Far Brook School

We were thrilled to welcome many Alumni and Alumni families back to campus on a beautiful Fall Family Day last week.?#FarBrookSchool?#FallFamilyDay?#FarBrookFFD2024?#SchoolAsItShouldBe?#FarBrookAlumni?#ProgressiveEducation?#Community

Our annual Widening the Lens Diversity Conference is just a little over a month away! We look forward to welcoming peer schools on campus as we discuss this year's topic - Beyond the Binary: Honoring Individuality, Identity, and Expression in our Communities.

Welcome Roggi Chuquimarca (Class of 2013)! We are grateful for the addition of your experience and fresh perspective to our board.

Meet Jessica Schachter '85 (Montclair High School '89, University of Maryland '97, Pace Law School '02). Jessica is a retired corporate attorney, having spent the bulk of her career as in-house counsel for L'Oréal USA focusing on advertising law and product liability. The founder of We Are Montclair, a community-building organization that connects people, businesses, and services throughout town, Jessica also describes herself as a mom, children’s book author, and Multiple Sclerosis warrior! Jessica shared, "My time at Far Brook will always be highlighted in my mind as some of the best times of my life. Far Brook instilled in me a lifelong love of so much, including Shakespeare, downhill skiing, and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater. My kids know all of the songs that Mr. Finckel taught us and we sing them regularly. I will always remember my time at Far Brook with love and gratitude." #FarBrookSchool?#ProgressiveEducation?#FarBrookAlumni?#ItAllBeganAtFarBrook?#SchoolAsItShouldBe

Flashback to the '90s! The excitement was palpable as the community gathered for the "Big Dig" on Monday, opening a time capsule buried in 1990 to send a message for Far Brook's 75th anniversary. Many community members who were at the 1990 event attended Morning Meeting where Chris Susko, an Alumni parent and long-term Trustee, shared the experience of creating and burying this gift for the future. The capsule was unearthed and Head of School Amy Ziebarth opened it to reveal a letter of congratulations on our anniversary and a variety of cultural references including a menu from Don's Drive-In restaurant, Nike sneakers, a Swatch watch, a juice box, a Bonnie Raitt CD, M?tley Crüe concert tickets, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Far Brook publications, photos, and sports uniforms, among other treasures. Each grade provided a thoughtful item for the new time capsule, and students participated in treasure hunts around campus. What were the new items, you ask? You'll have to find out in 2048! #FarBrookSchool #ProgressiveEducation #SchoolAsItShouldBe #FarBrookHistory #FarBrookAlumni

We were thrilled to welcome back Far Brook families from near and far for Alumni Community Day last Saturday and to capture so many wonderful moments of reunion! #FarBrookSchool #ProgressiveEducation #SchoolAsItShouldBe #FarBrookAlumni

Meet Sammy Lederman ’18 (Newark Academy ’22, Brown University ’26). While currently majoring in public health and biology on the pre-medical track at Brown University, Sammy also studies the violin in Brown’s Applied Music Program. This past semester, as a member of the Brown University Orchestra, Sammy had the extraordinary opportunity to perform alongside renowned musicians, including 16-time Grammy Award Winner Itzhak Perlman and his protégé Randall Goosby. Sammy was also selected as one of the soloist performers for a masterclass led by concert violinist Randall Goosby. In Sammy’s words, “Looking back on my musical education, I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Far Brook. Being introduced to music at such an early age sparked a passion within me that has opened doors to lifelong connections and unforgettable experiences. Without Far Brook’s influence, I may have never discovered the sheer joy that playing my instrument and creating music brings me. While I feel that Far Brook has provided me with a solid foundation in every academic field, I'm especially and forever thankful for the role that Far Brook has played in nurturing my love for music.” #ItAllBeganAtFarBrook #SchoolAsItShouldBe #FarBrookSchool #FarBrookAlumni

Far Brook celebrates 75 years! ?? Join us for an Alumni Community Day in honor of our anniversary. All alumni, alumni families, current and former faculty and staff, and friends are welcome! Explore our museum dedicated to FBS memorabilia and engage in nostalgic activities such as Drama, Art, or Woodshop classes. Enjoy delicious treats, limited edition school store items, a special sing-along, and much more as we reconnect and create lasting memories together. RSVP today at bit.ly/3V96vUz.

Our wonderful teacher, Amy Striem, put together a fascinating article about the power of block play. Check it out, below!