Branson Admissions Brochure - Overview

Branson is here to help you develop the confidence, willpower, and moral compass to be brave.

Because when you are brave, anything is possible.

1

Branson is more than just a great school. It’s an ever-evolving educational community that challenges and supports students as they grow into confident, thoughtful, ethical people. We encourage students to be brave in whatever they do—in the classroom, on the field, on stage, in the community, even with their peers. Because when you are brave anything is possible.

2

OUR MISSION

Branson develops students who make a positive impact in the world by leading lives of integrity, purpose, learning, and joy.

3

OUR CAMPUS

At Branson, students learn, study, and play together on our beautiful 17-acre campus nestled beneath iconic Mt. Baldy and majestic Mt. Tamalpais.

Cross the bridge to the Academic Quad and take a look around. If you peek into the open classroom windows, the intensity of intellectual discovery is palpable. Around Harkness tables, you’ll find history students and faculty discussing the U.S. prison system through the lens of ethical philosophers like Aristotle and John Rawls, while the Marine Biology lab hums with the energy of students studying ocean invertebrates in our saltwater aquarium. Laughter erupts as a Mandarin class performs skits under the trees.

You’ll find fresh air and sunlight streaming into the open sides of the LEED-certified Student Commons as groups of students work intently on class assignments. Up the hill, a few students tend to t he organic garden’s aquaponics system, while the sounds of the rock band practicing drift down the hill from the Douglas Fine Arts Center.

Animated groups of students descend the long, brick stairway, their voices rising as they leave the quiet of the cozy library.

At first glance, it may seem like a quiet morning. If you take a step closer, you’ll experience a joyful community buzzing with the excitement of learning, deep in the throes of collaborative discovery.

4

BRANSON BY THE NUMBERS

320 + 84 Students

Faculty & Staff

78% of Faculty Hold Advanced Degrees

30%

of Students Live in San Francisco, East Bay, and Sonoma County

19

Past Gallard Fellows*

45%

Self-Identified Senior Administrators of Color

40+

Clubs/Affinity Groups

12

Average Class Size

Over

169

League Championship Wins

6:1

Student to Faculty Ratio

Over

$2.9M In Financial Aid Awarded Annually

17

Acres of Rolling Hills

64

Middle Schools Represented

35%

Self-Identified Faculty of Color

42% Self-Identified Students of Color

*rough the Bess K. Gallard Fellowship, one Morehouse College or Spelman College graduate teaches at Branson each year. Many Gallard Fellows become full-time faculty and administrators.

5

F A C U LT Y

Teachers are what make Branson, well, Branson.

6

“It was in Branson’s small classrooms that the person I am today, the person I hope to become, began to take shape. Branson teachers encouraged my thoughts, my writings, and they believed in me like no one else had believed in me before. A dream began to take shape, a dream I’m on my way to living.”

JAVIER ZAMORA ’08 Poet and Author of Unaccompanied

They love chemistry and the process of crafting a thesis. They love the Pythagorean theorem and exploring the

Honor

themes of identity and self-expression

is earned

in Ms. Marvel. They sculpt. They bake and

every day.

scuba dive. They coach track and baseball.

At Branson,

They’ll take a pie in the face (literally).

we create

They lead affinity groups. They’ll wear

an

crazy outfits on spirit days. They’ll cheer

environment

you on at games and in performances.

of trust

They may shed a tear or two at your

by taking

graduation. They’ll be your mentors,

responsibility

your guides, and your friends.

for our own

And, they’re also pretty inspiring. So

actions while

inspiring, you’ll often find yourself

pursuing our

reeling a bit when you leave class.

potential.

You may not have realized you could get a headrush from an exciting class. That’s the magic of a Branson teacher. In their classrooms, learning is captivating, funny, ridiculously engaging—you’ll just want to keep going back. What happens in the Branson classroom—it’s transformational.

7

F A C U LT Y S P O T L I G H T

Malik Ali, History Teacher Malik’s deep passion for and broad knowledge of history are no secret at Branson—or beyond, where he’s been honored by the Teaching American History organization and the James Madison Foundation. But history wasn’t the first subject Malik taught at Branson (or even his second, after establishing Branson’s Track & Field program). After coaching middle-school woodwind musicians in Philadelphia, tutoring peers in mathematics at Morehouse College, and teaching Language Arts in Miami’s Summerbridge Program, Malik came to Branson as a Gallard Fellow and spent his first decade at Branson teaching English. Whatever the discipline, Malik always seeks interdisciplinary opportunities to deepen students’ understanding and appreciation for the material. When he’s not at Branson, Malik can be found salsa dancing or hiking in the East Bay hills.

8

Gretchen Koles, Math Teacher Gretchen loves teaching math at Branson—so much that, after leaving to pursue a graduate degree and work as an engineer in the 1990s, she came back.

Whether teaching BC Calculus, AP Statistics, or summer Geometry, Gretchen strives to co-create a challenging and fun environment in her classes with her students, where everyone can feel comfortable taking risks and reach their full potential. Her recipe for students’ success?

Having high expectations and giving lots of support. She’s also the advisor of the Branson yearbook (and brings chocolate to all the meetings!). Outside of school, Gretchen spends time in the mountains with her husband and is enjoying her new puppy, who’s “just the cutest little fellow in the world.”

Sergio Ovalles, Spanish Teacher Sergio’s love for teaching comes from a simple belief: teachers can save lives. It was after he returned from Mexico that his eighth grade teacher, Ms. Rausch, changed his life’s trajectory by simply believing in him, despite his shortcomings with the English language. Since then, his life-long endeavor has been to thank her by believing in his Branson students, whether in Spanish 2, 3, or the Native/Heritage speakers class. He strives to create a culture in class where students can succeed, with joy and enthusiasm, despite their challenges. Outside the classroom, you’ll find Sergio embracing a healthy lifestyle, traveling to other Spanish-speaking countries, and dancing Tango.

Heather Duncan, Science Teacher Heather Duncan has been teaching biology and chemistry for over thirty years, including Branson’s popular Microbiology and Infectious Disease course.

She loves the classroom and has dedicated her life’s work to instilling a passion for the environment and love of learning to her students. She has had the opportunity to teach all three of her children in high school and can appreciate a student’s perspective of her classroom.

When not in the classroom, Heather coaches girls’ lacrosse, supports clubs such as Women in STEM and Sustainable Seas, and trains her puppy for Guide Dogs for the Blind. Outside of Branson, Heather enjoys running, hiking, and backpacking.

9

ACADEMICS

We live in a rapidly changing, complex world.

A Branson education leans into change.

You’ll build on our core curriculum with electives and courses such as Shakespeare and the Twenty-First Century, History of Hip-Hop, Microbiology and Infectious Disease, or Mobile Application Development in iOS. You’ll have even more options through the Bay Area BlendEd Consortium, such as Bay Area Cinema & Filmmaking, Entrepreneurship & Design Thinking, or Wilderness Studies.

And if you want to step out even further, Branson offers opportunities to learn globally—spend a semester abroad at The Island School in the Bahamas, The Mountain School in Vermont, or maybe even a full year in China or Italy.

At Branson, learning happens all around, all the time. You’ll learn from upperclassmen who’ve become passionate about a particular subject or area, faculty and staff advisors in clubs, your coach or instructor, or a guest speaker at Assembly. We embrace education as a process that goes both ways—students and faculty power the engine of teaching and learning together.

“I have always enjoyed our discussions in class because I get to hear the different views and opinions that my peers have on certain subjects.

It has become more common for these discussions to continue outside of the classroom, which I love because it shows how passionate everyone is about learning. I appreciate how everyone can hold very strong opinions and beliefs but they are still open-minded.”

NANCY GRAMAJO ’21

10

Adapting to Uncertainty In March 2020, Branson pivoted to 100% distance learning in a matter of days, in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. Charting new territory for all of us, we dug deep, mining new wells of innovation and creativity, to reinvent the Branson experience online.

Students, faculty, and staff taught and learned, cared for one another, and even found new ways of having fun, all from their laptops.

During the 2020-21 school year, our faculty and staff rallied for our students, and in October 2020, we were one of the first Bay Area schools to fully reopen for in-person learning, four days a week. In indoor and outdoor classrooms, distanced and masked, we once again demonstrated the strength of our community and our commitment to excellence in the face of adversity.

Courage looks different for everybody.

At Branson, we take risks, conquer fears, and do the right thing as we grow to be brave.

It wasn’t easy. But in the end, we all showed what Branson’s core values of courage, kindness, honor, and purpose truly look like during a time of crisis.

In the 2021-22 school year, we are still reinventing, improving, and learning. The pandemic continues to throw curve balls, and we can’t know what the future will hold, but a few things are certain: Branson will adapt, we will innovate, we will stay nimble, and we will do it all because our students’ education and well-being always come first.

11

COMMUNITY

Be who you are, wherever you are, all the time.

12

At Branson, we encourage you to show up as your authentic self. When you’re comfortable in your own skin, you can be empowered to step outside your comfort zone and grow. It takes courage to lean into actions that teach you about yourself.

Our students, faculty, and staff bring to Branson a wealth and diversity of life experiences. We strive to give our students a deep and confident sense of belonging in each of their diverse identities as we cultivate their unique talents and strengths.

From this, our students become leaders who enrich our community, and the world, with their ideas and perspective.

Kindness means seeking understanding of others so

D I V E R S I T Y M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T

Branson believes that diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential components of an excellent learning environment and a vibrant, caring community. We

we can be compassionate, helpful, and fair.

aspire to create a community in which every member feels a deep sense of belonging and inclusion.

Whether through our Human Development curriculum; our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programming; guest speakers; or affinity groups, students develop an understanding of how their intersecting identities and skills make them powerful contributors to any conversation. Branson is here to help you develop the confidence, willpower, and moral compass to be brave.

Students meet Dr. Cornel West, American Philosopher, Political Activist, Social Critic, and Author 13

CHANGEMAKERS

We are change makers.

At Branson, we belong to each other and to the world, becoming expert participants in future conversations and agents of change who redefine privilege as the opportunity to serve others and drive progress.

Through Community Engagement programs, Junior Fellowships, clubs, affinity groups, or just on their own time, Branson students take their interests outside the classroom and connect what they are learning with other passions to make change happen.

14

Jessica Le ’21

“I developed a huge curiosity towards the natural sciences when I was young, which I’ve been able to grow at Branson,” says Jessica Le ’21. Jessica developed and taught a 5-week online ecology course to middle schoolers at Next Generation Scholars Summer Academy. “I pushed my students to become explorers in their own backyard, taking their learning outside the classroom and far beyond the screen…Seeing their final projects was super amazing.” Jessica rounded out her Junior Fellowship as an intern at UCSF, researching new machine learning techniques to improve melanoma diagnoses.

Chris Mazzola Head of School

“The purpose of a Branson education is not solely to catalyze the b rilliance and potential of each student, but also to realize the common bond we have with each other in working to create a beloved community.”

Lawrence Bancroft ’21

“It’s time to have these tough race conversations and challenge the status quo because if we don’t, who will? America needs to become a nation based on empathy and understanding and not belittling and over-policing.

People fail to see the intersectionality of social and economic issues, and the sooner we treat them as one and the same, the sooner change will happen,” said Lawrence Bancroft ’21 in his speech at a Black Lives Matter protest in June 2020. Lawrence grew up in Tiburon and is passionate about reclaiming the black narrative and building a just society, whether at Branson or in the Bay Area community.

Spencer Hao ’21

“I fell in love with [the KEEN program] because the community is so welcoming and supportive.

It is an honor to contribute and make it a safe home where each athlete feels accepted and empowered to be themselves,” says Spencer Hao ’21. Spencer was a Branson Community Engagement Coordinator and Lead Marin Coach for Kids Enjoy Exercise Now (KEEN)—an international athletic program for children with developmental differences (such as autism and Down syndrome).

As a CE Coordinator, Spencer organized monthly sessions where Branson students play and interact with KEEN athletes in a safe, inclusive environment.

Purpose is something we find and something we offer. We see privilege as the opportunity to serve others and drive progress.

“One of the things I love about Branson is that all the kids really enjoy doing community engagement. We see it less as a requirement and more as a fun way to get involved with our community. This is a big part of the culture at Branson and, in my opinion, is one of the things that Branson students do best...At Branson, kids will help out their community even after they have completed all their required hours, just because they want to.”

JAMIE KLEIN ’22

15

STUDENT LIFE

Your affinity group meeting is in an hour. Tonight you have rehearsal for the annual winter dance performance, Body Talk. Tomorrow is Crazy Hat Day, which you’ll obviously be rocking at the fall sports all-school assembly and, to top it off, you just got an email that today’s lunch is a “breakfast for dinner” theme (yes!).

You’re also really looking forward to your Debate Club and STRIVE (Students Tackling Racial Issues via Education) meetings later this week.

With 40+ clubs and 9 student affinity groups to explore, Student Life is about students, by students, and for students. After the Fall Clubs Fair, maybe you’re inspired to write op-eds for the Branson Blazer or raise student concerns to the administration as part of the Student Life Advisory Board. Whether pursuing long held interests or discovering new ones, there’s no shortage of ways for you to engage.

STUDENT SUPPORT

At Branson, we offer wrap-around support to help you take risks, find your authentic voice, and realize your potential to change the world.

Class Deans: Each class dean

Clubs: From surfing to singing, if you

supports students’ holistic development

have an interest, we have a student-led

through academic and co-curricular

club to match. (And if we don’t, you can

interests and pursuits.

create a new one!)

On-campus Counseling: Our licensed family therapist offers students a safe and welcoming space to share what’s on your mind.

16

“I love Branson because of the community that drives the academics. Branson is a safe environment where we all can express our humanity and find our identity while learning concepts and ideas that will empower us for the rest of our lives. All the teachers and students are open, ready to help and foster positivity...Branson makes compassion, thought, and community the most important, which in the end allows us to succeed and eventually make the world a little better place.”

SHAIL BELANI ’23

Advisory Group: Beginning freshman

Rand Learning Center: Students with

year, your advisor will be both your guide

diagnosed learning differences can find

to talk through academic, personal, or

support at the Rand Learning Center. Need

community challenges and your advocate.

help with note-taking or study skills? Or a

Weekly meetings in your group of eight

quiet place to take a test? We’ll set you up

to ten students hold space for important

for academic success.

community conversations or simply to check in and enjoy connecting.

Affinity Groups: From our Women of Color Affinity Space, to our Alphabet Group for LGBTQIA+ identifying students, to our Funky Family Group for non-nuclear family structures, there are many ways to explore and connect with peers about the wonderful dimensions of your identity.

17

AT H L E T I C S

sUp n r o #H Bulls #Go Branson is a small school that plays in the big leagues—and wins.

Branson’s outstanding tradition begins with our commitment to competition, hard work, and character development. However, even more than our 77 NorCal regional championships or 12 state championships, we celebrate when Branson student-athletes reach their potential both on and off the court. When you participate you become part of something bigger than yourself: your team, your sport, your legacy.

“My favorite part about Branson is the diverse range of activities. Instead of fitting into one role or box like a stereotypical high school, the jocks are also nerds, artists, and theater kids, at the same time. This culture helps students feel comfortable trying new activities and creates an overall sense of inclusivity because it breaks down a lot of traditional high school barriers.”

SILVIA JACOBY ’22

18

AT H L E T I C S

Branson is a small school that plays in the big leagues— and wins.

19

VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS

Whatever the art form, students drive the creative process.

20

Whatever the art form, students drive the creative process. You will collaborate with both your teacher and peers while also honing your individual voice. You will be challenged to try new things and take artistic risks, while also learning the formal and technical elements of the discipline. You will be inspired and urged to make your art a part of your daily practice so that you can grow, improve, and move past challenges. At Branson, your authentic self will inform and inspire the work you produce in any art form, and the skills you develop will serve you in all areas of life.

21

COLLEGE DREAMS

College Counseling at Branson is not just about helping you find the right college. It’s much more than that. It’s about helping you discover who you are now, and who you want to become.

You may know exactly what you want from your college experience.

You may have no idea. Or you may still be figuring it out. Our college counselors will help you create your own roadmap to success, starting with the “why” of where you want to go. They listen carefully.

They ask thoughtful questions. And because they stay at the forefront of college admissions and financial aid trends, you can trust their expertise to help you find your path forward.

Branson graduates are thriving at colleges and universities, large and small, all across the U.S. and the world.

ALUMNI VOICES

You’ll find Branson alumni in all walks of life; from entrepreneurs to activists, lawyers to software engineers, scientists to athletes, they do it all. Our alumni stay connected with Branson, coming back to campus for alumni soccer and basketball games, reunions, to teach classes, or to just stop by and say hello to their favorite faculty. Branson graduates help each other out, whether you’re looking for a job or need help with a project. The friendships and connections you form at Branson will last a lifetime.

22

C O L L E G E M AT R I C U L AT I O N 2019-2021

American University

Harvard University (5)

Sciences Po/Columbia University

Amherst College (3)

Harvey Mudd College

Scripps College (3)

University of Pennsylvania (8)

Bard College

Johns Hopkins University (3)

Sewanee: University of the South

University of Richmond

Barnard College

Lehigh University

Skidmore College

University of Rochester

Boston College (5)

Loyola Marymount University

Southern Methodist University (7)

University of San Diego

Boston University

Middlebury College (4)

Stanford University (13)

University of Southern California (8)

Bowdoin College

New York University (6)

Syracuse University (2)

University of Sydney

Brown University (8)

Northeastern University (4)

The University of Tampa

University of Texas

Bryn Mawr College

Northwestern University (3)

The University of Texas at Austin

University of Virginia (2)

Carleton College (2)

Oberlin College

Tufts University (9)

University of Washington (4)

Carnegie Mellon University (2)

Occidental College

Tulane University (3)

University of Wisconsin (3)

Chapman University (2)

Pepperdine University

University of British Columbia (2)

Vanderbilt University (2)

Claremont McKenna College (2)

Pitzer College

UC, Berkeley (3)

Vassar College (2)

Colby College (2)

Pomona College (2)

UC, Irvine (2)

Wake Forest University (2)

Colgate University (2)

Princeton University (2)

UC, Los Angeles (9)

Washington & Lee University (3)

Colorado College (2)

Rice University

UC, Santa Barbara

Washington University in St Louis (6)

Columbia University

San Diego State University (2)

UC, San Diego (4)

Wellesley College

Cornell University (2)

Santa Clara University

University of Chicago (7)

Wesleyan University (2)

Dartmouth College (6)

University of Colorado Boulder (3)

Williams College

Davidson College (2)

University of Massachusetts

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Drew University

University of Miami

Yale University (6)

Duke University (4)

University of Michigan (6)

Eckerd College

University of Notre Dame

Ecole Poly. Federale de Lausanne Emory University (2) Franklin & Marshall College Franklin University Switzerland Georgetown University (4) Georgia Inst. of Technology

“The friendships forged at Branson over four intense years remain strong even today. At my class’s fiftieth reunion last fall, 25 women picked up on old conversations as if there had been no interruption in time. At Branson, we had developed not only a common language, but also an unshakeable trust and belief in each other.”

RACHEL HOOPER ’69 Environmental & Land Conservation Attorney

“What I loved most about Branson was that the faculty nurtured creativity, both inside and outside of academics. I always felt like a bit of a weirdo as a teenager, but at Branson there were so many teachers who were drawn to and actively encouraged that side of me. Their encouragement resulted in a blend of creatively focused study and adventurous exploration of art and music and culture outside of school that helped me gain confidence in who I am and led me happily down the path to where I am now professionally and personally.”

MIKE LONG ’92 Emmy Award-Winning Film Editor

23

GET TING TO BRANSON

Branson serves students from five Bay Area counties, so we offer a variety of transportation options. We also encourage carpooling and other modes of transportation that reduce traffic for our neighbors and model environmental sustainability.

Tr a n s p o r t a t i o n o p t i o n s t y p i c a l l y * i n c l u d e : CARPOOLS

SHUTTLE BUS

BRANSON BUS AND VAN SERVICES

The vast majority of students carpool to Branson and parking spots on campus and close to campus are reserved for carpools.

Branson’s free shuttle runs a continuous loop from the St. Anselm’s parking lot (our off-campus parking area) to campus in the mornings and after school.

GOLDEN GATE TRANSIT

MARIN TRANSIT YOUTH PASS

Branson offers van and bus services to and from the East Bay, San Francisco, and select locations in southern Marin. See our website for routes, schedules, and costs. Exact stops may change each year depending on student residences.

Students may also use Golden Gate Transit to commute to Branson to and from the East Bay, San Francisco, and within Marin. The closest stop to Branson is at Bolinas Avenue and Sir Francis Drake Boulevard.

Branson participates in the Marin Transit Youth Pass program, which allows Marin County students under 18 unlimited rides on local transit routes in the county. Students whose household incomes qualify them as low-income are eligible for free Youth Passes.

SMART TRAIN Branson provides morning and afternoon shuttles to and from the San Rafael Transit Station.

GREEN OPTIONS Branson encourages walking to campus, biking, and electric bikes, and has incentive programs for bike purchases.

Please see our website for the latest updates.

A F F O R D I N G A B R A N S O N E D U C AT I O N

All students interested in Branson are encouraged to apply, regardless of ability to pay.

We are committed to opening our doors to a socioeconomically diverse student body.

Backing that commitment is a financial aid budget of over $2.9 million each year, which allows us to welcome talented students from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds into our community.

TUITION, EXPENSES, AND FINANCIAL AID

APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL AID

Branson works hard to ensure that all our students are fully engaged in school life regardless of financial means. Branson budgets sufficient financial aid support to help fund students’ participation in enrichment activities and school events (such as school-sponsored trips, concerts, plays, and athletics). We also provide assistance for other miscellaneous costs.

The traditional financial aid process includes a detailed, comprehensive review of families’ eligibility via an online financial aid form through School and Student Services (SSS).

In the past, Branson has offered a full range of grants to eligible families, from $4,800 to almost full tuition. Financial aid is granted on the basis of annual need for students, which is determined by the Financial Aid Committee each year.

Tuition at Branson for the 2021-2022 school year is $52,800. While we believe that Branson is well worth the investment, we know that private school tuition can be daunting, so we offer options to make it manageable for families. Financial aid and two payment plans (one-time or ten monthly payments) are designed to accommodate each family’s budget.

Additional expenses of roughly $2,500 to $3,000 cover the cost of the lunch program, textbooks, dues, cultural and social activities, and other miscellaneous expenses. Financial aid is available by application for tuition and the associated costs of attending Branson. Costs are adjusted for families receiving financial aid.

24

To learn more about applying for financial aid, see our website and register with School and Student Services (SSS) at solutionsbysss.org or call them at 800-344-8348.

For more information, please visit branson.org/admissions

O U R VA L U E S

Branson admits students of any race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, or disability to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities of the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, age, gender, gender identity, religion, ethnicity or national origin, sexual orientation, or physical disability in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship programs, or athletic or other school-administered programs. Branson complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act in providing services to students with disabilities.

Photographs ©David Wakely Photography, Robin Jackson Photography, Doug Slater Photography, Sarah M. Gonzales/SMG Foto

Courage Kindness Honor Purpose

GE T TO KNOW BRANSON branson.org

2021–2022