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OUR MISSION
Our mission is to inspire each student
to love learning
while striving for academic
excellence.
Brown School’s teachers work to identify and develop
the strengths of individual students, thereby stimulating discovery,
imagination, and critical thinking. Small classes, a dedicated staff, and an
innovative curriculum, combine to motivate children to reach their potential
both academically and socially. The school’s nurturing environment supports a
diverse student community and encourages confident, articulate learners, who are
disciplined, responsible and respectful of others.
OUR HISTORY
Brown
School was founded by Helen “Nellie”
Brown in 1893. The school's objective was to offer an alternative to
public schools, where small class sizes and an individualized approach to
learning would foster self-confidence, intellectual curiosity and a life-long
love of learning. Students who attended Brown School would be well prepared for
further studies, having received a solid foundation in fundamental subjects.
More than a
century later, Brown School's objective is still the same. Though we continue to
stress academic fundamentals, our students also receive outstanding instruction
in vocal and instrumental music, art, physical education, computer skills and
foreign language study. We place a strong emphasis on scholastic excellence in
an atmosphere that encourages personal and social growth. We value the
development and appreciation of individual talents and achievement rather than
competition. Our children acquire self-discipline and responsibility, while
learning to recognize how their actions affect the nature and functioning
of the school community and the
larger community in which they live. We encourage
the children to develop a sense of self-worth as well as a sensitivity to
the feelings and needs of others. The school population is heterogeneous,
providing opportunities to stress respect for individual differences, be they
cultural, social, economic or other.
Brown
School is chartered by the New York State Board of Regents and meets all the
requirements of the State Education Department.
Brown
School is accredited by the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS)
and is a member of National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and
Capital Region Independent Schools Association (CRISA).
The Brown School Board of Trustees has fiduciary responsibility
for the school and responsibility
for the determination of school
policy. The Board consists of parents,
friends, administrators and a
representative group of teachers.
All voting Board members are volunteers.
Our tradition of
small class size affords enormous flexibility in classroom instruction and
enables us to provide a high degree of individualized instruction. Although the
scope of the material to be covered is clearly defined by grade level, teachers
have a great deal of autonomy regarding the methods they use in their
classrooms. Student progress is measured through ongoing observation and
assessment.
There is a close
relationship among students, teachers and parents, and parent consultations
occur frequently during the school year.
All teachers at
Brown School are qualified in their
fields and committed to the philosophy of the school. They devote a large
amount of personal time to their jobs, and work as a team to solve problems and
improve instruction. Our staff keeps abreast of current educational trends and
research by attending graduate courses, conferences, workshops and in-service
programs.
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