Brooklyn Friends School
Brooklyn Friends School
The Brooklyn Friends School (BFS), a Quaker institution serving a multicultural student body of about 900 students from preschool through 12th grade, is situated in Downtown Brooklyn, New York City. The school promotes pupils to accept and celebrate individual differences while honing their critical thinking abilities, adhering to the Quaker idea that everyone possesses a Divine Light. The school invites all members of the community to express their opinions, explore their passions, and pursue the truth, and its graduates are known for being caring, curious, and confident global citizens who display leadership and service.
The majority of the faculty at Brooklyn Friends, an independent college prep school, has advanced degrees. The Upper School offers the highly regarded International Baccalaureate Diploma Program to give academic challenges to its students. The school's engaged and supportive parent community, committed faculty, and intelligent students work together to create a special community that reflects a blend of brains, energy, and heart.
Programs in Brooklyn Friends School
Brooklyn Friends School has a deep-rooted tradition of values-driven education, a diverse and dedicated community, and a rich learning environment. The academic strength of the school is underpinned by the Quaker values of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship, which also shape the faithful commitment to academic excellence and opportunity. Students, parents, and staff alike experience warmth and respect within the school. From Preschool's comprehensive study of the solar system to Upper School's participation in the prestigious International Baccalaureate Program, Brooklyn Friends provides rigorous academic preparation sought by competitive colleges and universities. The school fosters a lifelong love of learning, builds character and values, and encourages expansive thinking in all students. Despite spanning two campuses, meaningful interactions occur between students in all divisions, recognizing the great value in offering opportunities for students to teach and inspire each other.
At Brooklyn Friends School, each child is valued for their unique gifts and is nurtured in a warm, stimulating, and emotionally responsive environment that encourages exploration of the world around them. The preschool curriculum is centered on the needs of children and offers a rich curriculum customized to each learner's learning preferences and stage of development. As they face increasingly complex challenges and practice social skills, the preschoolers become motivated, curious, and competent learners. With a wide range of activity options, such as storytelling, puzzle-solving, cooking, and nature exploration, the curriculum for Preschool Twos, Threes, and Fours fosters imagination, independence, and a sense of discovery. Children learn to respect the feelings of others and adapt to group experiences. The Brooklyn Friends School curriculum incorporates Lesley Koplow’s Emotionally Responsive Practice (ERP) and Louise Derman-Sparks Anti-Bias Curriculum, as well as research-based understanding of social developmental milestones. The staff believes that children's play is essential for cognitive, social-emotional, and problem-solving skill development. It is a manifestation of knowledge and progress, and youngsters learn best via hands-on, real experiences. In Preschool, the curriculum overlaps, providing a foundation for literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies, preparing children for the formal education experiences of Lower School.
At Brooklyn Friends School's Lower division, the belief is that each student's potential is best developed through exposure to traditional academic disciplines, artistic practices, and strong cultivation of problem-solving and critical thinking skills. The curriculum encompasses language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, Spanish, information technology, media literacy, visual and performing arts, woodworking, and physical education, all of which prioritize the development of skills for positive self-esteem. Lower School instructors attempt to develop academic accomplishment and critical reasoning by encouraging children to investigate thoughtfully the world around them. By providing the tools to analyze critically and objectively, Brooklyn Friends School empowers students to effect change where necessary and defend and strengthen what they believe requires preserving.
Brooklyn Friends School's Middle School program runs from fifth through eighth grades, and it builds on the successful Lower School curriculum by integrating traditional academic subjects with the visual and performing arts. It also prepares students for the rigorous Upper School curriculum, all while adhering to the Quaker values of community, diversity, morality, stewardship, service, and social justice. The faculty is highly experienced in diverse teaching strategies, developmental issues, and techniques for effectively coaching and challenging early adolescents. With small classes and a strong advisory system, students develop close relationships with faculty and maintain strong partnerships with parents. The exploratory curriculum and various activities allow students to discover their interests and strengths, assume leadership roles, and learn from those with differing perspectives. A maturing child's cognitive, moral, bodily, psychological, and creative growth are all addressed in the curriculum.
The Upper School, catering to grades 9-12, provides a rigorous college preparatory program that encompasses the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program for juniors and seniors. These courses are dynamic and thought-provoking, encouraging students to think beyond the content memorization and preparing them aptly for higher education. The Upper School is situated at 116 Lawrence Street, Metrotech Center, and boasts three levels of cutting-edge classrooms, laboratories, and art studios. With small class sizes and experienced faculty, students receive personalized attention, support, and encouragement to reach their full potential. The faculty is diverse and international, bringing a wealth of perspectives to the learning community, and students have access to guidance and support from two deans, a school psychologist, a learning specialist, and two college counselors. Admission to prestigious institutions across the US and the world is a testament to the program's efficacy. Additionally, the curriculum mandates service learning and provides ample opportunities to engage in extracurricular activities such as varsity and junior varsity sports, visual arts, theatre, student government, publications, and numerous clubs.
International Baccalaureate at Brooklyn Friends School
For juniors and seniors in the Upper School, the Brooklyn Friends School is able to supply students the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. In fact, the purpose of this program is to prepare students for college-level study by offering them a demanding and difficult curriculum that goes beyond simply topic memorization. Six subject areas are covered by the IB curriculum at Brooklyn Friends School: literature, language development, people and societies, sciences, math, and the arts. In addition to these courses, students also submit an extended essay and engage in a program called Theory of Knowledge, which emphasizes critical thinking and meditation on the nature of knowing. The IB program is well-known for emphasizing global awareness and encouraging students to consider how their education might help to make the world a better place. The IB curriculum is supported at Brooklyn Friends School by skilled teachers and a variety of tools, including as cutting-edge labs and classrooms, as well as college counselors who help students with their post-secondary goals.
Accommodation in Brooklyn Friends School
Brooklyn Friends School does not have its own housing facilities for students, but international students can explore different options for finding accommodation in Downtown Brooklyn, New York City.
The first of the solutions is the Homestay Program, which matches international students with local host families who provide them with a home while attending school. The program costs vary depending on the services provided and location of the host family. Alternatively, students can opt for off-campus housing such as apartments, townhouses, or shared housing, which are readily available near the school. Rent prices for one-bedroom apartments average around $2,500 USD per month. International students may also consider staying in student dormitories or residence halls, like those offered by the New York University and the Brooklyn Law School. The cost of shared rooms in these dormitories averages around $1,500 USD per month.
International students can choose from a variety of options when looking for housing in Downtown Brooklyn. Students must look into all of the available housing options in order to find the one that best suits their individual requirements and financial limitations. Students can find the best housing option to guarantee their comfort and success while studying in Brooklyn by conducting thorough research and having an open mind.
Future Prospects after study in Brooklyn Friends School
Upon graduation from Brooklyn Friends School, graduates have various career opportunities available, such as the chance to work in the United States under post-graduation work permits such as the Optional and/or Curricular Practical Training (OPT, CPT) programs. These programs allow international students to gain practical experience in their field of study for up to 12 months or longer, depending on the program.
In addition, obtaining permanent resident status in the United States is also a possibility. Graduates may qualify for different types of visas, including employment-based or family-based visas, which can lead to permanent residency. However, this process may be complicated and require legal assistance.
Moreover, graduates who desire to stay in the United States for an extended period may pursue American citizenship. Gaining U.S. citizenship has several advantages, such as access to specific jobs, the right to vote, and eligibility for particular governmental programs.
In case, if you need help with Homestay in order to study in Brooklyn Friends School or other schools in the USA, please fill in application below or contact us directly.