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2025 Caverly Winners!

2025-04-19T14:25:18-04:00

The BEF is proud to announce the winners of this year's Ernest R. Caverly Awards for Excellence in Teaching! Amanda Kretschmar, Pierce librarian, and Lisa Rodriguez, BHS math teacher, have won this year's prestigious honor. They will deliver speeches and be recognized along with all of this year's grant, award, and fellowship winners at the Celebrating Teachers event on May 6, 3:30pm, BHS STEM Commons. Please join us in congratulating these two amazing educators and in recognizing the excellence in all of their colleagues!

2025 Caverly Winners!2025-04-19T14:25:18-04:00

April Featured Grant: Spanish Class in the Real World

2025-04-10T12:02:24-04:00

Runkle Middle School Spanish teacher Colleen Doyle participated in the 'Classroom in the Real World' program at the University of Alicante last summer. Thanks to a BEF grant, Colleen spent three transformative weeks in Spain during June 2024, immersed in language and culture.  Colleen developed valuable insights that continue to shape her classroom approach. She particularly valued the program's emphasis on peer collaboration, cultural context and creative teaching methodologies. The intimate cohort size created meaningful professional relationships that extend beyond the program, providing an ongoing support network for curriculum development and teaching practices. Colleen, along with a cohort of teachers from all [...]

April Featured Grant: Spanish Class in the Real World2025-04-10T12:02:24-04:00

Hanna Cha Visits Baker School

2025-03-25T14:40:53-04:00

Hanna Cha, Caldecott Honor Award-winning illustrator and author, visited the Baker School on March 6th. During her visit, Ms. Cha met with first, second, and third-grade students and educators. She shared her process for illustrating, explained how she draws inspiration from her life experiences, and discussed how she decides what to write about. She emphasized the importance of discovering one’s voice and the valuable lessons learned from making mistakes. The visit was made possible by an Idea Lab grant, which was applied for by Baker School educators Katie Wang, Sara Zekri, and Katlin Fenn Bixby this past fall. These dedicated teachers [...]

Hanna Cha Visits Baker School2025-03-25T14:40:53-04:00

March Featured Grant – Aegean & Mediterranean Seas!

2025-03-21T12:23:57-04:00

At the March BEF Board meeting, members learned about a Collaborative Teacher Grant that was awarded to Lucy McNeil, Pierce 6th grade Science teacher, and Stephanie Goodman, Pierce 6th grade English teacher. The goal of the grant was to explore conservation centers in Greece and learn more about conservation efforts to protect biodiversity in the Aegean and Ionian Seas. The teachers traveled to Athens, and the islands of Zakynthos and Paros in Greece to learn firsthand from local educators and conservationists about their efforts and the realities of conservation in an age of increased tourism. Their main takeaways were: The impact [...]

March Featured Grant – Aegean & Mediterranean Seas!2025-03-21T12:23:57-04:00

Community Reads At Lawrence School

2025-03-13T11:18:53-04:00

Lawrence School held their first ever Community Reading Day on Monday, March 3, 2025. This engaging morning for students and teachers focused on celebration of community, culture and literature, built around a shared reading of picture books. The Community Reading Day titles for this year, one for our K-3rd grade classrooms and one for 4th-6th grades, highlighted these themes.  Given the critical importance of understanding the significance of Black History Month in America, they chose this special event as a culmination to the honoring and celebration of Black History Month at Lawrence School.   The event was the brainchild of Vanessa Bilello, [...]

Community Reads At Lawrence School2025-03-13T11:18:53-04:00

2025 Green Apple Celebration

2025-02-27T11:14:41-05:00

In January, the BEF held our annual celebration of the Green Apple Society, our opportunity to thank our donors and raise up the work of our grant recipients. This year we were fortunate to hear from Pierce ELA teacher Marlene Goncalves and BHS Head of School Anthony Meyer about their recent Collaborative grant work, and the impact that BEF funds have on their practice and the experiences of their students and colleagues.

2025 Green Apple Celebration2025-02-27T11:14:41-05:00

February Featured Grant: AP Physics

2025-02-24T13:47:08-05:00

At our February BEF board meeting, members of the Board were treated to a presentation by Julia Mangan about the grant she and Melissa Nixon, both educators at BHS, received and participated in over the summer. With 12 years of physics and chemistry teaching experience, 10 of which have been at BHS, Julia explained how she has seen AP physics change over her career. Over the last 20 years the way physics is taught has changed dramatically, as research has supported a more inquiry-based approach focused on deeper conceptual understanding. As accessibility has expanded, so has AP physics at BHS – [...]

February Featured Grant: AP Physics2025-02-24T13:47:08-05:00

December Featured Grant: Abi Robichaud

2024-12-11T09:35:39-05:00

At our December Board meeting, the BEF Board heard from Lawrence art teacher Abi Robichaud about her recent BEF grant. Abi traveled to Mexico City this past summer to study all forms of Mexican and indigenous art, including murals, sculptures, contemporary art and the legendary works of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. Her travels inspired several lesson plans for students in grades K through 8, which she has shared with art faculty all over Brookline, and which include interdisciplinary projects with math and science teachers. Thank you for an inspiring presentation,  Miss Abi! 

December Featured Grant: Abi Robichaud2024-12-11T09:35:39-05:00

November Board Retreat

2024-11-19T13:20:08-05:00

The BEF's November Board meeting is typically a retreat for the Board to get to know one another and set goals and expectations for the year. This year's retreat featured special guest speakers: John Hodgman, longtime Brookline resident and one of the BEF's founders, and Deborah Brooks, the BEF's first Board president and first Executive Director. Advisory Board member Shalini Kasida moderated an informative discussion with Deborah and John, giving us a new perspective on the founding and mission of the BEF as well as outlining many fascinating parallels between the education and political climate back in the early 1980's and [...]

November Board Retreat2024-11-19T13:20:08-05:00

2024 5th Grade Spelling Bee

2024-11-19T12:57:50-05:00

Another exciting 5th grade Spelling Bee is in the books! Over 50 fifth graders representing all 8 Brookline elementary schools gathered in the BHS auditorium on Sunday, November 17th to compete in the 27th annual BEF Spelling Bee. Congratulations to winner Sophia Karl of Runkle, and to runners-up Andrew Tran of Lincoln, Dani Chen and Joshua Tsai of FRR, Kinsley Ahn and Kavi Shastry of Baker, and Maxwell Jacobs of Runkle. Thank you to our sponsors, Brookline Booksmith, Brookline Teen Center, and Wegmans! And a special thank you to our pronouncer, Abbey Stephens of the Brookline Public Library, and our judges, [...]

2024 5th Grade Spelling Bee2024-11-19T12:57:50-05:00
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