Letter from Head of School Jennifer Price

I’ve come to realize that a head of school can sometimes learn the most interesting things about our BB&N community not from an office, or at a board meeting, or a senior leadership retreat, but rather while dressed head-to-toe as Bucky, our mascot. Several weeks ago, our Trivia Club members traveled to the WGBH studios in Brighton to compete in the statewide High School Quiz Show and I accompanied them incognito. Seeing the way our students competed—passionately and proudly for sure, but also with an unmistakable sense of excitement and joy at being engaged in this enterprise with each other—it struck me that this day encapsulated the mindset and attitude of our entire community this school year. Post-pandemic, BB&N has its familiar zip back in its step. And I’m thrilled to be along for the ride

In early March, I delivered my annual State of the School presentation to the BB&N community. Our school truly is in a good place, with a lot of important and exciting work going on. In my presentation, I shared these various developments

Elevating the Student Experience

Spaces and wellness are the two dominant themes of this strategic objective, and substantial progress has been made in both areas. The standout moment this year was the opening in October of our stunning new athletic campus on Grove Street in Watertown (see story on Page 20)—a pivotal moment not only for our student-athletes, but also in support of well-being, community building, and principled engagement with our neighboring communities.

The next major project on the horizon will be equally transformative: a renovation of our Lower School campus whose last significant change occurred more than two decades ago. Currently in design phase, this project includes the construction of a new multi-purpose community space, modernized and expanded learning environments across all grades, and enhanced outdoor spaces for play and learning.

through a strategic lens, specifically the five pillars of the Strategic Plan, which we developed together as a community four years ago. Let me share a few highlights with you here (and you can view the whole presentation here: bbns.org/stateofschool).

Four years ago, our committee identified the need for us to reimagine our health and wellness program from B-12. I am excited to announce that next year we will launch a consistent, cohesive, and comprehensive program across grades 4 to 12, led by trained educators. It’s my belief that this sort of high-quality programming will make an enormous difference in the lifelong health and well-being of our students.

Empowering Our Educators & Broadening Our Academic Experience

Innovation is the north star shaping the work across these two strategic objectives. Professional development for our faculty and staff has never been firing on more cylinders. It starts with a wide array of workshops, seminars, and conferences, including the upcoming “Artificial Intelligence in K-12 Education: Demystifying the Technology and Exploring its Potential” conference that BB&N will host on April 29 th for educators across New England. In addition, the office sponsors an extraordinary array of opportunities for our teachers, such as curriculum development grants, global education opportunities, BB&N summer institutes, and travel grants— all with the goal of disrupting, evolving, transforming, and enhancing teaching and learning at BB&N.

We’re also already seeing tangible results emerge from our Innovation Grant program, which launched just two years ago. The first round of grants have generated a new pollinator garden being built at the Upper School, the start of an elective ethics course and student-led conference, the development of a “Bivouac and beyond” vision for Camp Marienfeld, and a successful first campaign of the Maker Break program for Middle School students. New initiatives already underway in round two of the I-Grants include an Upper School serenity room, the BB&N Arts Fest, and a student history symposium.

Promoting a Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Community

Being on the other side of the pandemic means the return of a fully flourishing global education program. In September eight students attended the Round Square International Conference in the UK. One of my favorite reports from the trip came from Nnema Epee-Bounya ’24: “I have never experienced the feeling of being a part of a group of people who are from different nations who are all excited to get to know each other. My favorite experience was walking around Oxford with friends we made from Argentina or bonding with a student from South Africa during a scavenger hunt.” These are the sort of boundary-breaking opportunities that I’m so happy to see return for our students. They’ll have plenty of opportunities this spring with trips to locales such as Greece, the Adriatic Coast, Morocco, France, and Spain.

A date all of us in the BB&N community have circled on our calendar is May 20 when we will hold our One School One World event for the first time in three years. This event, first held in 2008, is an occasion for all of us—students, families, alumni/ae, faculty, and staff—to come together and celebrate the richness of our diverse, global community. I always love how this celebration serves as both a showcase and an appreciation for the unique contributions each person brings to our school. I hope to see you there!

Leveraging the Power of Our Community

The BB&N community is simply extraordinary, as showcased in part by our Parents’ Association who lifts our community in so many ways, from their appreciation effort in which 439 families contributed to a fund that ultimately provided each faculty and staff member with a $450 holiday bonus; to events commemorating occasions such as Diwali, Lunar New Year, and Black History Month; to the establishment of “Team Parent” roles to assist our athletic teams. We are a happier, more connected community due to their insatiable work, and I am very grateful for them!

The life of our school is so much richer when our alums stay connected to us, and when we stay connected to them. It’s a big reason why BB&N recently held its inaugural Alumni/ae Pitch Competition. Sponsored by the Alumni/ae Council, the competition sought proposals from BB&N’s young alumni/ae who are living our school’s mission of principled engagement around the world. From 14 proposals on early-stage business ideas or social ventures, three finalists were selected to present to a panel of BB&N alumni/ae and faculty. Winners were awarded funding, mentoring, and one-on-one business development support. It was so inspiring to see all these young graduates committed to leave the spaces they move in better than they found them.

So far it has been an inspirational, exciting, and connected year. Thank you for being a part of this uKnighted community—one that I grow to appreciate more and more each year. Wishing you all a healthy and wonderful spring,