At-A-Glance

Far Brook’s birthday cutoff is September 1 of the year the child will attend. By that date, applicants for full- or half-day Nursery 3s must be 3; applicants for full- or half-day Nursery 4s must be 4; and Kindergarten applicants must be 5. Rare exceptions are made at the discretion of the School. Nursery students must be toilet trained by the start of the school year.

Far Brook has three main entry points, Nursery 3s, Nursery 4s, and Kindergarten. All other spaces are made available by attrition of current students. We admit approximately 30-65 students each year to Nursery 3s, Nursery 4s, Kindergarten, and Grades 1 – 7.

Yes. Students may be dropped off at 7:50 am daily at no additional charge and supervised until classroom teachers are ready to receive students at 8:10 am.  A variety of After-School Enrichment classes are available daily from 3:30 pm until 4:30 pm at an additional cost. Extended Care is available daily until 6:00 pm, also at an additional cost. All after-care programs are available on either a drop-in or pre-scheduled basis.

See also After School Program

Far Brook School hires a private transportation company to provide school transportation to students who wish to subscribe in grades Kindergarten and up. This service is provided on a break-even basis, transportation fees being set to equal the costs charged by a private transportation company. Transportation fees and areas serviced vary each year. Usually, door-to-door service is provided.

Under the present transportation laws of the State of New Jersey, students from certain districts are entitled to transportation service or a payment in lieu of bus service. For the 2023-2024 school year, the “aid in lieu of transportation” amount was approximately $1,000.00. For more information contact the Business Office.

Yes, Far Brook offers tuition assistance to families based on demonstrated financial need. In the 2024-2025 school year, awards were granted to 18% of students. Awards were granted in every grade level and ranged from $5,400 to $49,950 with an average award of more than $31,000. See Tuition Assistance for further information.

• Clothing should be easily laundered and functional. Working with paint, clay, Play-Doh, and colored markers is a daily experience for students.
• Sturdy, waterproof footwear is appropriate for our campus setting and varied terrain. Children walk from building to building over paved and gravel pathways daily.
• All clothing should be such that younger students can dress and undress themselves independently.
• Prioritizing functionality, modesty, and safety allows students to be comfortably and appropriately dressed for school.

Many students bring their lunch from home and students provide their own daily snack. Students in Grades K-8 may participate in our optional school lunch program, through Simply Gourmet. Peanuts and tree nut products are not permitted at Far Brook.

Far Brook was founded in 1948 by Winifred Moore, a visionary educator who felt that children are “capable of responses that are more profound than generally believed.” With that strong belief, Mrs. Moore devised a curriculum that exposed children to the arts and to great works of literature with the conviction that even the youngest children could synthesize, appreciate, and enjoy complex language and concepts. The rich curriculum she devised has evolved over the years but the philosophy of Far Brook is unchanged. Children are exposed to the traditional classics at a young age and are given opportunities to react to them, interpret them, and recreate what they have learned in imaginative, creative, hands-on, and age-appropriate ways. Far Brook’s appreciation for simplicity and our daily Morning Meeting remind some of the Quaker tradition, however, Far Brook is not a Quaker school and has no religious affiliation.

At Far Brook, all students engage in both French and Spanish classes through their 5th grade year.  Upon entering 6th grade, language teachers consult with students and families and propose a specific language course based on student progress and potential for greatest success. Students focus only on this recommended language of study for their remaining years at Far Brook. 

Far Brook is a community of families from many cultural, racial, and religious backgrounds as well as a range of socio-economic levels and family structures. In terms of race for the 2024-25 school year, approximately 56% of students identify as having full or partial African, Asian, South Asian, Latinx, Middle Eastern, Indigenous, or Pacific Islander heritage.

Yes. All students participate on Far Brook’s interscholastic athletic teams that compete against a variety of local independent schools beginning in Grade 5. Soccer, Field Hockey, and Cross Country are offered in the fall, and Baseball, Lacrosse, and Track & Field in the spring.

Far Brook students attend a range of highly regarded independent day schools, boarding schools, and public schools after Far Brook. Graduates from the last five years have attended/are currently attending the following schools:

Independent Day Schools: Delbarton School, Dwight-Englewood School, Gill St. Bernard’s School, The Hudson School, Immaculate Conception High School, Kent Place School, LREI – Little Red Schoolhouse Elisabeth Irwin High School (NYC), Montclair Kimberley Academy, Morristown-Beard School, Newark Academy, The Pingry School, St. Benedict’s Prep School, Seton Hall Prep School, and Shorecrest Prep (FL).

Boarding Schools: Buxton School (MA), Deerfield Academy (MA), Peddie, Phillips Academy Andover (MA), Phillips Exeter Academy (NH), Gould Academy (ME), and The George School (PA).

Public Schools: Columbia High School (South Orange/Maplewood), Madison High School, Millburn High School, Science Park High School, Summit High School, Union County Magnet High School, West Essex High School, and Westfield High School.

Far Brook works with families beginning in the Seventh Grade to prepare students and guide parents through the high school selection process. Far Brook provides workshops for parents and students, practice entrance exams, interview workshops, and other support.