REVIEW OF Braemar House School BY student, Ginger Bridle

(5) Student Experience

Braemar House School has felt like a second home to me ever since I can remember. The passion, dedication, and hard work that goes into making students feel welcome and safe is hard to find anywhere else. If there could be one thing I wish I had known before arriving at Braemar, it would be that there is a big change in student behavior. Before Braemar, I experienced kids being harsh and disrespectful to their classmates and staff. At Braemar, this has never been a problem. I have only ever faced kindness, cooperation, and generosity while interacting with other schoolmates. I have never had to worry about bullying or disrespect. Every day when I enter the building, I know that I’ll be greeted by people who care about me and will be there for me no matter what. Braemar House School is an outstanding experience that has taught me numerous valuable lessons.

(5) School Leadership

Braemar wouldn't be where it is today without its reliable, outstanding school leaders. Our principal strives every day to make the school feel like a home to every student, and never fails to. She is always willing to take on a job even if it may be challenging. Guidance counseling in our school allows children to open up to someone about how they are feeling, and anything that might be bothering them. There has never been a time in guidance counseling where I have felt unsafe or uncomfortable. Guidance counseling has helped me get on top of my work and learn how to manage my time. The teachers, guidance counselors, principal, executive director, and the overall staff make Braemar a safer, better place every day.

(5) Teaching

Every experience I have had with teachers at Braemar has been positive. You can tell that the teachers care about you, and take the time to learn about you, to make your learning experience more personal. The teachers at Braemar put thought and care into their lessons, rather than just reading something online. Some of the projects and assignments I’ve had have been personalized to me as a student, making me feel special and motivated to pay more attention. There have been many talks about our futures and what to expect in high school and college. This type of preparation has expelled my fears of going to a larger school. I feel fully prepared for whatever workload will hit me, and it’s all thanks to my years at Braemar. The creative ways that teachers teach the subjects make learning fun and memorable, even for students who don’t like going to school.

(5) Academics

The work that we are assigned is definitely a step up from public school, but it is manageable and beneficial to our futures. People tend to complain about a large workload or homework, but everyone I’ve met who has graduated from Braemar has told me that the previous Braemar academic experience has made the first few years of high school seem easy and not stressful. The way that Braemar enhances students' learned from a young age is a quality that will help out later on more than some may think. There's a common debate that the work you use will never matter to you in the future, but I believe that if you are being taught valuable, memorable lessons, that will not be the case. At Braemar, I feel that the subjects I’m learning are extremely important, and will be very useful to know. Sure there have been some cases where I wonder if I’ll ever use what I’m learning, but I’ve grown to dismiss those thoughts and focus on my work because I know it’ll be important to have some day.

(5) Extracurriculars

Extracurriculars in schools are very important. At Braemar, there are numerous teams and clubs you can join, or even host. Varsity teams allow students to feel involved and are a great way to develop friendships with all their teammates. From personal experience, being on a varsity team has improved my cooperation, dedication, and sportsmanship. Even when we lose games, everyone still has a great time playing, which is way more valuable than winning. Students can also join or host clubs at recess, connecting with other students about their passions. Participating in clubs and varsity teams makes the school experience truly unforgettable.

(5) Students

At my old school, even though I was young, I experienced children being bullied and picked on day after day. Since joining Braemar, this has rarely ever been a problem. All of my schoolmates are kind and respectful of each other, and never strive to belittle someone. I have only ever had positive interactions with my peers, and have never felt afraid to go to school in fear of bullying. Students participate in teams and clubs, working together to enjoy the activities they love. For example, during sports games, even if we lose a game, there is no judgment or anger towards anyone. Even though there is a large age gap between the youngest and oldest students at Braemar, kids from different classes and age groups still respect each other and take care of one another when needed. A perfect example of this is when our Braemar Banaza leaders rush to help children who may have been emotionally or physically hurt.

(5) School Life

Life at Braemar is an experience that I wish every child could undergo. There truly is no better feeling than attending a school that actually cares about you and your feelings. Having extra activities such as gym, yoga, field trips, and guest speakers mixed in with the other more academic classes makes school feel less stressful, and more exciting, while still being able to get a good amount of work done. If I were asked to give a tour of the school to a group of visitors, I would take them to the classrooms right off the bat. The cozy interior of each classroom sets the mood for a fantastic year. Each classroom is decorated with fun, colorful themes, and has dedicated places to relax while doing calmer activities such as reading. Every classroom has either a couch, comfy chairs, bean bags, or other calm places to get work done, while not having to feel isolated at your desk the whole day. School life at Braemar is the best life I could ask for.

(5) Community

The school has always felt like home to me, and the community feels like family. You can trust everyone in the community to be there for you when you need it. I have never felt left out or unappreciated during my years at Braemar. All I get from my community is love, compassion, and respect. Even though private schools may sound overly strict, everyone in the Braemar community jokes around and has a fun time, while still getting work done. Whether you are new to the community or have been in the community for years, everyone is treated with the same amount of friendliness. My classmates felt like siblings to me ever since I was young, and I couldn't ask for better. Having a class that feels like family to me has improved my citizenship, sportsmanship, and cooperation skills. Braemar’s community is a community I am so lucky to be a part of.

(5) School Location

The location of the school benefits everyone differently, but the resources close to the school make it a wonderful location. Braemar is located right next to a park, which students can use during recess, a soccer field, which is perfect for P.E. classes, and an all-purpose pad, which can be used for various sports and activities. Having access to all these extra areas improves the school experience by opening up more opportunities for students.