Additional Staffing Updates for the 2026–27 School Year

As we look ahead to the new school year, we’re pleased to share a few final staffing updates. Since our last newsletter, we have completed hiring for the 2026–27 school year and are excited to introduce several new colleagues, along with one additional internal role transition. Please join us in extending a warm Brookwood welcome to the newest members of our community.

David Donato - Director of Physical Plant
David joins Brookwood as Director of Physical Plant, bringing extensive experience in facilities management, construction, and campus operations. Throughout his career, including his work at Harvard University, he has helped maintain and improve educational environments that support students, faculty, and staff.

David enjoys the variety and problem-solving that come with facilities work. Whether overseeing campus projects, maintaining buildings and grounds, or addressing day-to-day operational needs, he takes pride in creating safe, welcoming, and well-functioning spaces where school communities can thrive.

Outside of work, David enjoys spending time with family and friends. He also practices yoga and meditation, which help him stay grounded and focused. David is looking forward to joining the Brookwood community and helping steward the campus in support of the school's mission.

Pauline Grey - Lower School Science Teacher
Pauline is thrilled to join the Brookwood community, where she looks forward to nurturing the curiosity and sense of wonder that children bring to the Science classroom. Originally from Saratoga Springs, New York, she spent many summers as a counselor at Camp Spindrift before earning her B.S. in Elementary Education and Studio Art from Keene State College and her Master’s in Reading Education from Boston University. She has taught in Boston, Vermont, and at an international school in Kenya, where she worked with multi-age classrooms serving students in grades three through six. Passionate about project-based learning, she enjoys helping students connect ideas across disciplines and apply their knowledge to real-world challenges, such as guiding students at her previous school through the design and construction of an outdoor playground. Continuing to engage in educational and environmental work in Kenya, she develops curriculum for school visits to Mlango Farm and a community library that delivers books to children via cyclists.

Outside of school, Pauline enjoys yoga, biking, hiking, kayaking, paddleboarding, and learning about plants and animals. She is eager to get back to the snow for skiing and pond hockey and looks forward to exploring New England’s coastal ecosystems alongside Brookwood students.

Lucy Hassler – Lower School Assistant Teacher, Grade 1
Lucy grew up in Colorado and graduated from Endicott College in 2025 with a degree and license in Elementary Education. Since then, she has worked as a substitute teacher and resident director for Endicott’s study abroad program in Cork, Ireland, while completing a Master’s degree in Social-Emotional Learning. In her free time, she enjoys traveling to new places, playing guitar, and reading.

Over the past few years, Lucy has been a part of Brookwood’s after-school and summer camp programs, and is excited to rejoin the Brookwood community in her new role as a first grade teaching assistant!

Sara Knox – Skills Specialist
Sara’s professional career began in the classroom, where she taught first and second grade in Washington, DC, Boston, and San Diego. After earning her master’s degree in Language & Literacy and obtaining her reading specialist credential, Sara worked as a literacy specialist and Lower School Admissions Director at Francis Parker School in San Diego. When she moved home to Massachusetts with her husband and two children in 2015, she began working as Head of Lower School at Shore Country Day School, where she remained until 2023.

During this time, Sara obtained additional certification in leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education. More recently, she completed all coursework for Orton-Gillingham certification and will fulfill the practicum requirements over the next year. Sara loves working in an independent school environment, where she can form meaningful relationships with families and collaborate closely with colleagues and students.

She enjoys working with children of all ages and is excited to join Brookwood as a learning specialist, where she will have the opportunity to work directly with students. In her free time, Sara enjoys spending time with her family and participating in outdoor activities such as yoga, hiking, and biking. She also loves to read and travel and is currently learning Spanish! Her favorite foods include Southern barbecue and buttery chocolate chip cookies. Sara cannot wait to begin her new role this fall!

Gwen Schatz – Lower School Assistant Teacher, Grade 1
Gwen is excited to join the Brookwood community this fall as a First Grade Associate Teacher. A native of nearby Wenham, she recently completed her master’s degree in Early Childhood Education at Boston University and has long known that she wanted to work with young children. She is particularly passionate about supporting emerging literacy skills and fostering students’ social-emotional development.

Outside of the classroom, Gwen enjoys spending time with family and friends and traveling. She looks forward to building relationships with Brookwood students and families and beginning her teaching career in the Lower School.

View "New to the Team 2026-27"
View "Internal Transitions & New Roles for 2026-27"