Brooklyn Friends School Stands Firm on Its Mission Amid Shifting Educational Ideals

 

Brooklyn Friends School has maintained its commitment to Quaker principles for 157 years, even as educational institutions nationwide reconsider their foundational values. Head of School Crissy Cáceres, who joined the institution in 2019, frames this consistency as a matter of institutional integrity rather than resistance to change.

"The biggest challenge facing independent schools right now is integrity," Cáceres states. "It is, in how many ways are we willing to put the dollar next to the values? And if our focus on those values could negatively influence the amount of dollars, will that cause us to backtrack on who we've said we are all along?"

Brooklyn Friends School serves approximately 705 students from ages two through 12th grade, drawing families from all five boroughs. Founded in 1867 by the Religious Society of Friends, the institution operates under a mission that centers on the Quaker belief that "there is a Divine Light in everyone."

Quaker Values as Educational Foundation

Brooklyn Friends School organizes its educational approach around Quaker testimonies known by the acronym SPICES: Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship. These principles inform both academic curricula and institutional decision-making processes.

Weekly Meeting for Worship brings together students and faculty in silent reflection, embodying the school's foundational belief that each person possesses inherent worth and capability. Beyond spiritual observance, this practice establishes classroom norms that prioritize listening and thoughtful response over immediate reaction.

Cáceres describes her leadership approach as centered on "truly know[ing] the heart breath of every human being that I engage with, to make space for the light that they bring in their own life's walk." Her educational vision translates into classroom practices where teachers arrange seating in circles rather than traditional rows, supporting peer-to-peer learning and democratic participation.

Institutional Consistency Amid External Pressures

Brooklyn Friends School's commitment to its founding principles has been tested by contemporary educational debates. Cáceres acknowledges that the institution has witnessed other schools modify their diversity, equity, and belonging initiatives, often in response to external pressures or funding concerns.

"Brooklyn Friends School, our commitment is to be wholly connected to the integrity that informs the living of our values in the context of a school that is incredibly rich in its academics," Cáceres explains. Academic excellence and values-based education function as complementary rather than competing priorities at the institution.

Three institutional pillars—Diversity, Equity, and Belonging; Global Social Impact; and Wholeness and Well-being—remain embedded in curricular design and faculty development programs across all grade levels. These structures guide professional development for all staff members, reflecting the school's belief that everyone contributes to children's educational experience.

Cáceres positions Brooklyn Friends School within a broader context of independent school decision-making: "We are 157 years old. We've been through many iterations of history that are informed by what's happening right now. And that is the very designed for and intentional deconstruction of systems meant to be inclusive in favor of systems that are oppressive."

Academic Excellence Within Values Structure

Brooklyn Friends School offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program for juniors and seniors, distinguishing itself as one of only two Brooklyn schools providing this curriculum. Students in grades 11 and 12 complete the rigorous two-year program that emphasizes critical thinking over memorization while requiring creativity, activity, and service components that align with Quaker principles of community engagement.

Maintaining a 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio across its four divisions—Early Childhood, Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School—creates learning environments where individual attention supports both academic growth and character development. Class sizes average 13-17 students in elementary grades.

Faculty qualifications reflect the institution's commitment to educational excellence. Most teachers hold advanced degrees, and many present research nationally while pursuing continuous professional development. This combination of expertise and ongoing learning models the intellectual curiosity Brooklyn Friends School seeks to cultivate in students.

Mission-Driven Decision Making

Cáceres emphasizes that authentic mission alignment requires consistent application across all institutional decisions. "At the end of the day, as a head of school, I only expect us to remind the governors of our school, the families, of who they've signed up to be in partnership with all along."

Brooklyn Friends School's discipline approach exemplifies this consistency. Rather than punitive measures, the institution employs restorative practices rooted in Quaker conflict resolution traditions. Students participate in community conversations that emphasize understanding impact and rebuilding relationships rather than punishment.

Commitment to founding principles extends to admissions and financial aid policies. Approximately 39% of students identify as students of color, and one in four families receives tuition assistance grants. Demographics reflect deliberate outreach efforts consistent with Quaker testimonies of equality and community.

Physical spaces also reflect institutional values. Many classrooms feature circular or amoeba-shaped arrangements rather than traditional forward-facing rows. "You might have to look around to find the teacher," Cáceres notes, describing environments where educators facilitate learning rather than dominate classroom discourse.

Cáceres concludes her assessment of contemporary educational pressures with a call for institutional courage: "Our job is to identify, protect for the acknowledgement of that in the context of our work, utilize our independence to address it. And then boldly, boldly and courageously, pursue, at the end of the day, saying to ourselves, 'We held to our integrity.'"