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"The basic impulse came from recognizing how popular and educationally meaningful the Afterschool program is throughout the Preschool, Lower School and Middle School," said Dr. Larry Weiss of a new Upper School program launching this fall. "The idea was to create something similar for the Upper School, to see if teachers wanted to teach subjects that speak to their interests, their passions," said the Head of School in an interview just before the first day of school. Upper School Head Roxanne Zazzaro enthusiastically backed the program and within a time-frame of several months created After Three @Willoughby, a year-long series of after-school seminar courses for Upper School students.
"The idea is to offer students a lot of challenging choices of after-school electives. Students are completely free to opt out of the program, but we expect that when they make a commitment, they follow through with it." explained Larry. "To have a two-hour class with a break is much more akin to the undergraduate experience." The material covered will include college-level readings and intensive discussions.
Similar to a trimester system, three seminar sessions will be held during the year, each lasting eight weeks. Some of the courses span all 24 weeks. Classes will be held once a week from 3:30 to 5:30 pm, and the offerings are open to all students in grades 9 through 12. Students will receive academic recognition on their BFS transcripts but the courses are ungraded. "The courses will enhance, expand, ignite and support the students' learning," said Roxanne. "The intent is for students to have an enriching experience in a varied learning environment."
So far, 15 teachers will be leading the seminars, several in subjects in which they are not necessarily associated. For example, mathematics teacher ElioValenti is teaching the current events course, The Week in Review, Choral Director Russell Marsh is teaching Introduction to Black Studies, and Spanish teacher Vanessa Ehler will lead a seminar on Health and Wellness. Other course offerings include Caribbean Studies, Journalism, Creative Writing, The Aesthetic Life of Japan, Astronomy, Italian, Digital Photography, and The Spiritual Life of China. Tom Rothschild from the Brooklyn Monthly Meeting, BFS' spiritual home, will be offering an Advanced Quakerism seminar featuring guest speakers from all over New York state. Even Larry himself is finding time in his busy schedule to teach a course in Contemporary China.
New to the Upper School faculty, Trevor Corson is teaching Introduction to Mandarin--a first at BFS. Trevor is also fluent in Japanese, so that may become an option in the future. While a student at Sidwell Friends in the early 1980s, Trevor focused on Chinese Studies and participated in an exchange program with Beijing Normal University. Larry, who has a strong academic background in Chinese history, became the director of that program after Trevor had graduated and went on to Princeton. The two just missed meeting face to face but they were aware of each other.
After Three @Willoughby isn't the only exciting news at BFS. "We had very good results with the IB program," said Larry. "This year we had 11 IB diploma candidates and each was granted the diploma." He pointed out that the awarding of an IB diploma is based on external examinations administered by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). "For BFS to be only in the third year of its IB curriculum -- this is a steep success curve."
Also new this year, the Upper School will offer non-IB elective course in Mandarin, Italian and Latin. All of these courses are new to the Upper School and were made possible by the schedule shift from a 7-day to a 10-day class cycle. Moreover, the history curriculum has expanded in tenth grade: students will take two electives over the course of the year, in classes with a focus on non-Western history. The choices are Latin America, Modern African History, the Middle East, Modern India, the Rise of Modern China, the Search for Modern Japan, The World Wars, and the Wars in Korea and Vietnam.
"We are also continuing to implement the school's Strategic Plan for Diversity," said Larry. "This year we are welcoming a schoolwide Director of Diversity -- Eddie Moore, Jr., who is nationally known. We're fortunate to have him." The Middle and Upper School also have a new Learning Specialist, Kamaru Johnson, who has much experience with the College Board along with significant expertise in other counseling and learning areas. "In general the diversity of the faculty and administration is improving," Larry said, "and we will continue to demonstrate leadership in this area."
As for the strategic expansion of the school in terms of facilities and enrollment, the Board of Trustees expects to announce definite word on the location of the new Preschool and Lower School by the end of the calendar year. Meanwhile, the Family Center's new home at 189 Schermerhorn is ready to go. "Last year changing Board of Health regulations required that the 2s program be relocated to the ground floor if a license were to be granted for continuing operations." Larry recounted. "We were faced with losing a very successful program or finding a ground floor facility for it. This was impossible at 375 Pearl Street, so I asked the Board of Trustees for a feasibility study to locate a new space," he explained. "The Board approved the study and we found an exceptional space close-by."
At the new and larger location at 189 Schermerhorn Street, the Family Center will not only continue; it's increasing the enrollment from 15 to 40 students in a brand new, state-of-the-art facility. "Director of Physical Plant Michel Rimpel deserves the real credit," said Larry. "He oversaw the leasing, design, and construction build-out processes. He and Director of Finance Mike Pellechio made this dream a reality. The stress on them as opening day approached has been enormous. Also working round the clock has been the new Family Center Director Sara Soll -- she and her staff have done a superb job." |