BFS
Our Strategic Vision

Welcome from Jason Novak, Head of Lower School

Jason Novak

Dear Lower School Families,

It is my deepest pleasure to connect with you during the summer as we anticipate the start of another school year at Brooklyn Friends. In my first few days, serving as your new Head of Lower School, I have wholeheartedly begun to fall in love with the joy and connection I have felt in our community. Brooklyn Friends School is a very unique and special place, and I am truly grateful to be joining in our commitment to cultivate an intellectually ambitious and diverse community that celebrates each individual’s gifts. Thank you for the many messages of welcome you have shared with me on Brooklyn Friends’ social media accounts and over email.

Being new to Brooklyn, I have been using pieces of my time during the summer to connect with Lower School colleagues and Leadership Team members and also to begin learning about our community. I am beginning to gain insight into the many layers of the school experience at BFS, and I am looking forward to the start of the school year. Having just relocated with my husband Alejandro to Brooklyn, NY, from the Washington, D.C. region, I can happily say that we are both becoming quite acclimated to the area and have enjoyed exploring NYC. My sister and my youngest nephew will be arriving in a few weeks for their first ever visit to New York from their home in Pittsburgh, PA. I am quite excited to be sharing my new home and city with them when they arrive.

As we engage the remaining summer weeks ahead, it is important to begin to prepare your children for the start of the school year. This school year brings about many new realities with an ongoing stream of information that is helping to advise decisions for the start of our year. I want to thank all of you for completing the most recent survey shared by BFS in June. I am currently reviewing the information and working closely with our Assistant Head of  Lower School for Academics, Katie Banks, and our leadership team to use the information you have shared to help in our preparation for the fall. If you have not already done so, please also be sure to review the first part of our Reopening Roadmap recently shared by Crissy. The next part of the plan, to be sent out later this month, will lay out more details as to how the Lower School and all divisions will be creating a meaningful and rich experience for all of our children while maintaining their wellness and safety.

Should you have any questions at this time, please contact me via email at jnovak@brooklynfriends.org. While I am still new and learning, I will do my best to answer anything that may be on your mind. I look forward to connecting with all of you again this coming August in sharing forward more details about the start of the school year. The health, safety and well being of your children is the most important priority to me as we steep ourselves in decision-making and essential partnership looking ahead to this fall.  I wish all of you a safe and healthy remainder of your summer.

In Friendship and with gratitude,

Jason Novak
Head of Lower School