Upper School Support & Extracurricular Activities
Advisory Program
All Upper School students are assigned to an advisory group with approximately 8 students in their grade. Faculty advisors and their advisees remain in the same group for all four years, and the close relationships that develop in advisories create a family within the school that is one of the defining features of the Brooklyn Friends Upper School experience. Advisors serve as mentors to students and are the primary liaisons between school and home, developing supportive, productive relationships with families and communicating with them about all aspects of their children’s progress. Advisory groups meet together daily from 8:00 to 8:10 am and for extended periods several times a month.
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.
Service Learning & Civic Engagement
Brooklyn Friends School has a long-standing commitment to service learning as an integral element of our Family Center through Grade 12 curriculum. Each Upper School student participates in the Creativity, Activity, Service program (CAS) established within the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. Our graduates continue to pursue meaningful service in their adult lives. For more information on Service Learning, click here.
Co-curricular Activities and Athletics
All Brooklyn Friends students are encouraged to participate in and become leaders in student government, publications, the arts, athletics, service, and clubs. More than 50% of Upper School students participate in 17 Varsity and Junior Varsity interscholastic sports, including soccer, volleyball, track, cross-country, basketball, baseball, and softball. Students publish a literary magazine and school yearbook, stage numerous musical, dramatic, and dance productions, and exhibit work at the annual all-school art show. Students also participate in clubs, activities, and committees like the Peace and Social Action Committee, El Club Latino, Students Celebrating Diversity, Gay/Straight Alliance, and Model United Nations.
Global Perspectives and International Travel
Brooklyn Friends embraces a global perspective on teaching and learning. In addition to offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, the school has sponsored travel and collaborative programs in Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa, 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.