Pathways for Growth: How Breck Nurtures Inspiring Faculty

Breck’s approach to faculty and staff growth starts with a simple idea: people do their best work when they feel supported, challenged, and connected. The Melrose Center for Leadership and Equity and the Peter Clark Center for Mind, Brain, and Education sit at the heart of that effort, shaping how professional development and mentorship flow across Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School. For years, Breck educators have strengthened their craft through book clubs, online courses, conferences, mid-year school visits, coaching cycles, and divisional initiatives. Community surveys, such as Youth Truth, consistently identify professional development and long-standing opportunities like sabbaticals, mid-year school visits, summer grants, and conferences like Learning and the Brain as a bright spot of the Breck experience
That foundation is rooted in a long history of curiosity and care for the craft of teaching. One of Breck’s signature touchpoints for new faculty is the three-day Science of Teaching for Learning workshop, a deep exploration of the Mind, Brain, and Education research that anchors our new faculty orientation workshop. As one teacher shared, “I loved the MBE training. It sparked a joy for learning all over again!” This spirit extends beyond faculty, reaching families and the broader community through PEAK, which brings influential voices to campus each year. Recent speakers like Dr. Lisa Damour, Dr. Marc Brackett, Erin Walsh, Phyllis Fagell, and Anton Treuer have helped our community reflect on what young people need to grow with confidence and purpose.
Building on this strong foundation, Breck is making its professional learning experiences more visible, intentional, and aligned. In 2025, the Innovation Team developed a system for tracking professional development to better share impact with our faculty, community, and funders. Insights are featured in a quarterly Breck Learns communication, highlighting what teachers are studying and how they are applying new learning. For example, Eden Motto shared her reflections from Harvard’s Project Zero: “I love the idea of using thinking routines as the backdrop of every class. These routines can be adapted to fit any subject matter and help students build the habits of mind that carry into adulthood.” Her experience demonstrates how professional learning can be captured and shared to strengthen teaching across the school.
Also new in 2025, new faculty receive a six-week onboarding experience timed around the real flow of the school year, with practical support like preparing for back-to-school and curriculum nights, and parent conferences. In the LS, educators are implementing Responsive Classroom, Sonday, RULER SEL training, Writing Revolution, and logistical schedule adjustments that create space for teams to meet, plan, and reflect during Instructional Lunch and Learn Deep Dives. One outcome of this collaborative professional growth is the thematic cross-curricular teaching in science and social studies, and the integration of the Mustang Makers program into LS curriculum. The LS Instructional Leadership Team is strengthening support for Teaching Assistants through ongoing check-ins and goal setting guided by the Breck Instructional Framework. These goal-setting conversations help shape a professional culture where teachers are encouraged to improve, innovate, and thrive, leading to stronger teaching and improved student outcomes.
This work points toward a thoughtful path forward. Breck is expanding opportunities to reflect on how we teach to support a community of educators who think deeply about their craft, who continue to grow and learn, and who share their expertise with colleagues. This commitment is central to the four-year self-reflective path of our teacher evaluation cycle for non-probationary faculty. As we strengthen our systems for learning, mentorship, and collaboration, we’re shaping a community where growth is shared, stories are visible, and every educator has a clear path to keep advancing their practice. Together, these steps deepen our commitment to nurture inspiring faculty and keep Breck moving forward with clarity and purpose.