50p
House Families
On Tuesday, May 28th, I did #1 Inspection in Mackenzie House - a formal room inspection. While this usually is part of our Saturday morning routine, Mrs. Flynn and I were unable to find a suitable Saturday. So, in true Brentwood fashion, she informed the girls that Mack House was having a special BBQ – burgers, hot dogs, chips, soda, etc. – with one caveat, the Head of School was coming for a "visit". While I would love to believe that the girls were looking forward to my arrival…something tells me that they would have preferred a more normal Tuesday.
When I arrived at 6:20pm, Mrs. Patel (Wendy) and our youngest daughter, Antara, were already enjoying the wonderful meal. I was immediately struck by the positive energy emanating from the entry way: Mr. Robinson on the barbecue, Mrs. Cheung chasing after her two boys, Mrs. Jackson setting up the salad station, and Mrs. Flynn orchestrating it all. What struck me even more was the confidence, pride, politeness, and sense of community … no, family.
At 7:15pm, House Captain Katie S, duty prefect, Kaitlyn S, and I began our rounds. The tidiness of the rooms was impressive and I thoroughly enjoyed my ninety-minute inspection. I chatted with the girls, asked about the numerous One Direction posters peppered throughout the house, saw pictures of their families, and left with such a feeling of pride. I interrupted their regular routine for a not-so-pleasant task and, in return, I received laughter, refinement, and grace.
I share this story with you, hopefully, to help you understand the most special place on our campus – our houses. We have eight unique and extraordinary house families – Alex, Allard, Ellis, Hope, Mackenzie, Privett, Rogers, and Whittall. These families make the Brentwood experience so meaningful. While many schools have academic, art, and athletic programmes, very few, if any, have that strong sense of family that is so impressively authentic in our houses.
I applaud and thank our House Parents, Assistant House Parents, Duty Staff, Food Services, Facilities Team, Laundry and House Keeping, IT Department, and Admin Team for making this part of our school so central to what we do and how we operate.
The Brentwood family is in good hands.
Mr. Bud Patel, Head of School
When I arrived at 6:20pm, Mrs. Patel (Wendy) and our youngest daughter, Antara, were already enjoying the wonderful meal. I was immediately struck by the positive energy emanating from the entry way: Mr. Robinson on the barbecue, Mrs. Cheung chasing after her two boys, Mrs. Jackson setting up the salad station, and Mrs. Flynn orchestrating it all. What struck me even more was the confidence, pride, politeness, and sense of community … no, family.
At 7:15pm, House Captain Katie S, duty prefect, Kaitlyn S, and I began our rounds. The tidiness of the rooms was impressive and I thoroughly enjoyed my ninety-minute inspection. I chatted with the girls, asked about the numerous One Direction posters peppered throughout the house, saw pictures of their families, and left with such a feeling of pride. I interrupted their regular routine for a not-so-pleasant task and, in return, I received laughter, refinement, and grace.
I share this story with you, hopefully, to help you understand the most special place on our campus – our houses. We have eight unique and extraordinary house families – Alex, Allard, Ellis, Hope, Mackenzie, Privett, Rogers, and Whittall. These families make the Brentwood experience so meaningful. While many schools have academic, art, and athletic programmes, very few, if any, have that strong sense of family that is so impressively authentic in our houses.
I applaud and thank our House Parents, Assistant House Parents, Duty Staff, Food Services, Facilities Team, Laundry and House Keeping, IT Department, and Admin Team for making this part of our school so central to what we do and how we operate.
The Brentwood family is in good hands.
Mr. Bud Patel, Head of School