Secondary School Process
At Brookwood, we strive to help young people take risks, explore new frontiers and learn about themselves as students and community members.
The Brookwood experience culminates in 8th grade when students are challenged to achieve academically, artistically, athletically and socially, all the while thinking about the future and their “next step.”
Beginning in the spring of 7th grade, we start the conversation about life after Brookwood. Each child is unique; therefore, we employ a personalized approach to help students find and secure acceptance at the school that is best suited for their unique passions and needs.
Through our relationships with and knowledge of independent, public, parochial, day and boarding schools both locally and nationally, we help students and families identify appropriate schools for investigation, discuss a variety of options for consideration, and provide guidance in completing applications as needed. Our goal is to secure placement at a secondary school that will further the good work started at Brookwood and enable students to realize their goals and achieve at their highest.
We know Brookwood students, we know the schools, and the schools know us. Together, we explore this exciting new frontier to find the right school for every Brookwood graduate.
Examples of steps and components offered include:
- Information sessions for parents, dedicated classes for students, and one-on-one meetings with the Director of the Secondary School Process.
- Specific school days set aside for secondary school visits to ensure that students can explore other schools while remaining current with course work.
- Guidance regarding the best preparation and strategies in approaching the SSAT, ISEE, HSPT and other standardized application instruments.
- Extensive coordination to ensure that each student is presented authentically and all materials are completed and submitted by given due dates.
Evan Diamond
Director of Secondary School Process
Evan first joined Brookwood School in 2007 after completing his Master’s Degree in School Leadership. A long time social studies teacher, he taught 6th grade social studies and took over the position of Head of Upper School in 2008. Now Evan serves as Brookwood’s first Director of the Secondary School Process, and he is thrilled about the opportunity to refine and build upon this process for all of Brookwood’s graduates.
Cathy Marrero
Associate Director of Secondary School Process
Cathy joined the Brookwood community in 1997 as a new Grade 1 parent and Class Ambassador. When hired in 2007 as the Assistant to Headmaster John Peterman, and having two sons who already went through the secondary school process, she was uniquely positioned to work with parents embarking on their high school search as necessary in this role. Now with 10 years of experience coordinating all aspects of application support, coupled with her strong organizational skills and attention to detail, Cathy looks forward to providing greater focus in assisting families on the next steps of their child’s educational journey.