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This week was full of excitement and the days were busy. Ben Mezrich P '28 inspired our students in grades 8-12 as he spoke about his life as a writer and researcher. There was a buzz among our students about what book would be their immediate choice. Then on Tuesday we kicked off the public phase of The Campaign for Brimmer: Realizing the Vision. The audience viewed the expansion plans and heard about the exciting changes that lie ahead. For those who have not seen the presentation, you can find it on our website. In addition to the new lobby and dining commons, this expansion will provide innovation space, state-of-the-art maker space, and a STEAM lab. A great resource for STEAM curriculum can be followed on Twitter at Makerspaces.com for those who are interested in the subject.
Yesterday over 20 students boarded a bus for Yale's annual Model United Nations conference. Our students will be spending the next several days with high school students from around the country as they learn about the work of the United Nations throughout the world. This program is an annual highlight in our curriculum in support of the School's commitment to providing a global education for our students.
Warm wishes to all of you for a great weekend -- one where the big storm misses us as we make every effort in our minds to avoid the winter of 2015!
Judith Guild
Head of School
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Family Skating Night
Please join the Alumni Office and members of the Alumni Association for our annual Family Skating Night, Friday, February 12, from 5:00-7:45 p.m. at the Larz Anderson Skating Rink in Brookline. The skate rental shop will be open as well as the concession stand for food, snacks, and cocoa (for purchase).
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Spring Auction
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 in 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 . . . purchase tickets, sign up to volunteer, and donate! Join us!
Amanda Spooner Frank '88
Director of Alumni Affairs and Special Events |
Buy a Special Message in the 2015 Yearbook
Congratulate an Individual or Class Member! Promote your Business!NEW! Gator Note: $20 (50 characters of text, no photo) Business Card size: $50 (3.5" X 2") 1/4 Page: $90 (3.5" X 5") 1/2 Page: $140 (7.5" X 5") Full Page: $200 (7.5" X 10") NEW DUE DATE! Complete the form and submit no later than February 1, 2016. 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,
We want to remind Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten families about an important event! A week from today at 8:00 a.m., parents of students in those two grades will have an opportunity to see their children's artwork, and they will also have an opportunity to watch a presentation that highlights the skills and curriculum the students are working on in their creative arts classes. Speaking of exciting events--5th Grade joined students in Middle and Upper School to celebrate the kick-off of Brimmer's Realizing the Vision Campaign yesterday. All of us are looking forward to what the results of the campaign will bring!
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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Pre-K and Kindergarten Informance
The Pre-K and Kindergarten Informance will take place on Friday, January 29, from 8:00 - 9:15 a.m. in the Dining Room. Dress for students is casual. Drop-off is in the driveway/classroom as usual. Students will report to their classrooms and settle into their morning routines. The event begins in the Dining Room with a Coffee Reception and Art Exhibit for parents and guardians. Students will sit with their classes in the theatre, and each shares a presentation that highlights the skills and curriculum students are working on in their Creative Arts classes.
Joanne Clamage
Lower School Creative Arts Coordinator
After School Music Coordinator
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Middle School News
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Dear Parents and Guardians,
It was an exciting week at Brimmer! The 8th graders participated in the 11th annual Bissell Grogan Humanities Symposium, Innovation and Disruption. They attended the keynote address by Ben Mezrich P '23 and a session on Journalism in the Digital Age presented by Mr. Cutler '02 and Sam Ravinia '17. The students remarked what an interesting, informative day it was!
On Wednesday morning, the students were informed about the plans for an addition to the Chase building, in response to the School's strategic priorities. They were excited to see the plans for what Brimmer will look like in the near future!
Grades and narrative comments for Quarter 2 will be released early next week. You will receive an email when the grades are posted, and they then can be accessed through the grading portal of the Brimmer and May school website. You will be contacted by your student's advisor in the next week to schedule a conference to touch base about your student's progress to date.
Sincerely, Carl Rapisarda-Vallely Middle School Head |
MS Band Concert Video & Photos 
See video and photos here from the recent M.S. Band Concert!
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Middle/Upper School News
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 MS/US Assembly
Spencer Christian, the father of Brimmer's Director of Diversity Jessica Christian, will speak to Middle and Upper School students at an assembly on
Tuesday, January 26. Mr. Christian will discuss his experience growing up in Virginia as an African American before and during the Civil Rights movement. He will also share stories about his long career in broadcasting, including twelve years as the weather forecaster on ABC's Good Morning America.
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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 
Important Reminders and EventsSemester I GradesTuesday, 1/26: Grades and comments for Semester I will be posted to the grade portal of the School's website. Look in your email for an announcement and instructions for how to access grades. While Semester II grades for full credit courses are averaged with Semester I grades to create the final year grade, students and parents should note that grading for coursework begins anew in the second semester. Students have a significant opportunity to improve their grades going forward as well as one to maintain excellent grades that they have already earned. Upper School students are encouraged to redouble their efforts where needed and are to be congratulated for their successes in the classroom to date. They should continue to seek out their academic and intellectual interests, follow their passions, and take the opportunity to develop new ones as we begin the second semester. Semester II Courses Add/Drop Deadline
Wednesday, 1/27: The deadline for adding or dropping courses (Semester II, .5 credit courses only) without penalty is the end of the day (3:30 p.m.). Students in Signature Programs, those planning to apply to these programs, or those seeking to complete credit requirements, should be sure to meet with their advisors to complete any scheduling needs or changes by this deadline. Semester I Advisor-Parent Meetings
Following the publication of Semester I grades and teacher comments, parents and guardians are invited to meet with Upper School advisors at their mutual convenience. We have set aside time after school during the week of January 25 for this purpose; however, meetings may be arranged at other times of the day as schedules allow. Advisors will contact parents to set up these meetings. Upper School Semi-Formal, Saturday, January 30 This year's Upper School Senate sponsored Semi-Formal Dance will once again be held in the Chase Dining Room. The event begins at 7:00 p.m. and concludes at 9:30 p.m. This year's theme is "Winter Wonderland." The cost per student is $5 before the event and $20 at the door. Upper School students may bring one guest each to this event, but this does not include students in Middle School. All Upper School students are encouraged to attend this social event, which is a wonderful, annual mid-winter tradition at Brimmer and May. All School rules apply, and all students are discouraged from hosting after-parties for this event.
College Counseling Night for Juniors and their Parents/Guardians - Required Event for Students in the Class of 2017 Thursday, 1/28, 7:00 p.m. Chase Building, Theater
Note: Juniors will begin their participation in the Jr. College Counseling Class on Wednesday, 1/27. The class meets biweekly in one section. Mrs. Pendergast, Mr. Murphy, and Mrs. Du conduct this class to prepare juniors for the college application process including the use of Naviance, college campus visits, college essay writing, standardized testing, etc.
Joseph Iuliano
Upper School Head
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Upper School Students to Represent Brimmer and May at Yale Model UN
Twenty-five Upper School students will represent Brimmer and May at the Yale Model UN Conference from January 21-24. The Brimmer and May delegation will act as representatives of Iceland and Zimbabwe, and two students will serve as members of the Security Council. Read more here.
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All-East Honor Choir
Five students from Brimmer were selected to participate in the American Choral Director's Association (ACDA) All-East Honor Choir. Less than ten percent of those who auditioned were accepted to this prestigious ensemble, and this is the first time in the School's history that Brimmer students were selected to participate! Congratulations to Liam Conklin, Jack Donnelly, Ben Ernest, Liam Johansson, and Tony Ni.
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Advanced Theatre Winter Showcase 
In Advanced Theater Studies this fall, students learned about a variety of musical and dramatic genres, ranging from Cole Porter to Shakespeare to Jason Robert Brown to Neil Simon. Click here for photos.
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From the College Counseling Office
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Summer Opportunities
Summer opportunities of all kinds continue to arrive in my email daily, and I pass them on immediately to all students in the Upper School. Please encourage your student to check their Brimmer email frequently. Yesterday I forwarded information about an interesting 3-week program in Ireland that is billed as a Transitional Program for college and geared to students ages 16 and 17. It is part adventure (sea-kayaking, hiking, surfing), cultural and history (visits to famous sites), and part class work discussing time and stress management, leadership skills, goal setting, etc.). BU Academy will sponsor this group for an information meeting in February for those who would like to learn more; go to www.irishgapyear.com.
Students who would like to explore the health care fields and science might be interested in a program at Harvard Medical School. medscience@hms.harvard.edu
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 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. 23, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Noble and Greenough School, 10 Campus Drive, Dedham
Speaker 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
PSATs
PSAT results continue to be a problem to access for some students and me. The College Board has now promised to send paper copies of the results to schools on January 29. We are hoping this will happen although we do not know in what format they will arrive. Be assured that a mailing will go to parents and guardians with further information as soon as we have it. For now, students in grades 10 and 11 have been told to come to the College Office to pick up their test booklet and have a discussion about their results (for those who have them) with one of the counselors. 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" as 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 turnout! Cynthia Pendergast
Director of College Counseling
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From the Parents' Association
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In Two Weeks: Annual Staff Appreciation Lunch, Friday, February 5
Join the Parents' Association as our entire parent community honors Brimmers' dedicated staff! This well-loved annual event is sponsored and run entirely by parents and there are many ways for every parent to contribute. Click on the Parent Information Letter for full details on how you can be a part of the celebration! Please contact our Staff Appreciation Lunch Chair, Jeannie Goldstone P'22, at jdgoldstone@verizon.net with questions. Thank you for helping to show your gratitude to the amazing people who teach and care for our children every day!
January 29: PIN Annual Meeting
Hosted at Brimmer, 9:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m., Wright Conference Room. Judy Guild leads a Heads of School panel on the topic "Cultivating Character in Our Students."
Parents' Association Meeting, February 4 Parents and guardians of all grades are invited to attend our next PA Meeting on Thursday, February 4, from 8:15 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. in the Wright Conference Room.
In Perfect Harmony: Music Education at Brimmer, Pre-K through Grade 12
Speakers: Elizabeth Wooster, Lower School Music Teacher and Frank Van Atta, MS/US Music Teacher Learn about the Pre-K-12 integrated music curriculum and hear how Brimmers' parent volunteers support the music program.
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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1/23
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 - 9:15 a.m.
1/30
Upper School
Semi-Formal
7:30 p.m.
2/4
Parents' Association Meeting 8:15 a.m.
2/5
Dress Day (Gr. 6-12)
Staff Appreciation Luncheon
2/6
ACT Test
2/12
Academic Warnings (Gr. 6-11)
Family Skating Night 5:00 -7:45 p.m.
2/15 - 2/16
No School - Winter Weekend
2/19
Grades 1 & 2 Celebration of the Arts 8:00 a.m.
2/24
No School for Pre-K-Grade 5
Parent Teacher Conferences (Pre-K- Grade 5)
Extended Day available for Enrolled Students
2/26
Mid-Semester II (Gr. 12)
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