School News

On September 9 the Form VI boys, along with Head of Upper School James Reynolds and Director of College Guidance Sanford Pelz '71, escaped the sauna of the city for a one-day retreat to Camp Morty, a Fresh Air Fund site in North Salem, N.Y. 

Mr. Reynolds offers the following report: "With the assistance of activities facilitators from the Mountain Workshop, the boys met high- and low-rope challenges designed to encourage teamwork and personal challenge. It was wonderful seeing the boys work together, encourage each other and, generally, enjoy the company of their classmates. Even the students were surprised by the value of the day, noting that the retreat allowed them to reconnect and grow as a group. With the challenge of the college admission process looming, Form VI boys started the year off understanding the value of fraternity and ready to support, celebrate and encourage each member of the class as the year moves forward." Click here to view photos.

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As The Browning School community gathered in Christ Church for Opening Assembly on September 8, the word “new” was used more than once by school leaders who addressed all those present. Firstly, Head of School John Botti welcomed everyone, expressing to those boys and faculty just joining Browning that he, too, is new, having come on board July 1. Mr. Botti read the words of both the Browning Mission and Diversity Statements, noting that while many in the audience are familiar with them, they still represent what Browning aspires to and ring true each year. Click here to read more details, including greetings from the student government president and division heads, as well as all the Form VI boys coming forward to introduce themselves.

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The Browning athletics program had a strong start at this year's preseason camp. Athletic Director Andrew West '92 noted that a record number of 63 boys attended. Luke Barba '17 offers the following recap: "With many questions coming into camp, long-tenured players and new freshmen stepped up and filled the void left by last year's graduating class. Alex Liptak '20 and Zac Brown '20 both proved to be remarkable goalkeepers, while Micah Bowey '17 and George Allen '17 will anchor the midfield for varsity soccer. The cross country team ran well during camp; Alex Lopez-Velasco '17 and Patrick Lopez '17 look to lead this team to cross glory." Click here to view photos.

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Form VI boys, parents and the entire Browning community gathered to celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2016 during graduation exercises on June 15 at Christ Church. Headmaster Clement, President of the Board of Trustees Sam Weinhoff and Upper School Head Jim Reynolds presented diplomas to each member of the graduating class.

In a beloved tradition carried forth during his many years as Headmaster, Mr. Clement remarked upon the major accomplishments of each and every Form VI Browning boy. Congratulations to the Class of 2016 and their families! Click here to view photos from the graduation exercises at Christ Church, as well as a video of Honorary Trustee and Former Board President James Chanos imparting a wealth of advice to the graduates.

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Lower School Closing took place on June 10 at Christ Church, as is tradition. Head of Lower School Laurie Gruhn welcomed the community and congratulated the boys on their accomplishments during the past school year, while Head of Middle School Chris Dunham welcomed those boys headed into fifth grade to Middle School at Browning.

The fourth grade boys, in particular, showed their maturity by standing proudly at the podium, recounting their memories of Lower School and thanking those who contributed to their success, especially their teachers, parents and families.

Musical performances are a wonderful and traditional part of Lower School Closing. Under the direction of Lower School music teacher Lucy Warner, the boys regaled the audience with a number of songs. For their grand finale, Headmaster Clement was asked to stay standing at the podium. The boys then filled the aisles and front of the church, wearing top hats and brandishing canes, as they performed a lively song and dance choreographed by Ms. Warner to honor Mr. Clement for 28 years as Headmaster. In the spirit of the moment, Mr. Clement "borrowed" a top hat from one of the boys and, with a broad smile, tipped it to the audience in a fond farewell.

Congratulations to all! Click here to view photos.

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Every year, Form VI boys participate in Senior Projects during the last three weeks of the school year, volunteering with nonprofit organizations across the city. Click here to view photos and read a report from faculty advisor Janet Lien.

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In explaining Dutch Day, held in the Cafeteria on June 7 and hosted by the third grade boys, teacher Susan Kehoe said, “The boys have learned about New Amsterdam and Colonial America in class. On Dutch Day, dressed as individuals who lived in New Amsterdam, they talked about their characters, including a ferry man, lawyer and farmer, to name but a few. The letters that they wrote, along with their writing samples from a recent unit, were available for parents and faculty to read. They were great! The boys have been working hard on their own picture books using Chris Van Allsburg as a mentor author.” Mr. Van Allsburg, a Caldecott Medal winner, is a writer and illustrator of such children’s books as “The Polar Express” and “Jumanji.”

Head of Lower School Laurie Gruhn, who spoke to attendees as Dutch Day concluded, said, “This particular event is one of the most important in the school year. We thank the teachers and parents for their encouragement and support as the boys completed their impressive projects.” Click here to view photos.

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On June 1 Browning's technology department held a Tech Expo in the Kurani Gym to highlight the School's comprehensive and engaging tech program. Projects from all tech classes (Pre-primary through advanced computer science), were presented to the boys, parents and faculty. Director of Academic Technology Saber Khan provides the following report:

Projects included the first graders' Lego soccer game controlled by computer program; 3D virtual reality by Form II boys; and independently developed websites from Form V boys. In the middle of the gym, the robotics class set up a game arena where two "bots" built and programmed by Form IV boys competed in the afternoon. Click here to watch a video about the Form IV robots and photos from the Expo. 

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On May 26, the Grytte newspaper staff toured Thomson Reuters, the world’s largest international multimedia news provider. After a brisk walk to Times Square in 90-degree heat, the boys were anxious to enter the building. The boys were then led a tour through the newsroom where the staff were able to see reporters at work and a television room, in which Reuter’s video segments were filmed. Click here to read a report by young alum and former editor of the Grytte, Chris Russo '15, who is now attending Boston College where he is an assistant news editor for the college's independent publication, The Heights.

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Ninety-one Browning performers ranging from Pre-primary to Form II musicians were presented in May during this year’s annual Browning School Spring Recital series. Lucy Warner, Lower School music specialist, explained that the boys’ parents and other family members attended and enjoyed hearing a broad range of instruments, including piano, violin, cello, guitar and saxophone.

During a Lower School Assembly in May, Ms. Warner asked questions of the boys in the audience about George Gershwin as they concluded their study of him as part of the Composer of the Month series. Their knowledge was impressive! A surprise musical performance on piano of Gershwin’s “Prelude No. 1” by a Form I boy followed, resounding throughout the Lower Gym and resulting in a standing ovation.

During the final Parents Association meeting of the school year, both the Upper School Chorus under the direction of David Prestigiacomo and the Ovation Orchestra under the direction of Jonathan Ragonese performed, much to the delight of all those parents in attendance. Music in all its many forms is alive and well among the youngest to the oldest boys in Browning’s student body. Bravo! View photos.

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The School’s Green Team sustainability club invited the Browning community to participate in its second Biodiversity Day on May 13. As was the case last year, groups of guest scientists, faculty, students and Green Team members used the citizen science app iNaturalist to complete a biodiversity survey in Central Park. Once the Bioblitz ended, we started our second and newest event, TEDxYouth@BrowningSchool. The number of guest and student led talks and workshops was amazing, especially for an inaugural event. Science and technology are truly strong at Browning!”

Science teacher Emilie Wolf, one of the day’s coordinators, said, "The event was epic! We are adding a legacy of environmental stewardship and global involvement through the TEDxYouth platform to Browning’s portfolio. The school community really stepped up to the plate. I was thrilled to see the Upper School boys showcase their leadership in their groups. As we saw during Community Day, when the older boys get involved, the community buy-in and enjoyment are enhanced. Our student speakers were polished, displaying hard work and the results of our excellent public speaking program. I am proud of what we accomplished as a community and truly believe in the power of involvement in making our world a better place.” A community-wide "dress down" benefited the Wild Bird Fund as well. Click here to read more details and view photos.

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This spring our teams all finished strong, even bringing home one championship, thanks to the varsity baseball team! Varsity tennis players placed second at the championship tournament behind first-place Columbia Prep by one point. Varsity track members continued their success by qualifying many boys for the championships and NYSAIS track meet. 

An incredible accomplishment is that Browning’s varsity baseball, tennis and golf teams were all awarded Team Sportsmanship awards by New York City Athletic League (NYCAL). An even greater feat than winning team sportsmanship in all the spring sports is that we won team sportsmanship in all 2015-16 sports (Boys Soccer, Boys Basketball, Baseball, Tennis and Golf). While the league does not do All League for Cross Country or Track, Athletics Director Andrew West ‘92 is sure that we would have won those too!

Click here to read more details of NYCAL All League Player rankings as well video and photos of the spring sports. Congratulations to all!

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Browning's Science Bowl team members shined in an invitational tournament, "StuyBowl 2016," comprised of 15 teams and hosted at Stuyvesant High School on May 21. This competition allowed the boys to showcase their knowledge in chemistry, physics, biology, earth and space science, math, energy and general science. Browning was represented by three teams who competed against three teams from Stuyvesant, two teams from Hunter HS, five teams from Brooklyn Tech and two teams from Midwood HS. Browning lost in a tight and close finals match against Hunter, finishing second overall in the competition. Click here to view photos and details from Science Department Chair Sam Keany and Science Bowl coach Melodie Ting.

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According to Coaches Blake and Brown, the Lower School boys worked together and competed with their classmates in a variety of sporting activities at this year's Lower School Field Day. They offer the following report: The final score of the games had little value, as the spirit of the day was to spend time competing and having fun playing games. Their parents had a great time watching them play! The games,  such as Rock, Paper, Scissor tag, Cat and Mouse Relays, and Stepping Stones, were fast-paced, involved teamwork, focused on different athletic skills, and allowed the boys to run and have fun together. Browning PE teachers and Form VI boys led each station. 

The afternoon festivities included a tug-of-war station, 50-yard dash, team four corners tag relays, and a four-way capture the flag game. There was great competition and teamwork exhibited at each event. The boys left full of pride and a little exhausted from the running, as they all worked hard and had fun spending time together. Click here to view photos and details.

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After six lead changes in Thursday's championship game, the Browning Panthers finally pulled out a 7-6 win over Loyola on May 12. Like in last year's championship game, Browning took a four-run lead into the fifth inning, ahead 6-2 before Loyola came back to tie the game at 6-6. But this time the Panthers were able to bounce back. It's very easy to get down after blowing a lead, and it's hard to stop another team's momentum. This year's squad was up to the challenge, though, thanks to the senior leadership and the whole team's effort.

Not to be overlooked in the game was the awesome fan support! Masses of faculty, parents, grandparents and students from all divisions came out to the game. Thank you for showing your Panther pride! Click here for photos and details.

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On May 13, the Lower School Performing Arts Encore Class presented "The Heist," written and directed by Sarah Murphy, with art direction and scenic support from Nik Vlahos, Zack Davis and Michael Lee '16. The action, which took place inside the Cosmopolitan Museum of Art and local police headquarters, was lively and amusing, with kudos from the audience. Click here to view photos.

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Parents and Lower School boys spent the first hour of their day on May 11 in the cafeteria where the boys and their teachers, Julia Kingsdale and Sam Keany, had set up an impressive array of science projects. The boys are always eager to explain in exacting detail what they have achieved to their parents, as well as to other classroom teachers and even siblings. This morning of scientific discovery and sharing of knowledge represents a culmination of experimentation and modification. Click here to view photos and more details.

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Rain was falling outside, but inside the red doors of Browning, all was sunshine and smiles as the boys in Pre-primary through second grade welcomed family and friends to Grandparents and Special Friends Day. More than 150 guests took advantage of this event to get to know teachers and a bit more about the School’s curriculum. The boys, their grandparents and special guests read together, listened to music, explored the world of science, even created art, along with enjoying a number of activities in other subjects that the boys study on a daily basis. Click here for photos and details.

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The second grade boys presented a play in April based on the picture book, “Punctuation Takes a Vacation,” by Robin Pulver. Teacher Rachel Gerber notes, “The story follows school children and what happens when their punctuation leaves the building. By the end of the play, they realize they can’t write without punctuation.”

In her book, Ms. Pulver gives each punctuation mark its own personality; likewise, Browning cast members dressed the part, speaking their lines loudly and clearly and emulating the action in the book as described in a New York Times Book review: “The quotation marks can’t stop talking, the colons are always telling time, and the exclamation points stand on their heads in excitement.” Click here for details and photos.

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On the evening of April 21, 900 guests attended “A Night at The Met Honoring Headmaster Stephen M. Clement, III” in The Temple of Dendur in The Sackler Wing of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Thanks to the generosity of underwriters from The Browning School, all those in attendance – especially the guest of honor who will retire after 28 years as Headmaster at the end of June – marveled at the spectacular setting and opportunity to mark this milestone.

A shared champagne toast to Mr. Clement by former Board President/Honorary Trustee James Chanos and current Board President Samuel Weinhoff was part of the festivities, along with tribute videos produced by Browning parent Ken Metz; a string quartet led by Vincent Lionti, a Browning parent and violist with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; a musical tribute by Lower School music teacher Lucy Warner; remarks by Bodie Brizendine, head of The Spence School; a performance by the legendary Whiffenpoofs of Yale University (Mr. Clement’s alma mater); and months of detailed planning by event Chair Sharon Jacob, Trustee Deborah van Eck (both Browning parents) and Director of Institutional Advancement Jim Simon combined for a poignant and unforgettable evening. Click here to view the tribute videos, photos and remarks from the evening.

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