Head of School's Letter - September 5 - Partnership

Dear Parents,

As we finish this first week of school, I want to pause and share just how grateful I am for the energy that has filled our campus. Your children have settled into their classrooms with curiosity and excitement, and it has been a delight to see friendships renewed, new connections formed, and learning already underway. To echo that spirit, your child’s teacher or advisor will also be sharing stories from these opening days. These notes are meant to give you a window into your child’s experience at school — the playful, the ordinary, and the meaningful. That kind of communication will continue throughout the year, because we believe that when parents and educators share what they are seeing, we build the strongest foundation of support for each child.

Many afternoons your child will come home brimming with excitement — eager to tell you about a funny moment at recess, a new friendship, or a lesson that sparked their imagination, just as they have in these first days. That joy is real, and it is one of the hallmarks of a Brookwood education. There will also be afternoons, however, when they arrive with heavier hearts, carrying a story of something that felt hard or disappointing. Facing challenges, building resilience, and developing the tools to problem solve is key to their education and any child’s development. What matters most in these situations is how we, the adults in their lives, meet those moments together.

At Brookwood, we believe that when parents and teachers hold both the celebratory and the tender stories with empathy and perspective, we help children understand that delight and difficulty are both part of growing up. In partnership, we show them that life is not defined by smooth sailing alone, but by how we respond when the winds inevitably change. Allowing children the space to wrestle with challenges — whether it’s a science project that doesn’t go as planned or a friendship that feels complicated — takes patience and trust. Yet it is through those experiences that they build independence, empathy, and confidence in ways that ease alone never could.

Communication is also at the heart of strong partnership. Our teachers want to hear from you, and we hope you will reach out when you have insights to share. At the same time, we encourage you to approach those conversations with curiosity. “Here’s what we’re noticing at home; what do you see at school?” is often the beginning of a very rich dialogue. This spirit of listening, learning, and working together ensures that your child is surrounded by adults who are aligned in supporting their growth.

Finally, partnership thrives when we gather as a community. I warmly invite you to join us at two important events that strengthen these connections: our Start of School BBQ this afternoon at 4:30 p.m., and Back to School Night on Thursday, September 25 (5:30 p.m. reception, 6:30–8:30 p.m. program). Both are opportunities to connect with teachers, fellow parents, and the broader Brookwood family — to share stories, celebrate our children, and deepen the ties that make this place special.

Thank you for entrusting us with your children. Their growth is our shared endeavor, and I look forward to all that this year holds — the heart, the challenges, and the countless moments in between that make Brookwood such a remarkable community.

Warmly,

Jon Bartlett