With Gratitude: Honoring Dr. Shayda Ahi’s Thirty Years at Brookwood

After more than thirty years of service that have left a lasting mark on Brookwood, I am writing to share that Dr. Shayda Ahi will be retiring from her role as our Clinical Psychologist at the end of this school year. Since arriving in 1995, Shayda has helped shape the way this school understands and supports childhood, always approaching her work with authentic consideration, steadiness, and respect for the complexity of young lives. Over the course of her tenure, her positive influence has reached generations of students, families, and colleagues.

Shayda has supported hundreds of Brookwood students and families during some of the most formative years of development. Much of this work happens quietly and out of view, yet its influence endures. In moments of uncertainty or transition, she offered perspective and calm. In moments of challenge, she helped children feel seen and supported. For families, she brought both professional expertise and a steady human presence, helping them navigate experiences that often extend well beyond the school day.

Her contributions have also been felt deeply among our faculty and staff. Over the years, Shayda has been a trusted source of counsel, particularly when the work of teaching and leading required reflection, empowerment, and foundational support. She helped remind us that the health of a school community depends not only on curriculum and structure, but on the well-being of the people within it.

Shayda’s influence extended into the life of Brookwood itself. She has served as a trusted advisor to Heads of School and was particularly integral during the John Peterman years, a period marked by significant institutional growth. During that time, she helped the school think carefully about leadership, continuity, and change, always returning us to the central question of what children and the greater community need in order to thrive. Her voice has helped shape decisions and practices that continue to inform Brookwood today.

Shayda’s relationship with Brookwood has also been personal. As both a longtime principled professional and a parent of Brookwood graduates, Shayan Ahi McGee ’07 and Kian Ahi McGee’10, she experienced and embraced school life from multiple vantage points.

It is also worth noting the significance of change during the span of time Shayda’s tenure represents. Over the past thirty years, cultural, technological, social, and national events have increasingly shaped the lives children bring with them into school each day. Throughout these moments, Shayda was a constant presence. She helped Brookwood remain grounded, offering perspective and stability when the wider world felt unsettled. Her consistent commitment to putting children first has long reflected one of Brookwood’s core values.

As Shayda steps into retirement, we do so with deep gratitude for the compassionate care, wisdom, and commitment she has given to this community over three decades. There are not many, if any, who have had a greater impact across our community for the past thirty years as her work has gracefully helped shape Brookwood into the school it is today, and her legacy will continue to inspire in ways both visible and unseen for years to come.

As we look ahead, we want to share that work is already underway to thoughtfully plan for Shayda’s transition. We are taking this moment to reflect carefully on the evolving needs of our community and to ensure that we hire with intention, experience, and care. Supporting student mental health and overall well-being remains a central priority for Brookwood, and we are deeply committed to sustaining and strengthening the systems of care that help our children thrive.