Welcome to Branson's Class of 2028

Anything is possible...

“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 COMMUNITY VALUES Courage Kindness Honor Purpose

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 di erent 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.



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 33rd year working with high school students! I will be entering my 9th year at Branson in the fall.

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

CLAIM YOUR SPOT!

March 21 at noon: Financial Aid Enrollment Agreements Due

March 22 at noon: General Enrollment Agreements Due

TO ENROLL AT BRANSON:

Log in to your Ravenna Hub account.

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

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

Formally accept your o er to Branson!

Electronically sign your enrollment contract sent to you by email.

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.

Dear Incoming Branson Freshman,

We are the current class representatives from our freshman class at Branson. We just wanted to congratulate you for completing the tough high school application process. Just like you, we also had to make the hard decision of which high school to attend for the next four years, but we are beyond happy with our decision. High five to you for this great achievement!

With a highly qualified and dedicated faculty and staff, Branson offers endless, unbeatable opportunities for its students. We want to share the aspects that we feel most thrilled about.

First, Branson has an Objective Based Grading system that certainly relieves anxiety about grades your freshman year. Students aren’t given a traditional letter grade in the first semester. Instead, teachers will provide you narrative feedback on your progress and show you the ropes on how to reach the proficient level of every objective. We found that it helps us to focus on learning itself and develop self-motivation to improve ourselves by letting go of the pressure to get good grades.

There are also many student athletes at Branson. Students of various athletic levels may be seen playing volleyball, basketball, golf, and many other sports on the beautiful fields and gyms at Branson. Regardless of your level of talent or desire, we hope you will feel confident in trying out a new sport. All three of us have joined various levels of sports teams this year, and we’ve had a blast playing and socializing with all grade levels.

Along with sports, there are many interesting arts and theater opportunities, plus clubs like A Cappella and debate. We also have a variety of affinity groups! You can join any mix of them, which provides a great way to discover your niche interests and add value to our community.

In addition to its countless opportunities and resources, Branson ensures a lot of fun. Our freshman class has enjoyed spirited sports games, grade pizza parties, dances, and various social activities. With fellow classmates from all over the Bay Area, meeting new people has helped us feel really involved in campus life and find our place in this Beloved Community.

Branson has been a great fit for us and we hope that you will feel just as welcomed. Class of 2028, an amazing journey at Branson awaits you. Enjoy the rest of your 8th grade year and we are excited to meet you this fall!

GO BULLS!

Anna, London & Mason Class of 2027 Representatives

1 THE PEOPLE!

2The small class sizes make interestingdiscussions and engaging.

8: Annual traditions – such as Class 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.

13

Beautiful campus surrounded by nature

10 THE CLASSES!

15Being able to choose a different path, finding new interests you didn't even know you had.

things love to 24

• 14 •

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

16: Interdisciplinary classes! Science and humanities electives.

17 THE ATHLETICS!

They are key to making friendships.

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.

• 3 •

The multicolored leaves in the fall

6: Every year right before Winter Break, parents bring cookies and hot chocolate into the academic quad for all the students and teachers.

5 THE COMMUNITY ~ 7 ~

Greatacrossfriendships grades

11No matter what you excel at or what kind of person you are, everyone in the community will welcome and accept you, and you will always find people that share similarities to you.

things love

12 about

from the Class of 2024

Performing!

22 • 20

The Musical, Spring Play, FAB, Winter Arts Festival,

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

19 THE TEACHERS!

How the Branson community encompasses individuals with different ideas and a diverse set of passions. no.21

Learning to ask meaningful questions and problem solve from multiple perspectives.

They're passionate about what they do, they really care about students, and they want you to succeed. #24

23IMMERSIVES!

NEXT: WHAT’S

MARCH 21 & 22

ENROLL!

Visit Ravenna and claim your spot.

Financial Aid Enrollment Agreements are due March 21 at noon.

General Enrollment Agreements are due March 22 at noon.

MID-APRIL - EARLY MAY

TAKE YOUR PLACEMENT ASSESSMENTS:

MATH (Required)

All incoming freshmen will take a math assessment to make sure they are placed at the correct level of challenge, from Algebra I through Algebra II Honors. Students hoping to place higher than Algebra II Honors should contact the department chair in advance. Please address math placement questions to gayatri_ramesh branson.org.

MEET YOUR CLASSMATES AT NEW STUDENT

WELCOME DAY

We are excited to host all incoming freshmen and their families from the Class of 2028 on campus at our New Student Welcome Celebration. Meet our Branson community and learn more about preparing for fall 2024. This is a mandatory event for all members of the Class of 2028, 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)

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 should request an assessment. Please address language placement questions to aaron_bardo@branson.org.

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 should request an assessment. Please address science placement questions to ryanne_chitjian@branson.org.

ENGLISH & HISTORY & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

All freshmen are automatically enrolled in English I, Modern World History, and Human Development. Students will provide a short writing sample on the day of their math assessment.

ARTS (Optional)

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.

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.

EXACT DATES FOR PLACEMENT ASSESSMENTS AND AUDITIONS TO BE ANNOUNCED.

Join us for 9th Grade Orientation & Parent/Guardian Education Day on campus to learn all about what it means to be part of the Branson community. Orientation for new students will continue throughout the first week of classes, beginning on August 26. Branson will also host drop-in sessions for students to set up their devices on the Branson system, and to pick up school materials, during the week of August 12. Stay tuned for more details!

Be Prepared

Bookmark our “Welcome, Class of 2028” page on MyBranson. We’ll post updates there throughout the spring to keep you informed.

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.

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

After you enroll, parents/guardians will receive access to our MyBranson student information system and our Magnus Health portal.

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

2024-25 SCHOOL CALENDAR

2024

Aug 21

Aug 26

Sept 2

Oct 16

Nov 25-29

Dec 23-Jan 3

Freshman Orientation

First Day of Classes

Labor Day Holiday

Freshman Parent/Advisor Conferences

November Break

Winter Break Classes Resume

Midwinter Break

Spring Break

Memorial Day Holiday

Last Day of School/Graduation

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 (on leave, Spring 2024)

Marisha Rodriguez, Assistant Director of Admissions marisha_rodriguez@branson.org

Will Kennedy, Assistant Director of Admissions will_kennedy@branson.org

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

Tips

They’ve learned a lot this year. Here’s what they have to say!

Use your free periods wisely for getting ahead on work or scheduling meetings or for scheduling quizzes/tests!

Meet with your teachers! They all want the best for you and will encourage you to meet with them, so it will only benefit you!

Be open to new experiences.

Stay CURIOUS!

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.

Reach out for support when you need it.

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

Branch out from whatever group of friends you find yourself in at the start of freshman year.

Find a good balance of work and socializing

Check your Branson email often so you don’t miss out on what’s happening.

MEDICAL CLUB

finance club

100 years

friendship

junior fellowships student government

debate club

teachers a inity groups

junior talent show

best buddies

state champs civil discourse club inclusion

women’s retreat

kindness support learning

connections diversity

MEDITATION CLUB

film club environmental action committee

Photos: Robin Jackson, Wedge Creative, PEOPLEtography

17 acres

MCAL model UN A CAPPELLA

community courage honor purpose