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The Thompson Gymnasium's winter break renovation went smoothly and is near completion. We are waiting for some ceiling and front door materials for the foyer, and there is a short punch list of items still needing attention. The construction company, with the architect's oversight, did a great job! The P.E. classes resumed on time, and the afternoon practice and play schedule went uninterrupted. I hope you will take some time to visit a basketball game or two this month, and while you are there, please notice the improvements. This project met one of the many goals for the School's Strategic Priorities for 2013 and Beyond.
In next week's Bulletin I will be announcing another exciting milestone for Brimmer regarding our strategic goals. Please be watching for an announcement from me and then from our Development Office.
To further our goal of providing our students with a global perspective, Brimmer will be sending five Lower School teachers and one Upper School teacher over March break to work with a partner school in Beijing. Ms. Hickey, Mrs. Murray, Ms. Serventi-Gleesen, Mrs. Kevaney, Mrs. Jia, and Ms. Neely will run interactive workshops that demonstrate our pedagogical approach to teaching and learning. They will share how using the creative design process, infusing creativity into academic lessons, and offering a student-centered learning environment produces creative and critical thinkers and doers. In turn, our teachers hope to learn about Chinese culture and practices.
Happy New Year to all of you! I look forward to what 2016 will bring to the life of your children.
Judith Guild Head of School
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Welcome back, and Happy New Year from all of us in Admissions!
We wanted to let you know that the Upper and Middle School Information Sessions (scheduled for January 26 and 28 respectively) are designed for parents only. Please be in touch if you have any questions and R.S.V.P. to Myra Korin at mkorin@brimmer.org by Thursday, January 21. We hope to see you later this month!
Brian C. Beale
Director of Enrollment
617-278-2333
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Did You and Your Family Travel over the Break?
Current parents, new parents, come on and hear,
About our Spring '16 Auction, which needs volunteers,
The theme this year is "Oh, The Places You'll Go,"
click on this link, and you'll be in the know!
Did you go away for the Holiday Break? Did you travel outside the state or country? Think Worldly about donations for our Dr. Seuss themed Auction! Stop by "Auction Central" on the 3rd floor of Cummings Hall to drop off any items you may have acquired. The Auction volunteers will help gather the items and make beautiful baskets filled with treasures from your travels!
Our "Oh, The Places You'll Go" section of the Brimmer website is up and running. Click here to purchase tickets, sign up to volunteer, and donate! Join us!
This years' special honoree is Bob Annese!!
Amanda Spooner Frank '88
Director of Alumni Affairs and Special Events
617-264-1424
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 Bissell Grogan Humanities Symposium Please join us at the 11th Annual Kenyon Bissell Grogan Humanities Symposium. Innovation and Disruption January 19, 2016. Featuring keynote speaker Ben Mezrich P '28. |
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SUMMER PROGRAMS REGISTRATION is OPEN
We have new programs (some for children over 10 years old) and old faves for 2016.
NEW IN 2016: Got Science? With Mr. Stattel; Design and Develop: STEAM with Mr. Hardman (for ages 11-14); Bookmaking and Journaling with Ms. Graves (for ages 10 - 14).
Gator Goals' new coach, Jeff Katz (Assistant M.I.T. Women's Soccer Coach, former Brookline High School Varsity Boys' soccer coach, and Premier Club Coach) will bring his 15 years of high-level, youth-oriented coaching to Brimmer.
And returning programs include: Day Camp, STEAM into Summer, Eco-Adventures, Global Explorers, and Brimmer in the Backyard. Join us for a great summer!
Please see the website for details, fees and dates. Go to your Ultracamp account to register or simply click here. Contact Cassie Abodeely at 617-278-2350; camp@brimmer.org with questions.
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Congratulate an individual or class! Promote your business!
Buy a Special Message in the 2015 Yearbook! Forms are due by Monday, January 4, 2016. Please click here for the form.
Questions? Email: kgraves@brimmer.org |
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Connect with Brimmer and May!
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Join the Conversation!
Follow Brimmer on social media for lots of news, photos, & video!
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Lower School News 
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 Dear Lower School Families- Happy New Year! We hope you all are ready for a great 2016. To help get the new year off to a good start, join us for the Community Diversity Dinner celebrating India next Thursday, January 14, at 5:00 p.m. Please remember there will be no school next Friday, January 15, due to admissions testing and professional development, and there will be no school on Monday, January 18, so we can honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A note regarding dismissal: As we head into the winter months, we will need your help to keep dismissal running smoothly: * Please do not park on Devon Road between 2:00 and 3:15 p.m. * For drivers with students in Grades 1-3, please pull up just past the double gate if you are at the head of the line. * For drivers with students in Grades 4 & 5, please be ready to circle the block if you show up before 3:00 p.m. * If we have snow like last year, please be patient!
Sincerely,
Thomas A. Fuller
Head of Lower School
Courtney P. McGillicuddy
Assistant Head of Lower School
Early Childhood Coordinator
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Attention 5th Grade Parents
5th grade parents, please save the date for a Middle School Information Session.
January 28, 6:30 p.m.
Join us for an information session to learn more about the Middle School Program. Engage in a conversation with administrators and faculty about the academic program, athletics, and extracurricular offerings. Light dinner fare will be served.
Brian C. Beale
Director of Enrollment
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Save the Date!
Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten families are invited to a Creative Arts Informance on Friday, January 29, from 8:00-9:15 a.m. in the Ruth Corkin Theatre.
Elizabeth Wooster
Lower School Music Educator
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After School Programs
REGISTRATION is OPEN for After School Clubs!
After school clubs are open to any Lower School student. Click here to register.
Beginning the week of January 19, 2016, we will offer Chess Club, Newspaper Club with Ms. Pappas and Ms. S-G, Design Squad with Mr. Stattel, Kung Fu, Imagine and Move, and Cultural Connections.
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Middle School News
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 Dear Parents and Guardians, Welcome back! I hope you had a wonderful winter break. Please see below for some important dates and upcoming events. Saturday, January 9 JV Boys' Basketball playing at halftime @Harvard vs. Dartmouth Thursday, January 14 Community Diversity Night @5:00 p.m. CAP Singer Night @7:00 p.m. Friday, January 15 No School - Professional Development Day Monday, January 18 No School - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Tuesday, January 19 11th Annual Bissell-Grogan Humanities Symposium for Grades 8-12 (this is a dress day)
Sincerely, Carl Rapisarda-Vallely Middle School Head |
Global Connections Exhibitions Video and Photos
MS Global Connections "Asia-Beyond the Silk Road" featured art exhibitions by all students as well as an additional exhibition on Folktales, (Grade 6) Music and Dance, (Grade 8) and Drama (Grade 7). Guest artists Calvin Chin presented a Lion Dance Workshop and Li Liu, a Chinese Acrobat, also performed during the semester. See video and photos and read more here.
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Middle/Upper School News
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Attention 8th and 9th Grade Parents!
8th and 9th grade parents, please save the date for an information session to learn more about Winterim and other Signature Programs in the Upper School. Engage in a conversation with administrators and faculty about the various options available to students at Brimmer.
January 26, 6:30 p.m.
Light dinner fare will be provided.
Kindly R.S.V.P. to Myra Korin Brian C. Beale Director of Enrollment
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Upper School News
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From the Upper School
Tuesday, January 12 Advanced Theater Studies Exhibition,
8:00 - 9:00 a.m., Corkin Theatre
Wednesday, January 13
Upper School Band Concert,
10:45 - 11:35 a.m., CorkinTheatre
Thursday, January 14:
Grade 9 Chaucer Exhibition,  3:15 - 4:45 p.m., Rooms TBA
Community Diversity Night,
5:00 p.m., Chase Dining Room
CAP Singers Night,
7:00 - 8;30 p.m., Corkin Theatre
Friday, January 15
End of Semester I
No School -- Faculty Professional Development Day
Monday, January 18
MLK Day - No School
Tuesday, January 19
Bissell Grogan Symposium
Dress Day for Grades 6 - 12
Semester II begins
Important College Testing Dates for Juniors
SAT & SAT II Test and Registration Dates for Spring 2016
Test Date: + Saturday, January 23
Registration Date: by December 28
Late Registration: by January 12
Test Date: ^* Saturday, March 5
Registration Date: by February 5
Late Registration: by February 23
Test Date: Saturday, May 7Registration Date: by April 8Late Registration: by April 26Test Date: Saturday, June 4 Registration Date: by May 5 Late Registration: by May 25
+old SAT offered
^first offering of the new SAT
*SAT only; no subject tests offered
Additional fees apply if you register late or make changes to your test type, center or date after registering.
ACT Test and Registration Dates for Spring 2014Test Date: Saturday, February 6
Registration Date: by January 8
Late Registration: by January 9-15
Test Date: Saturday, April 9 Registration Date: by March 4 Late Registration: by January 5-18
Test Date: Saturday, June 11
Registration Date: by May 6
Late Registration: by May 7-20
Please see the College Counseling section below for important information.
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Brimmer Graduates Currently Competing in Intercollegiate or Professional Sports
At least sixteen Brimmer and May graduates are currently playing, managing, or coaching intercollegiate sports at NCAA Divisions I, II, III, and NAIA or the professional level. Many play on local teams or will play games in the Boston area. Here is a list of those playing: KJ Baptiste, '13
Brandeis University - Basketball
Bobby Books, '15
Gustavus Adolphus College - Basketball
Kyle Casey, '09
Bakersfield Jam (NBA D-League) - Basketball
Ryan Canty, '10
Fordham University -Basketball
Sarah Conklin, '12
Amherst College - Swimming
Jake Fay, '13
University of Hartford - Basketball
Max Horvath, '13
Macalester College - Basketball
Keenan Iuliano, '15
Colby College - Baseball
David Labossiere, '15
Connecticut College - Basketball
Alison Mariano, '14
Elmira College - Field Hockey
Sammy Mojica, '14
Drexel University - Basketball
Adrian Oliveira, '13
SNHU - Basketball
John Powell, ' 13
Brandeis University - Basketball
Derek Retos, '10
Tufts University, Asst. Coach -Basketball
Danielle Slichenmyer, '12
College of Wooster - Field Hockey
David Watkins, '15
University of New Hampshire - Basketball
Ruth Wooster, '14
Indiana Wesleyan, Mgr.- Soccer
Joseph Iuliano
Upper School Head
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 U.S. Instrumental Ensembles The Brimmer and May Creative Arts Department proudly presents the Upper School Instrumental Ensembles Concert Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 10:45 a.m. in the Ruth Corkin Theatre. |
Arts Exhibition:
The Advanced Acting Class Presents a Showcase
Tuesday, January 12 @ 8 a.m.
Corkin Theatre
Students in the Advanced Acting Class will present songs and scenes they have worked on this semester.
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CAP presents Singers Night
Thursday, January 14 at 7:00 p.m. in the Corkin Theatre
Immediately following Diversity Night
Come hear CAP students and friends performing Pop and Contemporary songs. CAP Gallery Project will be on display in the Math Wing from 3:00-9:00 p.m.
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 Holiday Receptions Video and Photos
The Holiday Reception, a traditional event attended by alumni, seniors, senior parents, faculty, and trustees, was a wonderful evening.
View/order professional photos by David Barron and see video here. |
Ring Ceremony
The Class of 2016 presented class rings to the Class of 2017, in a traditional ceremony dating back to 1880.
Click here to see a video slide show of this memorable event!
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From the College Counseling Office
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FREE ACT Diagnostic Exam
All students in grades 10 and 11 sat for the PSAT last October. This not only served as a practice for the SAT, it was also a diagnostic tool for students to discover what their academic strengths are and areas that need improvement. This Sunday, January 10, Summit Educational will offer a full ACT exam to any Brimmer student at no cost as a similar diagnostic tool. They will score and return the exams to each student. As was explained at the evening program about testing on December 8, we encourage students to take the ACT this year instead of, or in addition to the SAT as The College Board expects to be slow in returning exam scores this spring due to the roll out of the new SAT. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to "try out" the ACT and become familiar with the format and content of the exam.
The ACT practice test will begin at 9:00 a.m. in Room 86 of the Almy wing on Sunday and will last approximately 4 hours. Students can also sign up to take the full 6-week class which will take place on the following Sunday mornings: Feb. 7, Feb. 21, Feb. 28, March 6, and April 3. Registration materials were sent home via email to parents and guardians. Students who have not yet registered for the class but would like to, can still do so. Financial aid is available.
Junior College Night
Mark your calendar! College Night for students, parents, and guardians of the Class of 2017 will take place on Thursday, January 28, at 7:00 p.m. in the theatre. This is a required event for students and is strongly suggested for parents and guardians. We will go over all of the nuts and bolts of the process as well as the schedule of important dates and deadlines. A short Powerpoint to introduce Naviance will be shown, and all families will receive their Naviance login information.
GAP Year Fair
The practice of taking a year off between high school and college is a long-standing tradition in England. Termed a "Gap Year," the practice has become increasingly popular in this country and, in fact, is encouraged by some colleges including Harvard. Students decide to take a Gap Year for a host of reasons: to gain maturity, to take a mental break from academics, to take classes to strengthen their academic preparation, to travel, to do an internship, to do volunteer work, and the list goes on. Kathy Cheng, Director of the USA Gap Year Fairs, writes, "A gap year is an intentional period of time between completing high school and beginning college when a student steps outside the traditional classroom experience. This is a time to explore the world, reflect on their personal values and goals, and prepare to take the next purposeful step in life."
Dynamy, an internship-based gap year program in Worcester, MA, is sponsoring several Gap Year fairs in this area that will feature over 35 programs from around the world. Brimmer families are invited to attend.
Saturday, Jan. 16 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Brookline HS, 115 Greenough St., Brookline
Speaker 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 23 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Noble and Greenough School, 10 Campus Drive, Dedham
Speaker 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
PSATs
We are still waiting to receive the PSAT results from The College Board. Due to changes in scoring with the new test, it is taking much longer for The College Board to complete the process.
9th and 10th Grade Parent Meeting Moved to 7 p.m. on Feb 11
Although the school calendar lists the program for 9th and 10th grade parents on Thursday, February 11, as breakfast, we have decided to change the time of day to enable more people to attend. The program will now take place at 7:00 p.m. on February 11. This will be an informal discussion to inform parents and guardians of what to expect regarding the college process at Brimmer and May. Some of my colleagues in BISCCA call this meeting "Mythbusters" because it is an opportunity for us to explain the real facts about the college process and offer our assurance that we will be here to guide families every step of the way. We hope to have a large turn out!
Cynthia Pendergast
Director of College Counseling
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From the Parents' Association
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January Events at Brimmer
Happy 2016! We hope you and your families had a wonderful Winter Break. The next few weeks are filled with many exciting School events, so be sure to check the website and Bulletin for full details. 
January 14: Community Diversity Night: "Celebrate India!"
January 19: 11th Annual Grogan Symposium: "Innovation and Disruption" Keynote Speaker: Ben Mezrich, P '28
January 29: PIN Annual Meeting Hosted at Brimmer 9:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m., Wright Conference Room. Judy Guild will lead a Heads of School panel on the topic "Cultivating Character in Our Students."
February Save the Dates Parents' Association Meeting, Thursday, February 4 8:15 a.m. - 9:30 a.m., Wright Conference Room All parents are invited to attend. LS Music Teacher Elizabeth Wooster and MS/US Music Teacher Frank Van Atta will present on Brimmer's integrated Pre-K-12 music curriculum. Learn how parent volunteers have been involved in the arts at School.
Annual Staff Appreciation Lunch, Friday, February 5
Join the Parents' Association as our entire parent community honors Brimmer's dedicated staff! There are many ways for every parent to contribute to this well-loved annual event--watch the PA Bulletin and Class Rep emails for details next week.
Parent Coffee Group As the weather turns chilly, join us for coffee and casual conversation every Friday at 8:15 a.m. in the Lower School French Library. Parents and guardians from all grades are invited.
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| Click here for Brimmer and May School's website. |
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Please note that this email was generated from a "no reply" email box.
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1/11- 1/14
Exhibition Week
1/15
Admissions Evaluations ( Pre-K, K)
End of Semester 1/Quarter 2
No School-Professional Development Day
1/18
No School - Martin Luther King, JR. Day
1/19
Semester II, Quarter III Begin
1/23
SAT I & II
1/24
Upper School Model U.N. Returns
1/26 - 1/27
Advisor Conferences
1/26
Spencer Christian Assembly
10:45 a.m.
Info Session for 8th & 9th Gr. Parents
6:30 p.m.
1/28 Middle School Info Session for Gr. 5 Parents 6:30 p.m.
College Counseling Evening (Gr. 11 & Parents) 7:00 p.m.
1/29
Pin Meeting
Pre-K & K Informance 8:00 a.m.
1/30
Upper School
Semi-Formal
7:30 p.m.
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