The Co-Curricular Program

teach both Class II and Class XII . Cross-divisional teaching allows faculty the satisfaction of watching students grow and often leads to lifelong friendships between students and their former teachers . Academic excellence at Brearley is dynamic: it grows out of responses to what happens in the classroom and exploration within departments, and it is further stimulated by a cross-fertilization of ideas within the larger school community and the world .

School begins after Labor Day in September and ends mid-June . Classes meet on a six-day rotation that was designed to balance more effectively the student’s desire to learn with her need for reflection and refreshment . School days begin at 8:10 am for Lower School students and at 8:15 am for Middle and Upper School . Two days of each rotation in Middle and Upper School begin at 8:30 am so that students may have more time for sleep . The academic day for all ends at 3:00 pm . Each rotation has an assembly period, during which students attend music, dance or dramatic performances, hear speakers, enjoy demonstrations of student public speaking skills and, in the Middle and Upper Schools, consider the merits of candidates running for school offices . Both the Middle and Upper Schools have weekly gatherings of a more informal sort for announcements and for sharing .

THE CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAM

An integral part of the educational experience, activities provide opportunities to explore new areas, develop talents and become acquainted with students in different grades . Girls in the Lower School may choose from among three optional after-school programs . Clubhouse, in collaboration with the Chapin School, offers activities like inline skating, cooking and baking, and a variety of STEAM offerings . On Fridays, girls may stay for a program of play and crafts or organized sports . A further Extended Day program, ending at 5:45 pm, includes reading stories, quiet time and indoor/outdoor play . Activities in the Middle and Upper Schools offer greater opportunities for girls to shape their own programs . Brearley’s numerous co-curricular activities include Middle and Upper School branches of the robotics team, coding and maker clubs, orchestra and chorus, math team, environmental action committee, student publications (the newspapers, literary magazines and the yearbook), drama productions, debate team and an array of art courses, from photography to bookmaking . In the Upper School, students may participate in the Model UN and Model Congress programs and affinity groups like Asian Awareness or Umoja . Organizations like the Athletic Association and the Middle and Upper School Student Government groups are led by students elected from each grade and advised by faculty . These organizations offer opportunities for leadership, public speaking and the planning and execution of events .