Cookies for the Construction Crew

Level A students in the Peter Rabbit program baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies and personally delivered them to the Patriots Hall construction site today. Before entering the job site, the kids checked in at the site manager's trailer to pick up their hard hats. Tromping through the wet and muddy conditions did not deter Brookfield Academy's youngest students. They happily presented their gift to a group of steel workers who had just finished their lunch break. The men were most appreciative of the tasty homemade treat! More photos from the construction site can be seen on Flickr

A Party For The Rest Of Us!

Six inches of snowfall didn't keep all the BA Alums from the 70s, 80s and 90s from partying last Saturday night!

The BA Alumni Association hosted the first ever "Party For The Rest Of Us" as an alternative to the traditional December Christmas party that attracts many college-aged alums.

The evening at Western Racquet Club in Elm Grove kicked off with cocktails and conversation as alums stretched their memories to answer trivia questions submitted by their classmates. (The complete list of questions can be found at the end of this post.)
During the fabulous Italian dinner, alums were treated to a power point showing the construction progress on Patriots Hall, the new Upper School, and prizes were awarded for the most correct trivia answers.

If you weren't able to attend this year's alternative party don't despair...it is likely to become an annual event! The full album of photos from the party can be seen on Flickr.

Trivia Questions - to play, submit your answers to baalumni@brookfieldacademy.org or ask for a list of answers if you're just curious.
1960s and 70s
1. Where did BA’s first basketball team practice at first?
2. What was Mr. Drez so afraid of?
3. What car did Mr. Hunt drive (’63-’64)?
4. What was Mme. Lugassy’s favorite punishment?
5. How many headmasters did BA have in 1977?
6. What was the Middle School building before BA bought it?
7. What was the first musical presented by BA drama?
8. Who was the girls’ JV basketball coach from 1977-78?
9. In which play did Bob Solsrud appear?

1980s
1. Who broke the glass backboard?
2. Who burped the alphabet live on WTMJ and on the PA system?
3. What was Mr. Hahn’s sports cheer?
4. What senior prank ended all senior pranks?
5. What was the name of the group that gathered for varsity basketball games?(Hint: led by a guy with a saxophone.)
6. What is the 100 gun salute? Who performed it?
7. What was the theme song for Sadie Hawkins in 1986?
8. In what class did we read Beowulf?
9. What famous music singer’s father directed plays at BA in the 80s?
10. Class of 83 – Who was our physics teacher?
11. What movie paralleled the 1985 ski trip punishment?

1990s
1. What BA teacher skateboarded during class?
2. Name three of the French teachers at BA from 1994-98.
3. When travelling to a sporting event on the team bus, what was the protocol to follow upon encountering a set of railroad tracks?
4. How does Mr. Rottman get to school?
5. Where did the BA van break down on the Heritage Club trip to Glacier Park?

Blogger Loves The Sound of Pounding Steel in the Morning

With aplogies to Robert Duvall for paraphrasing his most famous line, Blogger has been busy watching steel rise from the ground as the Patriots Hall project moves into another exciting phase.


Steelworkers are busy constructing the academic section of the school and the combination of large cranes setting the steel in place and the workers pounding the huge rivets makes for pretty cool sights and sounds.

In addition to the steel girders that are dominating the job site, the large brick column located in the northeast corner of the construction site is home to the elevator shaft. The large brick wall on the west end of the site is the outside wall of the athletic wing. In addition to rise of steel girders, there is a tremendous amount of concrete being poured. Weather has been a challenge, but our friends at Beyer Construction tell us we are just a bit behind their ambitious schedule.

Don't forget to occassionally visit the Patriots Hall webcam. It updates every minute and with the feverish pace of construction, the landscape is changing quite quickly.

Living the School-Year Theme Step-by-Step: Dr. Solsrud Hikes the Grand Canyon

Every year, Brookfield Academy chooses a theme to frame specific goals. In November 2008, Dr. Robert Solsrud, Head of School, found himself living out this year’s theme: “Be Uncommon: Appreciate, Aspire, Accomplish,” as he reached for a personal goal.

BE UNCOMMON Fewer than one percent of the 5 million annual visitors to the Grand Canyon actually hike into the Inner Canyon, where the mighty Colorado River courses between steep canyon walls. Dr. Solsrud became one of those uncommon adventurers when he hiked to the floor of the canyon and back.

APPRECIATE Dr. Solsrud stood in the cold, thin air at the South Rim’s 7,000 foot elevation, ready to take his first step down the South Kaibab Trail on a 7-mile descent to the floor of the canyon. He had anticipated this moment for eight months, ever since a stranger he met at a sandwich shop told him about his own Grand Canyon hike, piquing Solsrud’s interest. He read everything he could get his hands on about hiking the canyon and trained hard in preparation. Thankful for good health and the opportunity to undertake this adventure, he now stood at the rim, ready to test his mettle.

ASPIRE The aspiration to successfully hike in and out of the Inner Canyon was fueled when Solsrud watched the Jack Nicholson/Morgan Freeman movie, The Bucket List (2007), about goals the movie’s characters wish to accomplish before they die. Solsrud made hiking the Grand Canyon the top priority on his personal “bucket list.” He’d always enjoyed hiking and keenly appreciates the beauty of nature.

ACCOMPLISH He did it! When Solsrud safely returned to the rim from the 10-mile Bright Angel Trail two days after his descent into the canyon, he experienced relief first, and then a great sense of accomplishment. “I was so happy to have had the experience. Descending and ascending on the trails makes the canyon part of you in a way that cannot be experienced viewing it from the rim,” he said. “I now have a vastly different appreciation for the canyon. I didn’t really know what it was like until I hiked it.”

Progress on Patriots Hall Heating Up

There is quite a bit of Patriots Hall activity on both sides of Brookfield Road.

Cement is being poured and walls are going up on the construction site.

Thanks to the generosity of the BA community, the Soar with the Stars...A Stellar Opportunity capital campaign recently reached $11.7 million. The campaign now has its sights firmly set on reaching the $12 million needed to receive the $500,000 challenge gift and realization of the $12.5 million goal.

Alumni Christmas Party

Blue Knight and the BA Alumni Association wants to thank all the alums who attended the annual alumni Christmas party. A great time was had by the 200+ alums who attended and Blue Knight is already at work exploring ways to top this year's keychain/bottleopener/flashlight giveaway. (Blue Knight obviously has too much time on his/her hands....) While many attendees waited in anticipation for the appearance or unveiling of Blue Knight, he/she remains a mysterious part of BA's effort to improve communications between alums and the school. The BA Alumni Association is in the early stages of developing a strategic plan aimed at improving alumni relations. Over the next few months alums will be asked to give feedback on where BA currently fits in their world. The feedback will be used to achieve the ultimate goal of making the BA Alumni Association an active, vibrant organization, the "best in the country," one that adequately serves the needs of alums, and strengthen the school-alumni connection.It is an exciting time in the life of Brookfield Academy and it is essential that the alums feel an important connection to this excitement. Be sure to visit the many communication avenues available to stay abreast of happenings at the Academy and watch your mail for important announcements of alumni events and activities.

Building Their Future Today

With the Annual Fund targeting the many needs that will arise from the building of Patriots Hall, the students thought it would be good to use a visual medium to provide supporters with a glimpse of life in the new buildings. This video was sent home with weekly newsletters. If you had trouble viewing it on your home computer or DVD player, just watch it here.