Five educators arrive at Brooks this fall with a wide range of experiences and expertise.

Here’s a head start on getting to know them. Read on to learn a bit about each person's past, their goals for the future on Great Pond Road and what it will be like to be in their classrooms and work with them first semester.  

Marley Berano
Davis Fellow, Self in Community Teacher

A native of Litchfield, Connecticut Marley Berano graduated from the Frederick Gunn School and Mount Holyoke College, where she studied psychology and education with a minor in educational policy. During her time in college, she was a three-year captain of the basketball team, chair of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and an admission office ambassador. In her free time, she enjoys working out in the gym, cooking and visiting her parents in Florida.

• Why did you want to come work at Brooks?
  “I deeply resonate with Brooks’ emphasis on integrity and moral responsibility. As a new teacher who is developing my own philosophy of education, it feels exciting to begin my career at a place that is grounded in shared values and community.” 
   
• What’s something about you that may surprise students?
  “In 2023, I completed a six-month-long Disney College Program internship! I worked in Disney’s Hollywood Studios at ‘For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-a-Long Celebration’ and I loved every second of it!” 
   
• Favorite movie or TV show?
  “’Moana’ because I love her adventurous spirit, determination and strength. I don’t watch very much television but I’m currently watching Season 3 of ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ with a group of my friends.” 
   
• What is your favorite thing about working with students?
  "It is incredibly rewarding to see students grow and mature in all the dynamic areas of school life: personally, academically, athletically and in the dorm."
   
• What can students expect in your classes this fall? 
  "When entering Ms. B’s classroom, students can expect to find a space that is relaxed but also collaborative and reflective. I hope that students walk away from my classroom with a deeper understanding of themselves as students and community members."
   

Blythe Grossberg
Quantitative Strategies Specialist in the Learning Center

Blythe Grossberg grew up in Harvard, Mass., and attended Harvard College, where she majored in history and literature. She earned a doctoral degree in psychology from Rutgers University and has worked as a learning specialist at multiple independent schools in New York and Massachusetts. In her free time, Grossberg enjoys writing and has written several books on learning differences, ADHD and autism. She also enjoys baking, reading, volunteering at a community food pantry, gardening and trying to figure out Wordle.  

• Why did you want to come work at Brooks?
  “I want to help students feel less scared of math and more empowered to use strategies to solve problems.” 
   
• What’s something about you that may surprise students?
  “I love baking and once won second prize in a pie-baking contest. My entry had dark chocolate underlying layers of blueberries and cream from Tate's cookbook.” 
   
• Favorite movie or TV show?
  “I love ‘Gilmore Girls,’ ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,’ and ‘Downton Abbey’ because the characters are so engaging.” 
   
• What is your favorite thing about working with students?
  “I love students' energy and how much I learn from them.” 
   
• What can students expect in working with you this fall? 
  “Students can expect to learn math strategies tailored to the way their brains work!” 

Joshua Jacobo Jr.
Mathematics Teacher

Joshua Jacobo Jr. graduated from Brooks in 2013. He was born and raised in Lawrence, Massachusetts and spent more than eight years working at the Youth Development Organization (YDO) of Lawrence with students from elementary through high school. After graduating from Merrimack College, he taught math for four years at Lawrence High School, where he also served as junior class advisor.  

• Why did you want to come back to work at Brooks?
  “Being a student at Brooks was one of the meaningful experiences in my life. The relationships I formed and everything I learned have left a significant impact on me. I wanted to come back to a community that meant so much to me, and hopefully help make someone else’s experience just as meaningful.”
   
• What’s something about you that may surprise students?
  “I’m a big karaoke fan! I may not be able to sing but I sing a lot more than I should. I have a random set of interests and bounce around from one to another. I love sports and the Celtics are my favorite sports team. Recently, I’ve started watching anime and would call myself a casual anime fan. I also stay up to date with the WWE [World Wrestling Entertainment]. My favorite current wrestlers are Carmelo Hayes, Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. Lastly, I love superheroes. I really like DC comics and have returned to reading comic books this summer. My favorite heroes are Batman, Nightwing, Mr. Terrific and Miles Morales Spider-Man.”
   
• Favorite movie or TV show?
  “My favorite movie is 1994’s ‘The Lion King.’ It has everything a movie needs: music, action, comedy, heartfelt moments… everything. ‘The Dark Knight’ is my second favorite movie. I believe it is the greatest superhero movie of all time. My favorite TV Show is ‘Game of Thrones’ from Seasons 1-6. I rewatch it before the start of each school year. Jon Snow is a top-five character in fiction for me. I have not read all the books. My favorite animated show is called ‘Young Justice,’ which is a superhero show that follows a team of sidekicks solidifying their own role as heroes. My favorite sitcom is ‘How I Met Your Mother.’”
   
• What is your favorite thing about working with students?
  “The relationships. Learning about my students and who they are inside and outside the classroom and seeing their growth as individuals is one of the coolest things to me about teaching.”
   
• What can students expect in your classes this fall? 
  “Math. On a more serious note, each class is different. Even though classes may be learning the same material, the students in each class are different and it is my job to facilitate each class in a way that is best for the students in the room during that time.”
   

Anne McCoy
French and Spanish Teacher

Anne McCoy was born in Angers, France, and earned two master's degrees in English, Spanish and French from universities in Angers and Grenoble, as well as a postgraduate teaching certification from Cambridge, England. She first came to the U.S. as a teaching assistant at SUNY Albany and soon decided to make a life here, building a career as a French and Spanish teacher. Since 1999 when she became a full-time teacher, she has loved sharing her passion for languages, cultures and stories from her many travels around the world. Outside the classroom, McCoy enjoys teaching barre and strength classes, spending time with friends and family and going horseback riding whenever she can.

• Why did you want to come work at Brooks?
  “I’ve always heard great things about Brooks from some of my former students who attended the school. Also, when I was teaching at Shore Country Day School, I visited Brooks during a professional development program and was impressed by how enthusiastic the students were when talking about their school.”
   
• What’s something about you that may surprise students?
  “This is a tough one! Maybe that I used to compete in show jumping (horseback riding), although I don’t do much of it anymore.”
   
• Favorite movie or TV show?
  “If there’s one show I’ve watched for many years and that still makes me smile, it’s ‘Friends.’ I really enjoy the characters and their sense of humor.”
   
• What is your favorite thing about working with students?
  “I’ve always worked with children and adolescents but now that I’m older and have my own children, I feel I understand them better. I enjoy being someone they can relate to and turn to for support in different ways.”
   
• What can students expect in your classes this fall? 
  “They can definitely expect to hear a French accent and maybe even a sentence with some French, Spanish and English all mixed together. Students will engage in a wide variety of activities designed to help them use French and Spanish in meaningful ways and to develop a deeper understanding of other cultures and perspectives.”
   

Cameron Segal
College Counselor

Cam Segal comes to Brooks after five years working in the admission offices of Hamilton College and Boston University. Raised in Marblehead, Massachusetts, he is a graduate of Pingree School and Connecticut College, where he studied American studies and teaching. Segal earned his EdM from Boston University, concentrating in higher education administration. In his free time, he enjoys running with Boston’s Midnight Runners, playing soccer with friends and spending time with his three brothers.

• Why did you want to come work at Brooks?
  “I grew up in the North Shore of Massachusetts and went to high school a short drive away, at the Pingree School in South Hamilton. I have fond memories of traveling to campus for athletic competitions when I was a student. During my interview process for my current role on the college counseling team, the mission statement of Brooks resonated with me. I found the responsibility of trying to provide the most ‘meaningful educational experience’ for students to be inspiring and something that I wanted to be a part of.”
   
• What’s something about you that may surprise students?
  “I have run three marathons (Newport, Rhode Island; Philadelphia and Maine Coast)! You can find me on the coaching staff of the cross-country team this fall.”
   
• Favorite movie or TV show?
  “My favorite movie is ‘Miracle on Ice’ and my favorite TV show is ‘Ted Lasso.’ Both demonstrate the power of optimism, dedication and teamwork.” 
   
• What is your favorite thing about working with students?
  “Students are ambitious, curious and empathetic. They dream big and are willing to put in the work to better themselves, their communities and beyond. Having the opportunity to witness their growth and to help provide direction when needed is an honor.”
   
• What can students expect in working with you this fall? 
  “Students can expect a positive, enthusiastic and knowledgeable college counselor who will go above and beyond to help them find their perfect college fit!”