We are so incredibly grateful for the teachers and administrators here at Brookstone. They shower our children with love and grace while teaching them and equipping them with the tools they need to thoughtfully and successfully navigate this world. We are growing the next generation of leaders right here on Brookstone’s campus.

Enjoy these excerpts from their Friday emails!

From Leigh Anne Floyd:

Our children are like arrows in our quiver, and it is our job to sharpen them while they are with us so that when they become a young adult and leave, they are prepared to take on all the things (including curveballs) the world has to offer. Remember that each child is different. Each has different strengths, different fears, different personalities, and the list keeps growing. Sometimes we tend to impose who we are or who we want to be on our children. Instead, we need to nurture who they are and introduce them to experiences where you can learn along with them what they are good (and not so good) at doing. There is always a chance for failure as your child is introduced to these opportunities to grow, but those failures will fine-tune and make one better. We are in this journey together as we prepare our children to be sharp – intentional, purposeful, capable, and ready for their life’s journey. The setting we have created together at Brookstone offers a safe place for students to take risks, and it is just one more thing that sets us apart from the rest. As the teachers prepare reports for the end of our first trimester of the school year, we thank you for taking this journey with us and trusting us during these unusual times. 

From Javonne Stewart:

“Children are not things to be molded, but are people to be unfolded.”-Anonymous 

As a school leader, I am committed not only to cultivating academic excellence but also teaching and guiding students to be leaders who are thoughtful, empathetic, and independent. This is a process that does not happen overnight. Just as you might have to tell your child to clean their room multiple times before they actually do it, helping students understand who they are as a leader, how to manage conflict, and how to grow healthy, long-lasting relationships takes time. Our time is limited with them in the Intermediate School, though it is not without direction. Research has shown that children will follow whatever we model. This is why I continuously try to model what decent leadership looks like. For me, it looks like greeting each other properly in the morning, admitting to imperfections and setting goals to grow in those areas, having conversations where we learn about each other’s differences and similarities, and/or looking out for our fellow classmates who may be having a bad day. It looks like this year’s theme of “togetherness.” I wholeheartedly believe in learning from mistakes, having conversations about feelings and actions, and giving chances. I also believe in consequences, but consequences that allow reflection which will lead to positive outcomes.  This year, we have adopted the Caring School Community curriculum, a curriculum that provides guidance on building relationships and managing conflict with a focus on self-discipline. I like this curriculum because it matches a lot of my personal philosophy on student ownership and discipline. Using a Class Meeting structure, it teaches students to respect each other, to listen, to resolve conflict individually and as a group, and it gives students a voice. This is just one tool that we are using to “Grow Greatness” in the Intermediate School. Thank you for trusting us to guide your children in this way.