Welcome back to School! I was delighted to see so many of our Middle and Upper School students here on campus this week as they prepare for the fall. On Wednesday evening we enjoyed having dinner and conversation with many of our new families, and I look forward to seeing all of you at my home for the opening coffees next week.
The weekly Bulletin provides our families with important information. As I mentioned in my summer letter to you, we have advanced to the construction phase of the Realizing the Vision campaign, so please be watching for regular updates in this Bulletin regarding the construction. You will find it directly below my weekly letter. Our social media feeds have been highlighting some of the exciting work our faculty has been involved in this week. I hope you will take a few minutes to read about the professional events that took place this week as well as over the summer.
This week's keynote speaker, Lynn Lyons, engaged us in a lively discussion regarding worry and anxiety in children. Please remember to mark your calendars for her parent presentation on November 10. I think you will find her insights helpful and her presentation engaging.
We have an exciting year ahead at Brimmer. I look forward to seeing you and your children on campus next week.
Judith Guild
Head of School
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Chase Construction Update
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We have applied for permitting to begin Chase construction and are currently waiting for approval. Our work with Perkins+Will, Skanska, and Bowdoin Construction Corp is all going well.
On Monday, September 12, we are planning an official ground-breaking ceremony on the field at 9:30 a.m. You are welcome to join us at this exciting event!
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From the Assistant Head of Academic Affairs 
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Thinking Of...Our Students, Our Mission
"Learning without thinking is labor lost; thinking without learning is dangerous." -- Chinese proverb
In centuries past (the 19th and 20th, for example) students might encounter teachers who asked them to "put on your thinking caps" in preparation for the introduction of a new concept or a problem to be solved in the classroom. That "old school" expression is a smile--inducer for several reasons: first, because it suggests that maybe there wasn't a real need for thinking to be occurring prior to the request to don the cap (Were the students coming out of lunch or recess?); second, that a student could put on the metaphorical cap and become more profoundly thoughtful as a result; and finally, that one cap fits all varieties of thinking that may be needed.
The as easy as ABC "thinking cap" paradigm of the past is, after significant investment in brain research over the past 25 years, a veritable ten-gallon hat which incorporates a panoply of forms of thinking that Brimmer teachers strive to develop in our students here in the 21st century. These include, but are not limited to, abstract, analytical, convergent, creative, critical, design, divergent, higher order, holistic, innovative, original, et. al. thinking. Fortunately, we have 14 years of schooling to work with our students and help them develop these thinking skills. Today, we see our students arrive at School with their "thinking caps" already on, and we seek to engage them in their learning, help them to become effective problem solvers, and develop the range of thinking skills they will need to be the "life-long learners who are informed, engaged, and ethical citizens and leaders in our diverse world."
Joseph Iuliano
Assistant Head for Academic Affairs
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Welcome New Students & Families
We are delighted to welcome a wonderful new cohort of students and families to the Brimmer community this fall. We have thoroughly enjoyed working with this group over the course of the past ten months and know you will enjoy getting to know them in the coming weeks and months. We are especially excited see the scholars, athletes, and artists these students will become in the years ahead!
By the Numbers:
Total New Students: 76
Boys: 45 Girls: 31
By Division: Lower School=42; Middle School=17, Upper School=17
International Students: 13
Students with siblings at Brimmer: 11
Towns Represented: 27
Countries: 6 (Korea, Singapore, Canada, China, England, Taiwan)
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Brimmer Welcomes Students from Abroad
Last week, orientation took place for new Middle and Upper School international students. Coming to us from China, Taiwan, Singapore, Korea, and England, the students quickly settled into their new environment, making friends while touring Chestnut Hill and Boston.
During orientation, they learned about classroom etiquette, technology, and how to find their way around School! Like all new students to Brimmer, they look forward to your smiles and encouragement as they get used to a new School, city, and country. Please take time to meet and greet and get to know these amazing students and help them make adjustments as quickly and smoothly as possible. It's going to be a very exciting year!
Frances Fremont Smith
Co-Director of International Students and Mandarin Teacher
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Welcome New Faculty and Staff
We are so pleased to welcome new faculty to our community!
From left:
Mallorie Nai (Assistant Director of Admissions, Grade 6 History Teacher), Christian Kiley (Part-time Instructor for Video Production electives), Pia Ferracin (Part-time math lab tutor), Vicki Frusciante (Part-time reading), Frances Fremont-Smith (Full-time Co-Director of International Students and Mandarin Teacher), Maya Himmelsbach (Grade Five Maternity Leave teacher), Laura Foley (Full-time Assistant Pre-Kindergarten teacher), Tom Bergeron (Instrumental and General Music Teacher; Director of After School Instrumental Program), Nicole Morin (Kindergarten Maternity Leave teacher), and Joshua Neudel (Upper School Head).
Missing from photo: Noelia Calderon Gostanzo (Part-time Middle School Spanish teacher)
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Welcome New Trustees!
Brimmer is pleased to welcome Jody Black P '14, P '19, Caroline Levine P '18, and Leslie Stimmel Guggiari '73 to the Board of Trustees this fall! Click here to read about our new trustees and their extensive backgrounds.
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Faculty Summer Professional Development 
Brimmer faculty participated in a wide range of professional development this summer.
Click here to read about their learning experiences!
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Family/Student Handbook
Please click here for the 2016-2017 Family/Student Handbook. Information on the dress code is available on pages 59-60.
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Join the robust team of Annual Fund Parent Volunteers for the 2016-2017 school year. If you are interested in volunteering in your child's grade level and finding out more information, please contact the Director of Annual Giving Sharin Russell at 617-278-2342.
Sharin A. Russell
Director of Annual Giving
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After School Music Lessons
Registration for After-School Music Lessons is open now for all students in Pre-K through grade 12. For information, please see our website. Register online now by clicking here. Questions about After School Music? Please contact the new program director, Tom Bergeron, at tbergeron@brimmer.org.
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Photo Day Information
Photo Day is scheduled for Thursday, September 15. The photographer, CoffeePond, will notify you via email when your child's proofs are ready to be viewed online. When you receive the email, with a private password, you can go directly to the company's website at www.coffeepond.com to place your order. Please be sure to have your spam blocker set to accept emails from lifeguards@coffeepond.com
Should you not receive your child's password within a few weeks after photo day, contact the Customer Care department at lifeguards@coffeepond.com or 1-800-632-2323 x0.
Megan Clifford
Communications Assistant
617-278-2359
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Environmental Testing
The School continues to test for lead (from water fountains and the kitchen) and radon levels on campus and monitors on-site asbestos quarterly. The most recent results for lead and radon were within an acceptable and safe range. All asbestos is contained.
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Lower School News
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Dear Lower School Families, 
Ms. McGillicuddy and I look forward to welcoming new families and catching up with returning families next week when you meet with your children's homeroom teachers for goal-setting conferences and classroom visits on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
Please remember that Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and Grade 1 dismiss at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday and Friday from McCoy Hall (Pre-K & K from the Pre-K door and Grade 1 from the circle in front of McCoy Hall #69).
Back-to-School Night is Thursday, September 22! It will be a time to learn about the curriculum and routines in your children's classes.
Please see below for updated homeroom lists:
Please read information regarding dismissal.
Grade 1 (starts on Monday, September 12)
The beginning of the school year is always filled with excitement and anticipation. Welcome back!
Thomas Fuller
Lower School Head
Courtney McGillicuddy '89
Assistant Head of Lower School, Lower School Admissions Associate
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Extended Day Registration is Open for Fall 2016
All children in Pre-K through grade 5 are eligible for Extended Day. In an effort to make registration and payment easier for families, we have moved online and are using the same site used for all After-School Clubs, Music Lessons, and Summer Programs. Use the account you have used for each of these programs to register for Extended Day. Click here to register. Extended Day begins September 12. For questions and further information, see our website or contact Extended Day Director Laura Foley at lafoley@brimmer.org.
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Parent /Teacher Conferences for Lower School students are on November 2, 2016.
If you would like to enroll your child in our full day Extended Day for conference coverage, please click here. We have a limited number of spaces and will be planning a variety of special activities for the day!
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After School Clubs for LS Students
Registration will open online for our After-School Clubs (open to all Lower School students) in the next week. We will send out more information once registration opens. This fall, we will be offering Yoga!; Got Science? with Mr. Stattel; Newspaper with Ms. Pappas & Ms. S-G; Chess; Bookmaking & Journaling with Ms. Abrams. The afternoons at Brimmer are going to be action-packed, hands-on, and busy, so join us! Questions? Call or email Cassie Abodeely at 617-278-2350; camp@brimmer.org.
Cassie Abodeely
Director of Summer and Auxiliary Programs
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Dear Parents and Guardians, 
I am thrilled to extend a warm welcome to the entire Middle School community. We are all very excited to begin the 2016-2017 school year. Please be on the lookout for updates from me on curricular and co-curricular programs here at Brimmer in future issues of the Bulletin. If you have any questions regarding the beginning of the year, please feel free to contact your son/daughter's advisor. As always, you are more than welcome to call, email, or set up a meeting with me as well.
The faculty and I are excited for next week's trip to Camp Chimney Corners in the Berkshires! Our time there will be filled with team building exercises, swimming, high and low ropes, and many other activities. Please keep an eye on Brimmer's Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram feeds for updates when we are away. If you did not fill out the camp medical and liability forms, please do so and return them to Nurse Beth Escobar as soon as possible.
Carl Rapisarda Vallely
Head of Middle School
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Upper School News
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Dear Parents and Guardians, 
It has been a busy summer on campus, and as we head into the last weekend of summer vacation, we are excited to welcome in the 2016-2017 school year. This past week, Upper School faculty and staff came together for Opening Meetings to prepare for the year, set up their classrooms, and engage in professional development. It was an inspiring week that will certainly help the school year get off to a great start.
Last week we hosted our International New Student Orientation, and this week we welcomed our 9th grade and new 10th and 11th grade students for orientation. Students had an opportunity to learn more about the Upper School and each other.
Next week, the Upper School will move to Camp Wingate*Kirkland for its annual week of community building. If you have not completed all the forms necessary to participate in camp activities, please be sure to do so. All students should turn in the Camp Permission Form to Nurse Beth Escobar(bescobar@brimmer.org). In addition, grades 10, 11, and 12 received information on additional forms to complete. If you have any questions on these forms, please email me at jneudel@brimmer.org.
Joshua Neudel
Upper School Head
Upcoming Events
September 6
7:50 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
First Day of School
*A special schedule will be distributed to students at the beginning of the day
2:45 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.
Team practices for Upper School students
4:30 p.m.
Seniors depart for Camp Wingate*Kirkland
September 7
8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.
Grades 9-11 arrive at Brimmer
9:00 a.m.
Grades 9-11 depart for Camp*Wingate Kirkland
September 9
12:00 p.m.
Upper School students return to Brimmer
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Varsity sports team practices
September 12
Opening Convocation/Dress Day
September 15
Photo Day
September 29
Upper School Back-to-School Night
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College Counseling
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College Boot Camp
On Monday, August 29, the Class of 2017 met with the college counseling team for a morning of touching base one-on-one to assess where each student stands in the college application process. Many students worked on their essays over the summer and sent drafts to counselors for feedback. All students created their Common Application accounts last spring and should now be well on their way to completion. During upcoming College Counseling class periods, we will continue to work on essays, Common Applications, and specific college supplemental forms. Because we have three sections of the class, each group is small and will allow for individualized help. It is important to complete forms and essays early as many colleges have early priority deadlines tied to merit scholarship eligibility. Also, most students will choose to apply Early Action (EA) to some colleges, which are non-binding agreements, and a few will apply Early Decision (ED), which is a binding agreement.
College Visitors to Brimmer
Each fall many colleges send admissions counselors to Brimmer to meet with the College Counseling team and students who are interested in their institutions. This is a wonderful way for students to learn more about the colleges, make contact with a member of the admissions staff, and show their interest in that institution. All seniors are encouraged to attend as many of these meetings as possible and are allowed to do so during a free period or with the permission of their classroom teacher. Juniors are allowed to attend these sessions if they have a study hall. As of late August, we already have 35 colleges scheduled to visit. All visits will be announced during morning meetings. Seniors will be able to access the list on Naviance, in the Bulletin, and on the Brimmer website. Since new colleges are scheduled on a daily basis, students should listen carefully to announcements at morning meetings.
The PSAT
All students in grades 9 and 10 will take the PSAT on Wednesday, October 19. Registration will be completed at school, and parents will be billed for the cost of the test ($15.00). Students will be given complete information about the exam as well as practice materials. Further information for parents will be sent at a later date.
Fall College Night--Required for Class of 2018
Mark your calendar for the Brimmer Fall College Night program. This evening event is open to all students and parents in the Brimmer community and is especially recommended for Upper School. A panel of three college admission professionals will present information about their institutions as well as general information about the application process, the admission selection process, and financial planning. Further information will be announced in the weeks to come. This is a required event for the Class of 2018.
Cynthia Pendergast
Director of College Counseling
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Welcome to the 2016-17 School Year!
We look forward to seeing you at the Back-to-School Coffees next week. Please be sure to check the Brimmer Bulletin today and every week for upcoming events such as All-School Photo Day and Back-to-School Nights.
Volunteer Opportunities
Many thanks to all of you who have already signed up as parent volunteers! Whether you can give one hour or multiple hours, we hope that every parent will have the chance to volunteer at a Brimmer event this year. It's a great way to experience life at Brimmer and to be a presence in our children's school lives. Click here to find a volunteer opportunity fitting your schedule.
All parent volunteers need to complete a CORI form, which is good for three years. Please email Anne Bisson at abisson@brimmer.org to request an email copy of the CORI form. There are many types of CORI forms, and she will send you what you need.
Save the Dates: Fall Parents' Association Meetings
Parents and guardians from all grades are invited to attend.
Thursday, October 6, 8:15 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. in the Wright Conference Room.
The PA, Brimmer, and You! Learn how parents connect to the School, and share your story about your family's first days at Brimmer.
Thursday, November 10, 8:15 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. in the Theatre
Writer Lynn Lyons, LICSW will speak on the theme Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents: Strategies to Interrupt the Worry Cycle at Home and School. Click here to read more about Ms. Lyons.
Parent Walking Group Starts Friday, September 16
Catch up with old friends or meet new ones at our weekly Parent Walking Group! Parents and guardians from all grades are welcome. Meet us at 8:15 a.m. in front of the Chase Building for a 40-60 minute walk around the Reservoir (weather permitting). Babies, strollers, and leashed pets are also welcome. 2016 PA Gifts to School
Thanks to your generous support last year, the Parents' Association donated $3,500 to the scholarship fund and $11,000 to purchase new furniture for the Lower School Design Lab, new water fountain attachments for water bottles, and an additional fountain for the field. Please feel free to email us with questions, suggestions, or comments anytime:brimmerparents@brimmer.org. Sincerely, Alesia Singer P '27, P '22, P '22 (alesia116@me.com ) Roslyn Pedlar P '18 (roslynpedlar@aol.com) |
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Connect with Brimmer and May!
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Join the Conversation and Keep in the Loop!
Follow Brimmer on social media for lots of news, photos, & videos!
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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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9/2
Varsity Sports Practice
11:30 a.m.
9/5
Labor Day- No School
9/6
Opening Day (Gr. 6-12)
7:50 a.m.
Parents Back to School Coffee ( Gr. 6-12)
8:00 a.m.
LS Goal Setting Conferences
12:30 p.m.
Pre-K-5 Classroom Visits (4:30 p.m.) followed by Music & Mingling on the Field
4:30-6 p.m.
9/7
Middle School departs for Chimney Corners
8:00 a.m.
Upper School departs for Camp Wingate-Kirkland
8:30 a.m.
LS Goal Setting Conferences
12:30 p.m.
9/8 Opening Day
(Pre-K- Gr. 5) 8 a.m. Parents Back to School Coffee (Pre-K-5) 8 a.m.
9/9Pre-K, K, & Gr. 1 Early Dismissal 11:00 a.m.
Upper School returns from Camp Wingate-Kirkland
12:00 p.m.
Middle School returns from Chimney Corners
12:00 p.m. Grade 2 and 3 Dismissal 2:20 p.m. Grade 4 and 5 Dismissal 2:35 p.m. 9/12 Extended Day begins Fall Sports Practice regular schedule begins Middle School After-School Study Hall begins Middle and Upper School Opening Convocation
(Dress Day) 8:15 a.m. Pre-K & K Dismissal 12:00 p.m. 9/15Class Photos Pre-K-12 Middle School Back to School Night 6:30 p.m. 9/16 Pre-K-K Dismissal 2:00 p.m. Grades 1-3 Dismissal 2:20 p.m. Grade 4 and 5 Dismissal 2:35 p.m. 9/22Lower School Back to School Night 6:30 p.m. 9/29Upper School Back to School Night 6:30 p.m. 9/30 Lower School Apple Picking Buddy Trip View the full School calendar
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