Co-Curriculum

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Advocacy Hide

The Middle Division Advocacy program allows for students to more fully develop connections with faculty members who are available to support them throughout their 7th and 8th grade experience. The faculty advocate is responsible for assisting students to integrate into the Brentwood School community both academically and socially. The advocate monitors his/her students’ academic success and helps students in obtaining academic support when necessary. Students meet in Advocacy numerous times per week. Meeting times are devoted to a Life Skills program that encourages age-appropriate conversations around issues that are important to young adolescents. Students will explore topics that include organization, study skills, substance abuse, coping with peer pressure, ethical decision making, self-advocacy, and character education. The conversations will take place in a safe, supportive environment moderated by the faculty advocate. In House Cup Competition, grade-level advocacies are paired together in “houses” with the goal of building bridges across the grades. Houses conduct meaningful service projects together and participate in fun competitions. At the end of the year, the “House Cup” is awarded to the house with the greatest number of points.

Exploratory Hide

The “Exploratory Period” is an opportunity for students to explore and develop new interests. Middle Division students self-elect a new exploratory each trimester, or find a faculty member to help create or sponsor a new one. Current and past exploratories include: Anime, Drawing,Basketball,Brentwood Becomes Ecclectic (music appreciation), Cooking and Food Appreciation, CPR and First Aid Certification, Croquet, Facilities Committee, Girls Vocal Ensemble, Gym Activity, Inkblots, Jam Sessions, Jewelry Design, Kickball, Model Rockets, Piano Forum, Radio Station Club, Reading Club, SAID (Active and Improv with a social message), Soccer, Spanish-Speakers Club, Student Council, The Talon Newspaper, The World of Sports, Ultimate Frisbee.

Human Development Hide

The Human Development courses are designed to provide an environment in which Middle Division students can openly learn, reflect upon, and discuss ideas pertinent to their development as human beings. While Brentwood School students are optimally geared for successful academic achievement, there is a need to allow for their personal and emotional development outside of what are considered core academic classes. The courses give students opportunities to reflect on common dilemmas adolescents experience in their daily lives. Students identify and integrate personal values into their decision-making and develop a sense of responsibility about actions, thoughts, and feelings. Overall, the courses aims to increase student knowledge of important personal, social, and health issues in order to enable them to make better and healthier choices. The Human Development courses allow students to focus, in intimate groups, on many aspects of individual and family life education including, but not limited to, making healthy choices, self respect, peer pressure, drug and alcohol awareness, puberty and adolescence, body image, human reproduction, child birth and child development, dating, teen pregnancy and sexual abuse, in an attempt to supply students with accurate information in order to form a positive regard for themselves and their sexual development.

Retreat Hide

Each fall the 7th grade class venture to the Pali Mountain Retreat and Conference Center in Lake Arrowhead for a three day retreat. This tradition has proven to be an enriching experience for the class year after year. Students participate in a specially-designed program that provides your child with a unique opportunity to connect with his/her classmates through team-building and trust exercises and to experience individual growth through outdoor, educational activities.

Special Assemblies Hide

Special assemblies are scheduled monthly as a means to highlight special programs, groups, or individuals at our school or to expose our students to outside speakers or performing art groups. See below for a list of past Brentwood School Special Assemblies:

  • Veteran's Day
  • "Day of the Dead" sponsored by the Latino Students Association
  • Sudanese "Lost Boy" Speaks of Poverty, Civil War, and Human Potential
  • Author of "Kaffir Boy" Speaks About Living Under Apartheid
  • Maria Shriver Headlines "Power of One" Assemblies
  • Daughter of "Inherit the Wind" Playwright Speaks to 8th Graders
  • Jesse Billauer, Local Surfer and Paraplegic, Visits Brentwood
  • Sri Lankan Buddhist Monk Raises Tsunami Victims Plight Awareness
  • Integrated Studies and "To Kill a Mockingbird" Dress Rehearsal
  • Halloween Parade and Costume Contest!
  • "Is Television Good for America?" Assembly with Orville Schell, Dean of Journalism at UC Berkeley
  • Brentwood Olympians Assembly

Social Events Hide

And we have fun, too! There are a number of fun evening events for students including dances, karaoke, ice-skating, games nights, and movie nights. These are great events to meet new friends, build community, and provide middle school students with age appropriate and healthy activities.