The three pillars that define Brooklyn Friends School—Diversity, Equity, and Belonging; Global Social Impact; and Wholeness and Well-being—function as foundational elements rather than institutional slogans under the leadership of Head of School Crissy Cáceres. Her comprehensive integration ensures that values drive educational practices rather than serving as afterthoughts to academic programming.
“Every curricular decision that is made within the school, every professional development that is infused into the core of the colleague body” reflects these three pillars, Cáceres explained. The approach represents a departure from traditional independent school models where academic excellence often overshadows character development.
Brooklyn Friends School operates under the premise that intellectual growth and moral development must occur simultaneously, with neither taking precedence over the other. Cáceres has structured the institution around this belief since becoming head of school in 2019.
Intentional Design for Love and Joy as Educational Anchors
Cáceres brings an unusual perspective to educational leadership by incorporating what she describes as “intentional design for love and joy as a core construct and anchor to anything that I am a part of.” Her philosophy extends beyond creating pleasant learning environments to establishing love and joy as fundamental educational tools.
“I believe that you cannot do that unless you experience, knowing that you are fully seen and appreciated and loved in any given context, that there’s a limitation to that,” Cáceres stated, referring to the school’s commitment to social justice and belonging as agents of change.
The practical application of her philosophy appears in classroom arrangements throughout Brooklyn Friends School. Many classrooms feature circular or amoeba-shaped seating configurations that eliminate traditional hierarchies between teachers and students. “You might have to look around to find the teacher,” Cáceres noted, describing how educators position themselves within student circles rather than at the front of rooms.
Physical arrangement reflects deeper pedagogical commitments. Teachers frequently conduct lessons from floor positions or hallway conversations while students collaborate on projects. Her approach requires educators to abandon traditional authority structures in favor of collaborative learning environments.
Global Social Impact Through Local Action
Under Cáceres’ leadership, Brooklyn Friends School has developed what she calls a vision that operates in three concentric circles: improving the school itself, serving Brooklyn, and contributing to global change. Her framework ensures that social impact work begins with internal community building before extending outward.
“Our school seeks to boldly push itself towards being an educational cornerstone of social justice and impact within local, national, and global spheres in an effective manner that embodies and punctuates our Quaker identity,” Cáceres said.
The Global Social Impact program, led by Director Kevin Murungi, coordinates school-wide initiatives that connect classroom learning with real-world challenges. Students participate in the Social Justice Incubator, designing and leading projects addressing issues ranging from food insecurity to anti-hate-speech campaigns.
Ninth-grade students engage in mandatory seminars introducing core Quaker values alongside Diversity, Equity, and Belonging principles and Global Social Impact work. These foundational courses ensure that all students understand their roles as change agents within their communities.
The International Baccalaureate program further reinforces these commitments through its Creativity, Activity, Service component, requiring 11th and 12th-grade students to devote significant time to community service alongside creative and physical pursuits.
Professional Development as Community Investment
Cáceres has restructured professional development at Brooklyn Friends School to reflect her belief that “everybody is in service to the needs of children.” Rather than limiting training opportunities to teaching staff, all school employees—from dining team members to security personnel—participate in professional development programs.
“And by colleague body, I don’t mean the teaching colleague body. I mean everybody gets exposed to the professional development at BFS because everybody is in service to the needs of children,” she explained.
Her comprehensive approach ensures that every adult interaction with students reflects the school’s three pillars. Maintenance staff understand their roles in creating belonging. Food service workers contribute to student well-being. Security personnel model conflict resolution techniques that align with Quaker peace testimonies.
The investment in broad-based professional development has practical outcomes. Faculty members present nationally on various topics, contributing to educational discourse beyond Brooklyn Friends School while bringing external perspectives back to campus.
“The trials facing our youth are different today in both content and magnitude,” Cáceres concluded. “The skills required to solve them challenge the norms that have influenced educational practice for generations. Our school’s expansive academic program, its strength, and its ethos of wellness and care for all students, compel us to think harder about what is needed now that will equip our students with all that they need to not simply make a difference.”