From the desk of Brian Nelson, Dean of Academics:

One of my favorite parts of my job is getting updates from our alumni. Whether it is an email about acing a midterm, a conversation regarding impressing a professor with exceptional writing skills, or a college graduation announcement proclaiming “with honors,” I constantly have reasons to beam with pride in our graduates. Our students are rigorously prepared for college academics and reap the benefits.

But, what makes a Brook Hill education different? What makes our graduates prepared? I have some ideas to share over the next few weeks that will shed light on the answer to these questions.

How do we PREPARE our students for the next step? First, we hire excellent teachers.

There is a debate out there as to what makes an excellent teacher. Some say a great teacher is an expert in his/her academic discipline; others claim that an exceptional teacher is someone who is passionate about kids. I argue that both must be present to form excellent teachers who truly prepare students for the future God has for them.

At Brook Hill, we hire true experts in the various academic fields. With 70% of our upper school faculty holding advanced degrees, it is no surprise that we have teachers collaborating with major universities on innovative curriculum, teachers presenting papers and lectures at symposiums, and published authors among our faculty. Our teachers know their subjects and are recognized by the greater academic community as leaders.

However, the depth of our faculty’s character does not end there. Our teachers also feel a calling to impact individual lives. Brook Hill attracts professionals with a heart for mentoring. They invest in getting to know their student. They meet one-on-one to provide extra help when needed. They support our students in and out of the classroom. They prepare students academically and personally. Our teachers care.

I am proud to be a part of Brook Hill because I not only get to prepare students for their future, but because I work with teachers who are experts in their field and experts in caring deeply about the students they teach!