Dear Families,
Many of you may have noticed the transformation taking place at the edge of our driveway on Dan Wise Way, near the brook that gives Brookwood its name. I want to assure you that this is not the beginning of a development project. Quite the opposite: it’s an act of restoration and regeneration.
The brook has long been a defining feature of our landscape—a source of curiosity, exploration, and inspiration for our students. But in recent years, the area around it had become overrun with invasive plants like glossy buckthorn, multiflora rose, and Japanese barberry, all of which crowd out native species and degrade the soil. With the land showing signs of erosion and ecological imbalance, our facilities team, led by Bob Hastings, began an ambitious restoration project rooted in long-term thinking—one guided by the “seven generations” principle. This approach asks us to make decisions not just for today, but for the wellbeing of those who will walk this campus seven generations from now.
Over the past couple of months, we have removed invasive species and will begin replanting with native plants shortly—many of which you’ll find in the field guides our Lower Schoolers love to use. Highbush blueberry, winterberry, elderberry, sweet pepper bush, cinnamon fern, and mountain mint are just a few of the species that will be introduced. These native plants support local pollinators and increase biodiversity, turning the brook area into a living classroom and a thriving ecosystem once again.
This work is part of a much larger vision for sustainability at Brookwood. Under Bob’s leadership, we’ve installed solar panels and are preparing for a major boiler replacement—an upgrade that will both improve student comfort and significantly reduce our energy use.
It’s a privilege to steward this land together and to model for our students what it means to care deeply for the places we call home. Thank you for being in it with us—and happy Earth Day.
Warmly,
Jon Bartlett
Head of School
