grades and test scores or other external assessments. In other words, their aspirations are not based, as one might imagine, on the potential or talent others see in them, but rather on the qualities they identify in themselves. Over the past two years, students here have sponsored works that focus on perfectionism in girls. For her senior project, one student created an interpretive portrait series of her classmates, which explored their perspectives on perfectionism, entitled “Flawless: The Importance of Being Imperfect.” Her goal was to debunk the myth of perfection by sharing the stories of her classmates, who each came to realize that perfection is unattainable and that its pursuit left them feeling empty—until they embraced who they were and the many contributions they made to their school, friends and family. Perfectionistic tendencies can interfere with our achieving our goals. Perfectionism can make us preoccupied with a fear of failure, whereas healthy striving keeps our efforts and achievements in perspective. I knew this was an issue for me in 8th grade. Throughout my childhood, I had raced against my neighborhood pal, who was always one step ahead of me. In our last year of middle school, a few boys and girls were invited to compete in a high school field day. Sure enough, my friend and I advanced to the finals of the 9th grade 100-yard dash. With about 3,000 students in the high school, I remember this being a very big deal for both of us.
Once the starter gun went off and I hit my stride, I looked to my right and saw that my friend, who had started the race with me, wasn’t there. I then did something that, to this day, I still can’t believe: I stopped. In front of hundreds of spectators and all those high school students, I slowed to a walk. I don’t remember making a decision to stop racing— it was an involuntary reflex. She wasn’t a step ahead of me, as I was conditioned to expect, and in response I stopped running. Unbelievable! Everyone thought I stopped because I was concerned that my friend, who had pulled out of the race with a strained muscle, was injured. Being embarrassed about the incident, I didn’t disabuse them of their notion. But it wasn’t true. I stopped because I was so focused on her being ahead of me that I could not fathom winning. Her speed wasn’t my biggest competition: I was my biggest competition. Later on, my friend admitted that she may have pulled out of the race because she feared I was going to beat her. What a pair we were! Although the perfectionist psychology is rarely in as bold relief as it was on that day, it is a challenge many of us will face at some point in our lives.
I believe that in moments when we shift from healthy striving to perfectionism, a gap opens between who we are and how we behave. We separate from our true self. One of our students said the advice she would give her younger self would be: “Success— or what I perceive to be success—isn’t more important than happiness, and happiness doesn’t come only from success.” But what if we could develop a model in which happiness and success are compatible? What if you could define your own individual notions of success and happiness, and had the support you needed to strive in healthy ways? At Brearley, students and teachers are exploring these questions and their answers. Together, we are working to encourage levels of joy and fearlessness that match our extraordinary academic program—strategies and skills our students and graduates will carry with them far beyond Brearley. It is a model we hope helps girls here and elsewhere. In today’s world, it is a model every bit as radical and revolutionary as our founding mission. 53
4 VIEWS FROM HERE
Parents Share
What they didn’t know before their daughters came to Brearley
Even for alumnae, the Brearley of today can yield surprises. Here, parents of current students in each division share what they wish they had known when they were considering Brearley. Regard these voices as part of our community of “local experts.”
“The arts are so impressive. When you walk around you see art in all its different facets. Students can really go in any direction they want to pursue in music, theater and visual art.” “SCHOOL SPIRIT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME. BEFORE MY DAUGHTER CAME HERE, I DIDN’T KNOW HOW GREAT THE SPORTS AND SPIRIT ARE AT BREARLEY.”
“The energy here is just different. It’s such a vibrant place. It’s not an overly ‘girly’ place, which is interesting. There’s a certain straightforwardness about the kids who are here.”
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“I like that my daughter is really interested in what she’s learning. For her, it’s not about ‘Did I get an A-minus or a B-plus?’ It’s about being drawn in by the course content.”
“Joy and rigor are not mutually exclusive at Brearley. People are really happy to be here. My kid would live here if she could.”
“It may sound counterintuitive to say, given its academic reputation, but one thing I really like about Brearley is that it is more relaxed than other schools my children have attended.”
“The girls are so open and excited and interesting. Parents I talk to want to know if there’s a lot of homework as the girls get older. Yes, there is homework, but it’s manageable.”
“ONE OF THE THINGS I DIDN’T KNOW IS HOW STRONG THE MUSIC PROGRAM IS. IT HAS BECOME A HUGE PART OF MY DAUGHTER’S LIFE IN FIFTH GRADE, WITH INSTRUMENTALS AND ORCHESTRA AND SINGERS. IT HAS INFUSED EVERYTHING SHE DOES AND HAS MADE HER EXPERIENCE VIBRANT AND REALLY HAPPY.”
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Our invitation to you
“I honestly think that a Brearley girl can be anyone. Our differences are what make our community special.” CLASS XI STUDENT 56
What kind of Brearley girl will you be? As we have done from our founding, we are always working to ensure the highest-quality education for girls. Society often gives young women a choice between smart and happy, driven and generous, kindness and having an edge. We want our students to know such choices are false. Now more than ever, thriving requires both. Our students and alumnae prove again and again that there is no one kind of Brearley girl. In this very New York school, the breadth of interests, backgrounds, talents and aspirations among our students is as varied and vibrant as the city itself. The beauty of a Brearley education is that every girl has the full force of this singular school’s mission, program, mentors and peers behind her. Every girl has unfettered opportunity to grow into her extraordinary self, defining what it means to be a Brearley girl.
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Admission Brearley welcomes inquiries from students and their families who are interested in learning about admission to the School. Admission is based on a student’s academic promise and achievement, personal qualities and interests. The School is committed to creating and maintaining a diverse student body. The application deadline is December 1. Applications received after the deadline will be considered as space permits. Please note that Kindergarten students must by five years old by September 1 of the year they enter.
Visit Tours of the School are given individually and are scheduled after an application has been submitted. For more details about the application process please visit
WINIFRED M. MABLEY Director of Lower School Admission MELISSA F. CASSIS Director of Middle & Upper School Admission and Financial Assistance The Brearley School 610 East 83rd Street New York, NY 10028 The Brearley School 590 East 83rd Street New York, NY 10028 The Brearley Field House 343 East 87th Street New York, NY 10128 T 212.570.8600 admission@brearley.org
WWW.BREARLEY.ORG.
Financing a Brearley Education The Brearley School is committed to helping families bridge the gap between the cost of tuition and their available resources. Financial assistance is available for students at all age levels and is based solely on need. Each family’s circumstances are taken into account when determining eligibility.
For More Information Detailed information about financial assistance, the academic program, faculty, offerings in the arts and athletics and many other topics can be found on our website: WWW.BREARLEY.ORG.
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STATEMENT OF BELIEFS
Mission The Brearley School challenges girls of adventurous intellect and diverse backgrounds to think critically and creatively and prepares them for principled engagement in the world. Guided by a dedicated community of adults, students develop a command of many disciplines, a love of learning and a resilient and generous spirit. The bond among students and with their teachers is rooted in a passionate exchange of ideas and an appreciation for the unique and lively contributions of each individual. A Brearley education unfolds over a lifetime. The School instills in its alumnae the confidence to pursue their ambitions and the wisdom to live balanced and purposeful lives.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion The Brearley School believes that diversity of thought, practice and identity are essential elements in preparing students for principled engagement in the world. We believe in the importance of establishing and strengthening the structures and practices necessary to achieve equitable representation and participation in our School. We are committed to putting these beliefs into action and are therefore engaged in continuous study, self-reflection and dialogue in order to improve and adapt as we learn. We embrace the opportunities and challenges of learning and working in a diverse environment characterized by respect and consideration for the needs of others. In partnership with faculty, staff, students, families and alumnae, we are endeavoring to instill and sustain shared values that promote a welcoming, inclusive and affirming community.
Antiracism The Brearley School condemns racism in the strongest possible terms and is committed to building an antiracist community. This work requires active introspection, self-awareness and the determination to make conscious and consistently equitable choices on a daily basis. We expect our faculty, staff, students, parents and trustees to pursue meaningful change through deliberate and measurable actions. These actions include participating in antiracist training and identifying and eliminating policies, practices and beliefs that uphold racial inequality in our community.
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Brearley at a Glance HEAD OF SCHOOL Jane Foley Fried CURRENT ENROLLMENT 769 Lower School: 278 Middle School:236 Upper School: 255 STUDENTS OF COLOR 60% STUDENT/FACULTY RATIO Approximately 6:1 TOTAL NUMBER OF FACULTY 123 (includes associate teachers) FULL-TIME FACULTY 112 PART-TIME FACULTY 11 PERCENTAGE OF FACULTY WITH MASTER’S AND/OR DOCTORAL DEGREES 82% GRANTS AND TUITION AID $7.5 million awarded to approximately 20% of our students
TOP COLLEGE DESTINATIONS 2017–2021 Harvard University (28) Columbia University (22) University of Chicago (15) Yale University (15) Cornell University (13) Princeton University (11) Georgetown University (8) Williams College (8) University of Pennsylvania (7) Brown University (6) Colgate University (6) Northwestern University (6) Bowdoin College (5) Duke University (5) New York University (5) Stanford University (5) Barnard College (4) Dartmouth College (4) Middlebury College (4) Amherst College (3) Bates College (3) Boston College (3) Carleton College (3) Carnegie Mellon University (3) Trinity College (3) Tufts University (3) University of Southern California (3) Vanderbilt University (3) Washington University in St. Louis (3) Wesleyan University (3)
TUITION IN 2021–2022 K-XII $56,300 Tuition includes lunch, books, supplies and class trips. ENDOWMENT $166.8 million
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Contributors As a potential student, how do you know if a school will make you happy before you get there? As a parent, how do you choose a school in which your daughter can grow now but also one big enough to encompass and envision the person she can become? We hope this student’s guide to Brearley helps you begin to answer these questions. In creating it we are grateful to the many students, alumnae, faculty, staff and parents who have opened the doors to Brearley by opening a little of their hearts and minds to you.
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The Brearley School 590 East 83rd Street New York, NY 10028 610 East 83rd Street New York, NY 10028 212.570.8600 www.brearley.org
A Student’s Guide to The Brearley School
ACADEMIC YEAR 2021–2022
