Sixteen educators joined our ranks to teach at Brooks this fall – and have fascinating interests and backgrounds. We got the scoop in five fast questions!
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
"Brooks School commits itself to creating a socially just community that is diverse, equitable and inclusive, because doing so is critical to providing the most meaningful educational experience our students will have in their lives."
"As the 2020-2021 school year comes to an end and we begin to turn our attention to providing some time and space for restoration and renewal after what has been both a trying and deeply rewarding year, I am glad to be in touch in order to update all of you on the diversity, equity, and inclusion work the school has done and will continue to do this upcoming year and beyond..."
JUNE 22 DEI UPDATE FROM HEAD OF SCHOOL JOHN PACKARD
School Meeting March 25
Featured speakers Alex Skinner '08 & Weijia Wang
Head of School John Packard's March 23 Statement
Brooks School's Commitment
To achieve our mission “to provide the most meaningful educational experience our students will have in their lives,” Brooks School is building a community where each one of us need not hide behind a mask, and can feel valued and affirmed in our true identity.
These identifiers include race, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, religion, physical ability, age, sexual orientation, gender expression, learning styles, family structure, language and geographic place of origin. We believe a diverse community enriches the lives of each member, and in this spirit we welcome individuals who support these values.
We strive to assure that our students, in all of the physical and virtual aspects of Brooks School, will see themselves reflected in our curricula and in the faces of our trustees, administrators, teachers, and staff.
We work to create a school where we are able to recognize our similarities and differences and where each individual has a voice to engage in community conversations with mutual empathy and respect.
We acknowledge the aspirations of this statement and the challenges of working together toward equity. We welcome these challenges and commit ourselves to creating a school that embraces the full identity of each of our students, their families, and all of our employees.
Letters to the Community
"In the aftermath of Wednesday's violent, lawless, and mob-led attack on the United States Capitol..."
READ HEAD OF SCHOOL JOHN PACKARD'S JANUARY 9 LETTER
"As we close in on the end of a week that has drawn a great deal of feeling and emotion to the surface at school and across the country..."
Read Head of School John Packard's Nov. 6 DEI Update
"We are grateful for the conversations this transformational movement aimed at stamping out racial injustice has generated on our campus..."
READ HEAD OF SCHOOL JOHN PACKARD'S JUNE 18 LETTER
"It is important we acknowledge watershed moments in Black history"
READ DEAN OF COMMUNITY LIFE ASHLEY JOHNSTON'S LETTER
Employees' Professional Development
Through the end of the 2020-2021 year, faculty engaged in a range of steps:
- Work with the Suffolk University Center for Restorative Justice (25 faculty members completed Tier I training; 14 completed Tier II).
- Training with The Race Institute for K-12 Educators director Ali Michael to lead a white anti-racist group, which led to an action-oriented White Anti-Racist Educators group on campus.
- NEMNET Overcoming Obstacles to Recruiting Faculty of Color workshop (attended by faculty involved in our hiring process)
- AISNE DEI workshops including: Social Justice Standards: Anti-Bias Education; Gain School-Wide Systemic Equity Strategies; Shifts of Consciousness for White Educators.
- Diversity Directions weeklong seminar aimed at helping educators and schools sustain and further commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Community Stories
Read more
about Get to Know the New Faculty
Alumni came home — to Brooks last weekend to watch games, get together and honor four outstanding athletes.
The DEI team's pick for our annual initiative, "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood," is sparking great conversation and engaging classes in all disciplines this fall.
Students share their hopes and plans for the new year as we look back on the first week of classes.
College counseling program offering video chats with alums helped students make decisions about where to continue their education after Brooks.
Brooks bids farewell to three beloved buildings and looks forward to a fresh facility that will provide opportunities for admission and everyone on campus.
The class of 2021 celebrated commencement with a week of events.
Going beyond static images on the page, the 2021 tome is a community effort that allowed students to share and remember videos, music and more!
Brooks honored 20 students for their academic achievement in Chapel on Thursday.
Brooks School just sent acceptances to a talented group of students, whom we hope will join our community this fall. Get the details and learn about upcoming events welcoming them.
DEI Team Partnership
Brooks' DEI faculty team (above, from left: Dean of Community Life Ashley Johnston; Director of Multicultural Affairs and Outreach Kenya Jones; and Director of DEI Curriculum and Programming Michael Veit) facilitates a wide-ranging program for the Brooks community:
- Coordinating and organizing a calendar of events to bring speakers, workshops and activities to campus to address DEI issues.
- Connecting and collaborating with alumni and Brooks' alumni office.
- Assessing the community's needs, and promoting community values related to issues of DEI.
- Collaborating in the development of DEI curriculum initiatives.
- Facilitating the development of Equity Grievance Protocols for Brooks students and employees.
"Given the heightened awareness concerning racial injustice in the country, we are steadfastly devoted to working with the Brooks community to combat and disrupt systemic and institutional racism. We are committed to making this work a movement rather than a moment.”
Kenya Jones
Diversity Leadership Council
The Diversity Leadership Council supports a number of programs, groups, and clubs on campus with the goal of increasing our community-wide understanding of various experiences and perspectives. The collaborative work of adults increases our awareness and practice as an inclusive institution working towards our school’s mission statement.
Campus Affinity Groups
Asian Student Alliance (ASA)
The Asian Student Alliance is an association made up of students of Asian descent at Brooks School. Through on- and off-campus events, ASA will come together in a variety of ways to celebrate and support Asian students at Brooks.
Alianza Latina (AL)
Alianza is an affinity group for students who share Latinx or Hispanic heritage.
Black Students Union (BSU)
BSU is an affinity group for any student who identifies as Black, African or African-American.
Gender & Sexuality Alliance (GSA)
GSA functions as both an affinity group for anyone in the LGBTQIA+ community and an interest group for people who wish to serve as allies and friends to community members.
Jewish Students Organization (JSO)
The JSO is an affinity group for Brooksians who identify as part of the Jewish diaspora.
Women Incorporated (WINC)
WINC serves as an affinity group for female identified students to engage in work and discussions pertaining to gender equality.
Statement on Gender Identity and Expression
Brooks School welcomes and proactively affirms the wide spectrum of gender identities of its students and community members, and the ways in which Brooksians choose to express their genders. The school’s policies and procedures are intended to accommodate, and not limit, the privileges and responsibilities granted to and expected of all of our community members who identify or express themselves outside the traditional cisgender binary. In all cases, community members should seek out a trusted adult or other community member for support and advocacy. The school recognizes that, along with other policies and systemic assumptions, its physical spaces are, at times, predicated on the traditional cisgender binary; the school intends to honor the identities, lived experiences and needs of all its students.
Established in 2020, the Davis Fellows Program joins the Davis Scholars Program that currently serves Brooks School's student population.
Named for Brooks School alumnus Andrew Davis ‘81, the two programs honor his family’s commitment to supporting the futures of young people from underrepresented populations in independent schools.
"At Brooks School, we live and learn on land once of the Pennacook people, and we acknowledge their enduring presence."