Far Brook Is 75!
SO MUCH TO CELEBRATE…
Happy Birthday, Far Brook!
 Our remarkable school will celebrate its 75th anniversary throughout the 2023-24 school year. As we reflect on this milestone, we celebrate Far Brook’s dedication to nurturing young minds, fostering creativity, and building a close-knit community rooted in the values of progressive education. So, let’s honor our past, toast our present, and share our vision for Far Brook’s future together!
Please Keep In Touch!
Many of our communications this year will be digital. Please update your contact info so you can be sure of receiving our communications.
Far Brook: A Brief History
Enjoy some highlights of Far Brook’s remarkable 75 years. Please know that there are so many additional milestones and important faculty, administrators, and volunteers who were integral to Far Brook’s success and essential to our history who are not reflected in this very abbreviated timeline. Cheers to 75!
For more reminiscing and photo fun, see this Slideshow for Far Brook’s 70th Anniversary, compiled by Charlie Miller (’81, P ’21, ’22) in 2018. We are continuing to add to it, so if you have a special photo or two you would like to contribute, please share with communications@farbrook.org. Thank you!
Buxton School
Buxton School begins as a coeducational country day school in Short Hills NJ in 1928, founded by Ellen Geer Sangster and her husband Danforth Geer,..More
Far Brook School Established
By 1948, a group families in Buxton’s Lower School had raised enough money to purchase the property in Short Hills and established Far Brook School..More
Winifred Moore, Founding Director
Winifred (Schwingel) Moore was appointed Director of the newly-founded Far Brook School. Growing up in Illinois and graduating from Wellesley College in 1921, Winifred was..More
Edwin (Eddie) Finckel Becomes Far Brook’s First Director of Music
Edwin (Eddie) Finckel was a well-known jazz musician and composer before coming to Far Brook as its first Director of Music in 1951. He established..More
“Roots of Excellence” Published
Winifred Moore wrote and published her educational philosophy in The Roots of Excellence, Although it has evolved over the years since 1961, Far Brook can trace..More
Winifred Moore Retires
After Winifred retired in May 1973, the Board appointed beloved Science and Math Teacher Mary Adams as Interim Director. Mary served in this role until..More
Mary Wearn (Haigh) Wiener Appointed Director of Far Brook
In August of 1979, the Board appointed Mary Wearn (Haigh) Wiener Interim Director and confirmed her as Director in December of that same year. Mary..More
Far Brook Receives Accreditation
In the Fall of 1990, Far Brook become accredited for the first time by the Assembly of Elementary, a part of Middle States Association of..More
New Buildings and Arts Center
Far Brook’s facilities expanded significantly in the early 1990s, with the construction of the Segal Family Library, the Middle School, Administration Building, and the creation..More
Mary Wiener Retires
Far Brook celebrated Mary’s 40-year career with a special evening, “A Midsummer Night with Mary,” which raised $1,000,000 for the School’s Endowment. In Mary’s words:..More
Murray Lopdell Lawrence Appointed Head of School
Murray Lopdell Lawrence became Head of School after Mary Wiener’s retirement in 2006. Under Murray’s leadership (2006-2010), Far Brook completed a comprehensive Strategic Plan, significantly..More
Amy Miles Ziebarth Appointed Head of School
After Murray’s tenure, the Board unanimously voted to appoint Amy Miles Ziebarth as Head of School in July of 2010. A gifted and highly respected..More
New Buildings Dedicated
Far Brook completed “Imagine the Possibilities” – the most successful capital campaign in the School’s history, raising over $8.5M. This paved the way for the..More
Widening the Lens: Far Brook’s Diversity Conference
In November of 2016, Far Brook established Widening the Lens Diversity Conference – the first annual diversity conference for New Jersey independent schools modeled after..More
Committing to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
In 2016, Mikki Murphy became the School’s first Director of Diversity, Equity, and Community. This new leadership position was created to expand DEIB initiatives in..More
Strategic Plan and Strength in Community
In 2018, the School embarked on a major gifts fundraising initiative, Strength In Community. Aligned with the 2017-2021 Strategic Plan which emphasized academic standards, social..More
Here Come the 3s!
In 2015, Far Brook added a Nursery 3s to meet the demand of our current and prospective families and to expand the reach of our..More
Paula Levin, Director of Lower School, Retires
Paula Levin, beloved longtime Director of the Lower School, retired after an amazing 46 years at Far Brook, as a teacher, administrator, and a parent...More
COVID, Remote Learning, and Reopening
Far Brook’s swift and comprehensive response to the unprecented COVID-19 pandemic, allowed the school to pivot quickly and function well in a challenging, remote-learning environment..More
Summer At Far Brook Camp
The School’s first comprehensive 9-week summer camp program, Summer at Far Brook, was created and launched in 2022 and surpassed all enrollment and income projections.
Major Facilities Enhancements Throughout Campus
Begun in 2017, Far Brook undertook major renovations of the Junior High, Lower School, and Middle School buildings, and enhanced security measures, replaced roofs, planted..More
Hope to See You On Campus!
75th Kickoff Video
THE ROOTS OF EXCELLENCE
BUXTON HISTORY
LET’S PLAY!