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Mission & Academics

Mission & Academics

Written by: Brookfield Academy
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 This podcast showcases the thinking, inspiration, goals, and dreams of Brookfield Academy teachers, staff, and parents as they guide young people on their educational journey - always striving for academic excellence and good character.Copyright Brookfield Academy
Episodes
  • Practice Makes Progress: Building Independence in the Lower School Years

    Practice Makes Progress: Building Independence in the Lower School Years
    Feb 4 2026
    How do students move from relying on adult direction to becoming confident, self-driven learners? In this episode of Mission Moments, host Mrs. Linda Pryor, Executive Director of the Center for Mission & Academics at Brookfield Academy, is joined by Ms. Tanya Schwartz, Head of the Lower School (grades 3-5), for a thoughtful conversation about building age-appropriate independence in young learners.

    Ms. Schwartz shares her background at BA - from Level 3 teacher to Head of Lower School - and reflects on how Lower School (grades 3-5) is intentionally designed to support students as they naturally seek greater independence and help them establish a solid foundation of strong study habits, self-awareness, and personal responsibilty.

    Listeners will hear practical examples of what independence looks like at this age and how to nurture it, including:
    • Learning to reflect: "Who am I as a learner? What works for me? What doesn't?"
    • Developing valuable work habits such as organization, time management, and creating an effective workspace.
    • Building study skills like note-taking, highlighting, reviewing corrections, and more.
    • Using choices to promote autonomy while retaining structure.
    The conversation explores the important role of parents in this process and how the BA Triangle, students, teachers, and parents working together to support student success, makes a difference.

    Ms. Schwartz emphasizes that growth is not linear and that mistakes are essential to learning and phrases like, "practice makes progress," "reset, reflect, and restart," and "learn from your mistakes" capture the Lower School's growth mindset and culture.

    If you like what you hear, we encourage you to follow the Mission Moments podcast and share with friends. Additional Parent Presentations with many great speakers are available in the MIssion section of the BA website.

    If you would like to learn more about Brookfield Academy's Lower School - or any Division - please contact our Admissions Office. You can email admissions@brookfieldacademy.org or call (262)783-3200. They will be happy to answer your questions and schedule a visit. If you've thought a BA education is out of reach, we encourage you to contact us. Many families are happy to see that it is more attainable than they expected.
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    20 mins
  • Growing Minds, Growing Character: Inside the Upper School Experience

    Growing Minds, Growing Character: Inside the Upper School Experience
    Jan 8 2026
    In this episode of the Mission Moments podcast, host Linda Pryor is joined by Dr. Mark Bullio, Head of the the Upper School and Mrs. Jessée Tomchek, Assistant Head of the Upper School, for a thoughtful conversation about how academic achievement and personal development are interconnected at Brookfield Academy. They share how challenge - paired with meaningful support - helps students learn from setbacks, strengthen their resolve, and grow into confident, capable young adults.

    Listeners will hear how Brookfield Academy's small class sizes, advisory system, and activities like clubs and athletics - provide a supportive environment where students are known as individuals. The conversation highlights how teachers intentionally guide students from adult directed learning toward increasing independence.

    The episode looks beyond traditional academic metrics to discuss what success truly looks like: wisdom, integrity, good judgement, and the ability to contribute positively to the world. As Mark and Jessée explain, the ultimate goal is more than college acceptance, it is helping students develop a lifelong love of learning and a sense of purpose grounded in character.

    If you like what you hear, please subscribe, download, and share this podcast with a friend. If you are interested in what BA can offer your child, please contact our Admissions Team (admissions@brookfieldacademy.org).

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    24 mins
  • More Than a Game: Exploring the Tremendous Value of School Sports

    More Than a Game: Exploring the Tremendous Value of School Sports
    Nov 20 2025
    In this episode of Mission Moments, host Linda Pryor, Executive Director of the Center for Mission & Academics at Brookfield Academy, speaks with Mr. Nick Rechlitz, the school's Athletic Director. Listeners will learn more about Mr. Rechlitz's background and the knowledge he brings to the role, as well as more about the tremendous value that BA places on athletics as an important part of the school's overall program.

    Athletics extend important lessons from the classroom and provide valuable opportunities for character development and leadership. Brookfield Academy offers more than 20 sports for Upper School (high school) students and 15 options for students in Middle School. At BA, all stidents are able to participate in athletics. While the "no-cut" policy, may seem unusual, the school's teams do very well and often move deep into playoffs, even earning State titles. Several families have sought out BA, because their children have the chance to make the team and play - where they might not at other schools. This can open doors in the future and even if students don't pursue athletics, the skills - perseverence, teamwork, time management, and more - and the friendships they develop serve them well. For more specifics about our athletic program, visit the Athletics page of our website.

    If you would like to learn more about what BA can offer your child, please contact our Admissions team (admissions@brookfieldacademy.org) to schedule a tour. If you like what you hear, please subscribe to the podcast and share it with your friends.
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    27 mins
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