Branson Acceptance Brochure_Class of 2027_English

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“I know that you will come to understand that Branson is the place where you belong, a place where you will discover and develop your passions by putting your creativity at the service of the world…”

- Chris Mazzola, Head of School

OUR COM

MUNITY

Courage Kindness Honor Purpose

VALUES

When you come to Branson, you’ll join a supportive culture, one where we make it easier to be brave. Being brave could be advancing a new idea in class, being clutch when your team needs you, or putting yourself out there on the stage. Being brave could be connecting with someone very different from yourself in the broader community. Being brave could be failing but not giving up. Being brave could be asking for help.

Our mutual respect between students and teachers enables us to act courageously, with purpose, in an honorable and kind manner. On top of all that – we have a lot of fun together!

We can’t wait to see you here.

H A N D B O O K E N R O L L M E N T



CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ACCEPTANCE TO

BRANSON

I am delighted to welcome you to this very special community.

If I have not yet met you, my name is Chris Mazzola. I am the Head of School at Branson and this is my 32nd year working with high school students! I will be entering my 8th year at Branson in the fall.

CLAIM YOUR SPOT!

Your acceptance to Branson means that you are a student of the highest quality and that your personal traits mirror our four core values: courage, kindness, honor, and purpose. Through your excellent work in school and outside of it, you have proven yourself to be ready for the challenges of Branson.

You can look forward to a variety of wonderful experiences during your four years at Branson. At times it will be difficult,

March 23 at noon: Financial Aid Enrollment Agreements Due March 24 at noon: General Enrollment Agreements Due

but know that your hard work will not be without purpose.

TO ENR OLL AT BR ANSO N :

The faculty and I will be working alongside you to prepare you to enter an increasingly complicated world, one that needs ethical leaders who are willing to work hard to make it better.

Embrace each challenge that Branson provides and know that you will have our support each step of the way.

Again, congratulations on your acceptance to Branson. It is truly an exceptional place, and I hope you will choose to enter this collaborative and inspirational educational community.

I look forward to getting to know you and your family, and guiding you through high school and on to adulthood.

All the best, Christina K. Mazzola Head of School

1

Log in to your Ravenna Hub account.

2 Select “Decisions” in the menu on the left hand side.

3 Click the “View Decision” link for the Branson School.

4 Formally accept your offer to Branson!

5 Electronically sign your enrollment contract sent to you by email.

6 Pay your enrollment deposit.* *If you requested financial assistance, you should have already received an email with your financial aid package. If you have any questions or concerns about your enrollment contract or financial assistance, please email Amber Johnson, Director of Finance, at Amber_Johnson@branson.org.

w e lcome to the

c ommun i ty

Dear Incoming Freshmen, We are the class representatives for the current freshman class at Branson and, just like you, we recently faced the important decision of which high school we wanted to attend for the next four years of our lives!

Each year, Branson draws the most talented youth in the Bay Area to its beautiful campus. High five to you for making this great achievement! With a highly qualified and dedicated teaching and administration team, Branson offers endless, unbeatable opportunities for its students. We want to share the aspects that we feel most thrilled about.

Are you like us when we were just admitted: very anxious about the upcoming academic challenge in a school renowned for its rigorous academics? However, Branson’s Objective Based Grading system certainly relieves the anxiety: students won’t be given a traditional letter grade in the first semester. Instead, teachers provide them narrative feedback on their progress and show them the ropes on how to reach the proficient level of every objective. Shrugging off grade pressure, it enables us to focus on learning itself and become self-motivated to better ourselves.

Gyms and fields at Branson are studded by countless sports stars playing volleyball, basketball, golf and many more sports. Whether you are a skilled athlete or plan to explore a new sport, you can find one team that suits your needs. All three of us have joined various levels of sports teams this year, and had a blast playing and socializing with peers with similar interests.

We also have over 50 clubs and affinity groups! You can join any mix of them, which provides a great way to discover your niches and add values to our community.

Meeting many new people makes you feel really involved in campus life and find your place in this beloved community.

Class of 2027, an amazing journey at Branson awaits you. We are excited to meet you this fall!

GO BULLS! Barry, Luke, and Henry Class of 2026 Representatives

1 THE PEOPLE!

2- mall class sizes

The s iscussions gag ing. d n make ting and e s intere

8: Annual traditions – such as Day on the Green, Welcome Week, and Gospel Night – that we celebrate together.

~ 9 ~ Everyone at Branson is authentic and tries to be the best version of themselves every day.

10

THE CLASSES! 15ng- able to choofisneding

13

Beautiful campus surrounded by nature

• 14 •

The balance that Branson has.

Most schools are known for their great academics, or their great athletics, but Branson has both and more.

, Bei t path didn't n e r e f f you a di rests ad. e t n i new you h w o n even k

23 t to l

16: Interdisciplinary classes! Science and humanities electives.

ATHLETICS! 17 THE They are key to making friendships.

18

no.

The variety of opportunities—from a multitude of clubs, to different classes, competitive sports, and many choices of art programs, Branson offers opportunities for you to find your passion and learn more about it.

The p o •3• The multicolored leaves in the fall

4

no.

y! t-tr us

le is a m o z THE FOOD!

6: Every year right before Winter Break,

parents bring cookies and hot chocolate into the academic quad for all the students and teachers.

~ 7 ~

5 THE

COMMUNITY

Great friendships across grades

d at kin ity h w r o mmun cel at o x c e e u h o hat y ne in t w o r y u will e r t o e t y v a e d , m n you. e a r o , a No t u s u o e o y i cept son y ilarit m i s e of per ome and ac r at sha h elc t w e l l l i p w eo f ind p s y a alw

11-

ngs hings

ve love

about

from the Class of 2023 • 20 • Performing!

The Musical, Spring Play, FAB, Winter Arts Festival, and more.

12

The sports teams and spirit (best student section in Marin) 19

THE TEACHERS!

They're passionate about what they do, they really care about students, and they want you to succeed.

How the Branson community encompasses individuals with different ideas and no. a diverse set of passions.

22 Learning to ask

21

meaningful questions and problem solve from multiple perspectives.

23-IVES!

S R E M IM

MARCH 23 & 24 ENROLL!

Visit Ravenna and claim your spot.

Financial Aid Enrollment Agreements are due March 23 at noon.

General Enrollment Agreements are due March 24 at noon.

APRIL 17-28

WHAT’S NEXT:

TAKE YOUR PLACEMENT EXAMS: MATH (Required) All incoming freshmen must take a 60-minute math placement test. Most students will take the Algebra Placement Test, which is appropriate for placement into Algebra I or Geometry. Students who have completed Geometry should take the Geometry Placement Test, which may lead to placement into Algebra II. Students hoping to place higher than Algebra II should contact the department chair. Please address math placement questions to gayatri_ramesh branson.org.

AUGUST 22 & 23 JOIN US AT FRESHMAN ORIENTATION

APRIL 29 MEET YOUR CLASSMATES AT NEW STUDENT WELCOME DAY We are excited to host all incoming freshmen and their families from the Class of 2027 on campus at our New Student Welcome Celebration.

Meet our Branson community and learn more about preparing for fall 2023. This is a mandatory event for all members of the Class of 2027, and parents are encouraged to attend too.

Afterward, stay on campus to check out our annual Festival of the Arts at Branson (FAB).

LANGUAGE (Optional)

ARTS (Optional)

The Language Department offers Mandarin, Spanish, and Spanish for Native and Heritage Speakers. Students wishing to take the first year of any language can simply sign up for that course. Students wishing to place into Level II or Spanish for Native and Heritage Speakers must take a placement test. Please address language placement questions to jennifer_diaz@branson.org.

Many arts courses suitable for freshmen do not require an audition. Students wishing to take Survey of Visual Arts, Dance I: Coed Dance, Dance for Men, Beginning Acting, or Music 1: Roots of Americana can simply sign up for that course.

SCIENCE (Optional) Incoming freshmen take Physics 1 or Physics Honors. If a student wants to take Physics 1, they can simply sign up for that course. Students wishing to take Physics Honors must take a placement test. Please address science placement questions to carl_ma@branson.org.

Experienced instrumentalists, singers, actors, and dancers should schedule a placement audition. Please address specific placement questions to the following: Music placement: jaimeo_brown branson.org, Acting placement: maura_vaughn branson.org Dance placement: alex_escalante branson.org.

ENGLISH & HISTORY & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT All freshmen are automatically enrolled in English I, Modern World History, and Human Development. No placement tests are required.

Freshman orientation on campus will introduce all incoming freshmen to what it means to join the Branson community. In your first few weeks at Branson, you will participate in workshops focused on academic skills, technology use, wellness and self-care, and much more. Students will also meet faculty, staff, and members of the Branson community.

PLACEMENT TEST AND AUDITION DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED.

Be Prepared Once you have claimed your spot, you will be hearing from us directly about everything from course sign-ups to summer reading and welcome events.

Bookmark our “Welcome, Class of 2027” page on branson.org We’ll post updates there throughout the spring to keep you informed.

Visit branson.org/academics/ technology to learn more about our technology program and “Bring Your Own Device” policy.

Over the summer, parents/guardians will receive access to our MyBranson student information system and our Magnus Health portal.

GOOOOOO BULLS!

Go to branson-spiritwear.myshopify.com to order your BRANSON SPIRIT gear today!

Your family will start to receive school communications later this spring about upcoming events such as our Festival of Arts at Branson (FAB).

We hope you enjoy getting to know our community even before we welcome you to campus in person.

HORNS UP!

2023-24 SCHOOL CALENDAR 2023 Aug 22 & 23 Freshman Orientation Aug 28 First Day of Classes Sept 4 Labor Day Holiday Oct 11 Freshman Parent/Advisor Conferences Nov 20-24 November Break Dec 21-Jan 5 Winter Break 2024 Jan 8 Feb 19-23

Classes Resume Midwinter Break Mar 29 - Apr 5 Spring Break May 27 Memorial Day Holiday June 5 Last Day of School/Graduation Highlights only. Subject to change. For the most complete, up-to-date calendar, visit branson.org

Questions about anything?

You can always reach out to our Admissions Team at: admission@branson.org

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Nathalio Gray, Assistant Head of School for Mission Advancement nathalio_gray@branson.org Ellie Skewes-Cox, Associate Director of Admissions & Class Dean ellie_skewes-cox@branson.org Marisha Rodriguez, Assistant Director of Admissions marisha_rodriguez@branson.org Will Kennedy, Admissions Associate will_kennedy@branson.org

Tips They’ve learned a lot this year.

Here’s what they have to say!

Meet new people (teachers and students), try new things (clubs and classes), and engage in the community!

Use you r free periods wisely f or getting ahead o n work or scheduli ng meetings or for scheduli ng quizzes /tests!

Meet with your teachers!

They all want the b est for you and will en courage yo u to meet wit h them, so it will only be nefit you!

Be open to new experiences.

Stay !

S U O I R CU

for Success

from your peers at Branson

Consider playing a sport in the fall season of your freshman year – it allows you to meet a group of your peers before school even starts, and provides a group of familiar faces on campus.

Be proactive and on top of work. Always . meet with teachers g If you are strugglin know with material, just the teachers have

Find a go

balance of work and socializin g

od

your back.

t Reach ou rt for suppo when you need it.

Check your Branson email Branch out from whatever group of friends you find art yourself in at the st of freshman year.

often so you don’t miss out on what’s happening.

E E SL

! !

P!

state champs

women’s retreat

finance club

connections MCAL

debate club inclusion support courage

affinity groups

junior talent show learning best buddies

diversity

MEDITATION CLUB

honor model UN A CAPPELLA

purpose

17 acres

environmental action committee

Photos: Robin Jackson, Wedge Creative, PEOPLEtography

civil discourse club

teachers friendship

film club

community

100 years

student government MEDICAL CLUB

junior fellowships kindness