Dear Families,
Last week, we officially began the Secondary School Process with our seventh grade families, an important and often exciting moment in a student’s Brookwood journey. Over the coming year, this process will unfold with care, intention, and a deep commitment to helping each child and family find the path that feels right for them.
At Brookwood, we hold a broad and grounded view of what “next” can mean. For some students, that may be an independent day or boarding school; for others, it may be one of the truly exceptional public schools in our area. We are fortunate to live in a region with outstanding options across the board, and we take seriously our responsibility to prepare students to both navigate an application process, and to also step confidently into any environment, ready to lead, to think critically, and to contribute meaningfully. This is why, alongside our Secondary School Admissions Panel, we also host a Public School Principals Panel each year, ensuring families have a full and informed perspective as they consider what lies ahead.
At the heart of this work is our Secondary School Guidance Team, led by Evan Diamond and Alli Moore. Their expertise, care, and steady guidance are, in many ways, a quiet cornerstone of the Brookwood experience. They work closely with each family, offering thoughtful counsel and a clear-eyed understanding of schools and fit. While their work is most visible in seventh and eighth grade, it is deeply rooted in the years that come before, when students were building the skills, habits, and confidence that make this process manageable and meaningful.
That, ultimately, is the point. Our goal is to ensure that they leave Brookwood knowing who they are, how they learn, and what they value. We aim to equip them with the intellectual curiosity, resilience, and sense of purpose that will serve them well wherever they go next. The process, in many ways, is a reflection of that larger mission.
If you are curious to learn more, we are currently sharing a series of short videos on Instagram that offer a window into this process and the people who guide it. I encourage you to take a look.
Warmly,
Jon
