Phillips Brooks School

Spooky season at PBS was in full swing on Thursday! 🎃👻 Our students had a blast showing off their creative Halloween costumes to family, teachers, and each other during our annual Halloween Parade! From favorite book characters to dinosaurs, the costumes were frightfully fun—and even Brooks the Ghost (ahem... Lion 🦁) made a costumed appearance!

Brooks the Lion knows that together, through the support of the PBS Annual Fund, we are continuously shaping an extraordinary learning environment that inspires curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. Every gift makes a lasting impact, allowing us to innovate and sustain the excellence of a Phillips Brooks School education. Give Now: www.phillipsbrooks.org/support-pbs/annual-fund

A huge thank you to PBS parents Taruna and Ashika for their GATHER share on the beauty and traditions of Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights! Everyone enjoyed learning about this vibrant celebration, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness. What a wonderful way to bring our community together in cultural appreciation and joy!

Our PBSA Festival was a huge hit! Students enjoyed carnival-style games and had a blast sampling yummy treats from our Fall-inspired bake-off. From spooky goodies to decorated pumpkins to giant bouncy houses, it was a fun, festive day celebrating all things autumn! Special thanks to PBSA Festival Co-chairs Celeste and Catherine who worked hard to create such a special event for our community.

Our 5th graders just returned from an unforgettable week in majestic Yosemite! Surrounded by ancient trees and towering rocks, they learned in the best outdoor classroom nature has to offer. Along the way, they found the courage to step outside their comfort zones, sleep away from home, and trust in one another. What an incredible experience in both nature and social-emotional learning!

We are thrilled to announce that Jennifer Bohnen will be our next Head of School at Phillips Brooks School, effective July 1, 2025! Following a rigorous national search, the Board of Trustees unanimously approved her appointment. With over 25 years of experience in elementary and early childhood education, Jennifer is an exceptional educator, administrator, and leader. Welcome, Jennifer!

In anticipation of generous support of the 2024-2025 PBS Annual Fund, our school proudly welcomed several new faculty positions this year, strengthening our commitment to academic excellence and individualized learning. Their contributions allow us to offer more individualized instruction, smaller learning groups, and greater engagement in science and math. These additions are possible because of your support! Give Now: https://www.phillipsbrooks.org/support-pbs/annual-fund

On Monday’s professional development day, PBS faculty and staff brought our core values of Community and Kindness to life! From lovingly replanting Laine’s Garden to crafting blankets for Project Linus and writing heartfelt cards for There With Care and the Birthday Project, we spent the day making a difference together.

It was a bow-tiful party! 🎀 PBSA volunteers gathered for a fun-filled bow-making session, measuring, cutting, twisting, and gluing—while enjoying a bit of champagne and great conversation, of course! 🥂 Now, the PBSA Spirit Store hair bows are ready for the upcoming PBSA Festival. Our students love showing their spirit with these fabulous bows!

The PBS Annual Fund plays a crucial role in enhancing the overall experience for our students and bridges the gap between tuition and the true cost of a PBS education for each child. Won’t you join Brooks and our dedicated Annual Fund Class Captains in the race to the finish line of our most critical fundraising initiative? Every contribution makes a difference in supporting our students and programs. Give Now: https://www.phillipsbrooks.org/support-pbs/annual-fund

The PBS Fun Run officially kicked off this year's Annual Fund! Fun Run Co-chairs Ellen and Laura have successfully passed the baton to Annual Fund Co-chairs Mariam and Aaron, who are ready to lead our sprint toward the finish line! Our PBS students had a grand time racing, jogging, laughing, and enjoying fruity cool-down popsicles. Now let's lace up, stay on track, and race toward the Annual Fund finish line for our students!

Last Friday, our students, families, faculty and staff were captivated by the incredible sounds of Individúo, one of the most exciting up-and-coming musical duos in the Latin music scene! Their unique blend of rhythms and soulful energy brought joy and inspiration to Friday’s GATHER. We're so grateful for this amazing experience!

The joy of music is alive at PBS! Our students are finding their rhythm, moving to the beat, singing with heart, and exploring new instruments—filling the campus with creativity, movement, and melody!

Our students were captivated at GATHER last Friday as PBS parents Vicky Louie and Sherry Xie shared the beauty of the Moon Festival! From traditional tales and illustrations to a moon cake display, this special GATHER presentation brought the rich cultural celebration of the moon to life!

PBS Enrichment Classes have officially kicked off, and students are already diving into exciting explorations! This week, they’ve been creating amazing designs with 3D printing pens. From cooking and carpentry to drama and more, PBS Enrichment offers endless opportunities for hands-on learning and creativity!

Yesterday, our Annual Fund Co-chairs, Class Captains (and Brooks!) geared up during their training session, fuelling up with delicious snacks as they prepared for this year's race to the Annual Fund finish line! With everyone getting ready to take their marks, we’ll be ready to sprint toward another successful season of Annual Fund giving.

In these first weeks of school, we’ve seen the courage it takes to make new friendships—and strengthen old ones! Watching students connect, laugh, and build bonds is inspiring. These friendships are already shaping a year filled with kindness, courage, and love of learning!

Last week, our faculty and staff were treated to the breakfast of champions—donuts and more! 🥯🍩 It was a super-sweet gesture of kindness from our PBSA Faculty and Staff Appreciation Committee to show thanks for all they do to “champion” our students. With full hearts (and full bellies), we're starting the school year strong!

The first day of school wasn’t just for our students—it was a big day for our amazing PBSA too! 🎉 We kicked off the year with a successful PBSA Volunteer Fair, where our dedicated community members eagerly signed up to support our school in countless ways. Their enthusiasm and commitment set the tone for a fantastic year ahead. A huge thank you to all who joined us and are ready to make a difference!

The first day of school at PBS is in the books, and our students are already showing courage as they meet new friends, step into new classrooms, and dive into the love of learning! On Day 1, the smiles were bright, the energy was high. Brooks was even on hand to give welcoming Lion-hugs and high-fives!

Whoo-whoo-whoo's got their eyes open, looking for students to return to campus? Our wise resident owls are perched and eager to see everyone back, bringing their love for learning. Just like our students, these owls know that PBS is the place to spread your wings and soar!

While students have been enjoying the final weeks of summer, our Faculty, Staff and Trustees have been busy building community and love of learning through a series of in-service activities - collaborating to imagine the future of PBS! Each team created a unique artifact representing what progress might look like one year from now. They also pinpointed a key action step to help bring their vision to life. Exciting things are ahead!

We are delighted that our Interim Head of School, Diane Rosenberg, arrived in July and is here on campus, busily immersing herself in our vibrant community. Diane is eagerly looking forward to the return of our students in just a couple of weeks. Join us in giving a warm welcome to Diane!

Last week, our community came together to celebrate the most joyful of occasions - 5th Grade Graduation! Surrounded by our campus' iconic eucalyptus trees and under clear blue skies, our 5th graders and their families reflected on this momentous milestone, marking the culmination of their PBS education and the beginning of bright futures and lifelong friendships. We wish you all a restful and rejuvenating summer! 🌞

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