About
A commitment to innovation has been part of BB&N’s history and present, and is now a guiding framework for its future.
From the launch of Bivouac in 1951 for Browne & Nichols ninth graders, the introduction of Senior Spring Project at Buckingham in 1965, Russian language and cultural programs in the late 1960s and other “critical languages” (Mandarin Chinese and Arabic) in the late 1990s and mid-2000s; to a ground-breaking study of the academic achievement gap between Black and white students and the development of a robust Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Global Education program, to the current administering of Innovation Grant to students, faculty, and staff, BB&N has pioneered a broad range of opportunities that strengthen and elevate the student experience.
BB&N continues to value and support innovation and believes it is a critical aspect of the faculty and student experience. Under the leadership of the Teaching and Learning Office, BB&N has brought together the resources and staff to develop several new innovation-related initiatives over the past several years.
BB&N believes in creating spaces and providing resources for experimentation with new ideas, new approaches, and new collaborations. Innovation Grants provide an opportunity for faculty, staff, and students with courageous ideas to lead projects that “disrupt, evolve, transform, and/or enhance current teaching and learning practices.” Recent innovation grants include the BB&N Arts Fest, a Maker Space course during spring break, a pollinator garden, and the creation of a student-led Outdoor Recreation Club.
The Office of Institutional Research (OIR) supports and conducts research activities to help fulfill the current and future promise of a BB&N education. The OIR supports evidence-based planning and decision-making schoolwide, and serves as a research advisor and thought partner to faculty, staff, and students on quantitative and qualitative research design, including faculty-led Action Research projects, surveys and questionnaires, and project and program planning and evaluation.
The Visiting Innovator Program, funded through the generosity of the BB&N Class of 2023, brings an innovative professional to BB&N to lead workshops and community and professional development sessions throughout the academic year. Depending on the person’s area of expertise, they may also work directly with students. Dr. Liza Talusan, author of The Identity-Conscious Educator: Building Habits & Skills for a More Inclusive School, is the inaugural visiting innovator in 2023-2024.
In Spring 2023, BB&N hosted a conference titled “Artificial Intelligence in K-12 Education: Demystifying the Technology and Exploring its Potential.” for more than 100 colleagues from independent, public, and charter schools. Educators joined with curiosity and a spirit of collaboration to discuss how educators can engage with ChatGPT and other forms of AI as essential tools for teaching and learning in the 21st Century.
From glue guns to 3-D printers, BB&N’s maker spaces are hubs of creativity, problem solving, and collaboration.
Ever wonder how 10 days in the woods sets the tone for the BB&N Upper School learning experience?
Great educators make it their mission to never stop learning, and BB&N supports myriad pathways to make it happen.
Seniors close out their time at BB&N by branching out of the classroom to start building the bridge to their journey beyond high school.