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Faculty
The Upper School faculty consists of 30 teachers and 5 administrators and counselors. More than 85% of Upper School faculty members hold advanced degrees, including several PhDs. Several faculty members teach courses in both the Middle and Upper Schools.
International Baccalaureate
Brooklyn Friends is proud to be an International
Baccalaureate World School, offering the challenging Diploma Program for our
juniors and seniors. Since its
introduction at BFS in 2007, student participation in IB has grown quickly, and
IB courses now comprise the majority of our 11th and 12th
grade program. IB courses focus on
developing critical thinking skills within each of the disciplines, and
emphasis is placed on how students
learn. IB courses are active,
thought provoking, and move far beyond memorization of content. Supported by a comprehensive and
creative assessment program, IB is held in high regard by colleges and
universities; IB students are extremely well prepared for this next stage. Central to the design of our IB program is student choice:
Students can opt to take individual IB courses as part of their total course
load, or students can choose to be part of the full Diploma Program, where all
of their courses are IB. Students
in the intensive Diploma Program aim to earn an IB diploma in addition to their
Brooklyn Friends diploma.
Advisory Program
Our strong advisory system – in which teachers act as advisors to a small group of students, remaining with them through their upper school years – develops meaningful peer-to-peer and student-teacher relationships. This close daily contact between students and advisors is one of the defining features of a Brooklyn Friends education.
Honor Code
Brooklyn Friends students are expected to affirm and uphold the school Honor Code, which consists of a commitment to academic honesty, personal integrity, and respect for others.
Quaker Values
Quaker Meeting for Worship is held weekly in the Upper School. Community members sit in silence, and if they feel moved to say something that will deepen and enrich the experience, they stand and speak. The practice of quieting the mind and opening the heart adds a spiritual dimension to the educational experience and encourages students to be thoughtful, active listeners. Students also gain an intellectual understanding of Quakerism and world religions through required classes in religion, ethics, and philosophy.
Global Perspectives
Brooklyn Friends embraces a global perspective on teaching and learning. In addition to offering the full International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, the school has sponsored travel and collaborative programs in Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Our student body and faculty reflect the ethnic diversity and internationalism of our city, and we actively promote global awareness across our curriculum.
Community Service
As a Quaker school, Brooklyn Friends has a rich tradition of service. The school sponsors overnight trips for group service projects (such as building homes with Habitat for Humanity), and four days of service learning are built into the yearly calendar. All 11th and 12th grade students are required to fulfill the IB Diploma Program’s CAS requirements, which include at least 50 hours of community service and/or social action. Many students surpass this requirement and continue to pursue community service in their adult lives.
Extracurricular Activities
All Brooklyn Friends students are encouraged to participate in and become leaders of student government, publications, the arts, athletics, service, and clubs. More than 50% of the student body participate in interscholastic sports (soccer, volleyball, track, cross-country, basketball, baseball, and softball). Students publish a literary magazine and yearbook, stage numerous musical, dramatic, and dance productions, and exhibit at the annual all-school art show. Students also participate in clubs, activities and committees such as Peace and Social Action, Science and Engineering Club, El Club Latino, Students Celebrating Diversity, Gay/Straight Alliance, and Model United Nations.
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