Greenwich Sentinel
2020-2021 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE
A Remarkable Founding Story
How the Past can be a Useful, Inspiring, Energizing and Creative Force for Schools in 2020
By Peter W.E. Becker All schools have a history, a founding story. Schools come from particular places and times and typically have a particular founding purpose. Some are named to honor an actual person, visionary or inspiring – their founder, or more often, another i n f luentia l leader, educator, a c t i v i s t , p o e t , p h i l o s o p h e r, scient ist, or ph i la nt h ropist. Ideally, the inspiration derived from that person or that purpose, which was so clear at the beginning, remains relevant and energizing from one generation t o t h e n e x t , i n p e r p e t u i t y. Unfortunately, we k now that often, when institutions reckon with their founding, it drives them to have to clarify what they stand for today, and they discover
that their current purpose does not align with their founding purpose, for better or worse. It is essential for families considering schools, and for school leaders and boards, to pursue this line of inquiry: Why does this school exist today, a nd i n what ways is t hat i n line with or different from its original reason for being? When the boarding school I lead went through this process, centered on our founder, Frederick Gunn, it culminated in the decision to change our school’s name after 170 years from The Gunnery to The Frederick Gunn School. A Connecticut native and graduate of Yale, Mr. Gunn was an outdoorsman and naturalist recognized as the founder of camping in the United States, a courageous abolitionist, a leader of the Underground Railroad i n t he tow n of Wa sh i ng ton , Connecticut, and a pioneering e du c ato r. H e m o d e l e d b o t h resilience in the face of unanticipated challenges and a willingness to stand up for the rights of all people. His message is a message for our time, and for all time. The responses we received to our name change – from current students, parents, faculty, alumni
and residents of the town, where incidentally, the public library and the local history museum also bear Mr. Gunn’s name – rem ind us that the past has power, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. At The Frederick Gunn School, we are fortunate that the founding ethos and philosophy of Mr. Gunn is in many ways more relevant today than ever. Discovering alignment, or a lack thereof, between past and present keeps an institution on its toes, and forces it to stay cle a r on it s pu r p o s e a s t he trends i n education a nd the pressures of the meritocracy and the market essentially compel institutions to make changes out of expediency, rather than out of a deep commitment or belief that something is actually in the best interest of students. We are for tunate to have a fou nder whose re ason for being was the best interest of the student in ways that every parent today would want for their own child. Who wouldn't want their child to grow up to be like Frederick Gunn? He was, in essence, an entrepreneur who modeled and sought to instill in his students what David Brooks refers to as “eulogy virtues,” the traits we should all aspire
to, which “exist at the core of your being, whether you are kind, brave, honest or faithful.” He married performance with purpose. The transformative power o f b o a r d i n g s c h o o l s i s t h at they challenge students to be independent, to try new things, to risk failure, secure in the knowledge that the teachers and friends around them believe in them. It is out of that belief, that confidence, and the supportive, challenging 24/7 environment that boarding school provides that students hone the inner drive and skills to succeed in school and in life. Perhaps most importantly in a boarding school setting, Mr. Gunn understood the power he (and almost any te ache r) held to sh ap e how a student saw himself – and wielded it deftly and with great compassion. He spoke about this most clearly in his 187 7 address when he said: “There is an unconscious inf luence, a mysterious, silent emanation going out from the personality of every teacher which is one of the strong forces of nature. Silent as the force of gravity, more powerful than the will of man, this inf luence works like the unnoticed electricity of the
atmosphere, and makes it certain that every teacher will actually teach that which he is.” Any of us whose life has been transformed through the conviction of a nonparent adult mentor who believed in us, sometimes despite the evidence, knows how enduring is this ephemeral but powerful truth. Mr. Gunn knew that the key to unlock the potential in each student was the student’s ability and willingness to trust their teacher--and that boarding schools are unique in American education as places where this can happen. The past matters. Exploring it can generate fresh thinking and fresh ideas, and the kind of entrepreneurial approach to life modeled by Mr. Gunn. Not afraid to face facts, he adjusted his position based on new information and thought about how to create things that were good and useful for other people. H e b e l i e ve d t h a t c h a r a c t e r emerges through the intentional pu rsu it – i n k nowle dge a nd p r a c t i c e – o f w h at i s g o o d , rig ht, true, sustainable, and beautiful. These pillars are nonnegotiable. It’s just a question of how to achieve them around the intersection of innovation, citizenship, and holistic success
(u lti mately, i n t he l i fe wel llived). As the pressure seems only to increase for a purely instrumentalist approach to high school education, schools, and boarding schools in particular, that identify the deeper “why” behind the “what” can equip students for lives of both purpose and performance. There is a goodness to any school reckoning with its founding story, and seeing if its future does and can align with its past. It’s not that a school gets extra credit if the two are in sync with one another. It’s a generative exercise that helps to clarif y why you do what you do the way you do it today. The process gives life to and animates those aspects of the school today that are either distinctive or represent fundamental commitments. The process can invite faculty, staff, students, parents and boards to identify and claim their school’s core commitments today. As we teach students, it’s the process of inquiry – in this case of whether your present and your past can be integrated – that bears fruit, someti mes i n u npred icta ble ways. Peter Becker is the Head of The Frederick Gunn School
Education Options Are Incredibly Broad For your children, here is a selection listings from the top independent schools in our area. Berkshire School admission@berkshireschool.org 245 North Undermountain Road, Sheffield, MA 413-229-8511 berkshireschool.org Students: 400 (91% Boarding, 9% Day) Teacher to Student Ratio: 1 to 4 Established: 1907 Berkshire School is a co-ed college preparatory boarding and day school for 400 ninth-12th graders and post-graduates, offering a forward-thinking curriculum and stateof-the-art facilities on a 400-acre campus in Sheffield, Massachusetts. Berkshire’s signature programs, including Advanced Math/Science Research, Advanced Humanities Research, and Sustainability, are offered along with advanced sections and AP offerings in all disciplines. These programs are designed to expand the minds, provide real-world experiences, and help distinguish our students in an increasingly competitive college process. With a range of artistic and athletic offerings and national recognition for our efforts in sustainability, Berkshire provides an extraordinary setting in which students are encouraged to learn in the words of the School motto: Pro Vita Non Pro Schola Discimus, “Learning—not just for school but for life.” Blair Academy
currap@blair.edu 2 Park Street Blairstown, NJ 07825 908-362-6121 | www.blair.edu 460 students, co-ed (50% male, 50% female) Teachers to Student ratio: 1 to 6 Established 1848 Founded in 1848, Blair Academy is a dynamic, coeducational boarding school where students in grades 9-12 pursue a superior college preparatory education empowered by strong faculty-student relationships and a vibrant community life. On our historic campus is located 65 miles from New York City in northwest New Jersey. The Blair experience is an extraordinary opportunity that empowers students to become persons of great accomplishment and character and prepares them for success in college and in life. Our educational philosophy informs our work in and out of the classroom and includes these guiding principles. Relationship-based learning is the foundation of great teaching. At Blair, our teachers are experts in their subject areas and they know our students especially well. Strong relationships between faculty and students develop amid a vibrant community life and lead to exceptional learning, in our classrooms and beyond. Our teachers care deeply for students and, because they know them well, challenge them and tailor classroom learning based on individual
needs. Through class discussion, debate, project work and lectures, students develop new skills and passions and learn to connect with people and step outside their comfort zones to take bold but intelligent risks. Blair’s robust curriculum features rigorous traditional coursework and innovative electives designed to help students pursue—or discover— their passions. As teachers challenge students with new ideas and skills, they encourage creative expression while ensuring that students learn how to learn, preparing them to confidently address the demands of college and the 21st- century world. Working closely with faculty mentors, students help craft their individual Blair experience; having opportunities to take ownership of their education in this way teaches students to be autonomous and advocate for themselves, skills that will serve them well as college undergraduates and young professionals. When students apply academic studies to realworld issues, impactful connections to people, places and ideas develop. We bring the world to Blair through our diverse student body, on-campus speakers and community service endeavors and broaden students’ horizons by offering schoolbreak travel opportunities. Experiential learning, hands-on projects and collaborative problemsolving in a variety of venues result in amplified awareness of self and others. Our core curriculum and innovative offerings teach students how to engage, relate to and empathize with others, and how to solve problems in real-world settings. Our graduates are intellectually curious, service-minded global citizens who know their values, can articulate their beliefs, and have the resources to connect and grow in college and beyond. The ability to concisely and compellingly convey one’s message is an essential leadership skill; at Blair, teaching the art of effective communication is among our highest priorities. Our cross-curricular communication initiative and myriad public-speaking opportunities prepare students to craft and deliver compelling narratives, speak effectively to audiences of all sizes, and engage with others in ways that build vital relationships. Students at every grade level engage in communications-focused work across academic departments; programs such as Blair LEADS and The Blair Leadership Stories Project further underscore the importance of these competencies.
Brewster Academy
admissions@brewsteracademy.org 80 Academy Dr., Wolfeboro, NH 03894 603-569-7200 brewsteracademy.org Students: 360 Students; 80% boarding; 20% day Teacher to Student Ratio: 1 to 6 Established 1820
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rewster is an elite boarding school without the elitism: an intellectually diverse and academically challenging community that nurtures curiosity, confidence, collaboration, and
character in preparation for lives of meaning and accomplishment. Brewster students: • Learn to master academic content and the skills that matter in life. • Transform in an academically challenging environment without standardization. • Believe in our shared responsibility for success. • Understand their potential. • Feel empowered to achieve in an environment inclusive of everyone's unique talent. • Emerge with a strong sense of self and a deep commitment to others. Know that Brewster is the way education should be: the perfect balance of academic and emotional development in a place where all can do their best without having to best each other.
the youngest students participate in volunteer opportunities, which o en evolve into full-fledged service projects at the Upper School. After school, students have access to 36 cocurricular clubs. Through academics, athletics, arts and service to the community, Brunswick encourages every student to develop his talents to the fullest, to understand the obligation to share them generously, to take risks to ensure growth, and to refuse to accept a narrow definition of himself.
Choate Rosemary Hall
bellis@choate.edu 333 Christian Street, Wallingford, CT 06492 203-697-2000 Founded in 1890 Students to faculty advisor: 4:1 Brunswick
mkennedy@brunswickschool.org 100 Maher Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830 203-625-5800 brunswickschool.org Students: 1021 boys Teacher to Student Ratio: 1 to 6 Established 1902 Vibrant and growing, Brunswick School has been defined and distinguished for 117 years by its commitment to “Courage, Honor, Truth.” Enrolling 1,026 boys in pre-kindergarten through grade 12, the school believes that the strength of a young man’s character and depth of his spirit determines all genuine and lasting success. To that end, Brunswick strives to help boys and young men acquire the personal, intellectual, and physical training that will best enable them to grow into responsible adults who can make significant and lasting contributions to society. The school offers rigorous academics, including an advanced science research program, and, in a coordination program with Greenwich Academy, 83 Honors and Advanced Placement courses. Brunswick offers comprehensive arts, drama, and music, and a renowned language program that includes instruction in Arabic, French, Spanish, Mandarin, Italian, Latin, and Greek. Brunswick has four campuses on a total of 782 acres in Greenwich, Conn., and in Randolph, Vermont. The Upper School is located at 100 Maher Ave. in Greenwich, while the Pre School, Lower, and Middle Schools are located on King Street. The 620-acre Vermont Campus is home to the school’s permanent o -campus wildernesseducation and applied-classroom-learning program. The school also offers competitive athletics, with 17 varsity sports played on state-of-the- art facilities. e sports complex is situated on Edwards Campus on King Street, where the school’s main athletic fields, an ice rink and a natatorium are all located. Brunswick believes that a complete education must include lessons beyond the classroom. Even
This is where amazing things begin. Where anything is possible. At Choate, you will work hard to develop your talents to the fullest. And along the way, you will discover new paths and possibilities. Choate students stand out for their desire and drive for knowledge, their passion, their creativity, their energy, and their commitment to service. Along the way, their students are guided by passionate educators who are excited about their craft and who are energized by what they do every day. Choate is a place where, if you have a great idea, you can find the resources and a kindred spirit to help you bring your idea to fruition. "Over the past 126 years we have had the privilege of knowing and nurturing over 17,000 graduates, and they’ve made us proud of the remarkable and distinctive lives they’ve chosen to live. Choate alumni are leaders, innovators, catalysts, and true originals. Their unique way of seeing the world reflects our focus on the Life of the Mind: we aim to foster critical and independent thinking, deep intellectual curiosity, exploration, and a lifelong love of learning in everything we do. If you want to be part of a dynamic and robust learning community, we welcome you to consider joining us at Choate Rosemary Hall. Choate is warm and caring. You can connect with people here in a way that you can’t at other places. Mutual respect and kindness have a big impact here: we encourage you to invest in the lives of others, on campus, in our wider community, and even across the globe. We believe that your willingness to serve and give selflessly speaks volumes about your character – and provides the foundation for a life well lived. You will find mentors in, and outside of the classroom, and all the guidance you need to be successful. Our close-knit community always has room for a few more friends. Forge your own path, make new friends and make yourself at home. We see potential in our students to pursue their goals and dreams through our academic, athletic and artistic programs, along with the opportunities our close-knit and collaborative community provides young people each day."