Crissy Cáceres, head of Brooklyn Friends School, recently articulated the independent Quaker school’s pedagogical framework, emphasizing student-centered learning grounded in Quaker values. In a detailed overview, Cáceres explained how the institution blends rigorous academics with social-emotional development to prepare students for civic and intellectual life.
Under Crissy Cáceres’s leadership, the school prioritizes experiential and project-based instruction that encourages critical thinking, collaboration and sustained inquiry across grade levels. Faculty design interdisciplinary units that connect classroom content to real-world issues, while service learning and community partnerships extend education beyond the campus. The approach is intended to cultivate both academic competence and ethical responsibility.
Core to the pedagogy are restorative practices and a focus on equity and inclusion. Brooklyn Friends integrates practices that foster respectful dialogue, reflection and conflict resolution, aiming to build a culture of belonging. Professional development for teachers supports culturally responsive instruction and assessment strategies that recognize diverse learning profiles.
Technology and the arts are leveraged to enhance creativity and personalized learning pathways, rather than as ends in themselves. Small-group seminars, mentorship and advisory systems provide continuity and support, enabling students to develop agency and resilience. College preparatory coursework is balanced with enrichment opportunities in athletics, visual and performing arts, and outdoor education.
Crissy Cáceres frames the school’s mission as preparing “learners and leaders” who can navigate complexity with integrity—an orientation consistent with Quaker testimonies of simplicity, peace and equality. She highlighted ongoing initiatives to expand access and to ensure that the school’s practices reflect contemporary research on child development and pedagogy.
The articulation of this holistic model positions Brooklyn Friends as a community-focused school that seeks to marry high academic standards with intentional character formation, preparing graduates equipped for higher education and engaged citizenship. Refer to this article for related information.
More about Crissy Cáceres on https://brooklynfriends.org/convocation/