The Brown School
Encyclopedia
The J. Graham Brown School, or The Brown School as it's usually called, is a small public school located in downtown Louisville, Kentucky
, USA. It has approximately 700 students in kindergarten
through 12th grade, and attracts students (and teachers) from all over Louisville. It is a part of the Jefferson County Public Schools
(JCPS) system. The mission of the J. Graham Brown School is to recognize, respect, and foster the unique potential of each student in an informal environment which reflects the diversity of our community.
One of the distinguishing characteristics of this school is the "informal" and relaxed atmosphere. Students can call their teachers by their first names, and every Friday the principal escorts the seniors to lunch at Fourth Street Live, a nearby entertainment facility. The school's location facilitates numerous learning opportunities including attending on-site college classes, job shadowing, community service, and walking field trips. Some of the other unique features are extensive community interactions, cross-age groupings, and a highly diverse student population.
Brown School is the only school in JCPS to fully implement Springboard, the College Board's official Pre-Advanced Placement curriculum in both English language arts and mathematics classes, beginning in the sixth grade. All students in the school are enrolled in an "advanced-level" curriculum. All high school students are required to take Advanced Placement classes. Moreover, there are several dual-credit classes offered on campus, and many students walk to Jefferson Community and Technical College for additional tuition-free college courses.
The founding director of J. Graham Brown School was Murray State University
graduate Martha Ellison, who, during her earlier teaching career, was the English teacher of playwright Marsha Norman
. Upon her retirement Ellison was succeeded by her longtime assistant director, Douglas Proctor. The Martha A. Ellison Peace Green, across First Street from the school, is named in her honor. The current principal of Brown School is Timothy R. Healy.
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, USA. It has approximately 700 students in kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
through 12th grade, and attracts students (and teachers) from all over Louisville. It is a part of the Jefferson County Public Schools
Jefferson County Public Schools (Kentucky)
Jefferson County Public Schools is a public school district located in Jefferson County, Kentucky and operating all but one of the public schools in the county...
(JCPS) system. The mission of the J. Graham Brown School is to recognize, respect, and foster the unique potential of each student in an informal environment which reflects the diversity of our community.
One of the distinguishing characteristics of this school is the "informal" and relaxed atmosphere. Students can call their teachers by their first names, and every Friday the principal escorts the seniors to lunch at Fourth Street Live, a nearby entertainment facility. The school's location facilitates numerous learning opportunities including attending on-site college classes, job shadowing, community service, and walking field trips. Some of the other unique features are extensive community interactions, cross-age groupings, and a highly diverse student population.
Brown School is the only school in JCPS to fully implement Springboard, the College Board's official Pre-Advanced Placement curriculum in both English language arts and mathematics classes, beginning in the sixth grade. All students in the school are enrolled in an "advanced-level" curriculum. All high school students are required to take Advanced Placement classes. Moreover, there are several dual-credit classes offered on campus, and many students walk to Jefferson Community and Technical College for additional tuition-free college courses.
Recognitions
Newsweek Magazine listed Brown as one of the "Best Schools in America" in both 2009 and 2010, placing them in the top 4% of schools nationwide. Furthermore, Brown was honored by U.S. News and World Report with a Bronze Medal Award in 2007, 2008, and 2009. Every year, Brown School places in the top three or four schools across the Commonwealth of Kentucky in both the ACT and the Kentucky Core Content Test. Brown High School was the state's top scorer in the 2009 CATS testing cycle.Shared Values of the J. Graham Brown School Community
- An informal and nonthreatening environment of diversity will create an atmosphere of mutual respect in which students, parents and staff will work together.
- Each individual will be encouraged and allowed to freely yet responsibly express him/herself, confident that s/he will be accepted as capable and unique.
- Difference and diversity will act as bridges rather than barriers to communication.
- A healthy honest self-concept will promote in students a desire to learn more about self and the environment.
- Self-discipline will be nurtured as an essential part of the learning process.
- The adult community will maintain high expectations and respect for the achievement of each student's personal best.
- Creativity, innovation, and flexibility will be regarded as necessary elements of education by the entire community.
- Every individual will have a responsibility to contribute back to the greater natural and social community from his/her Brown School experience.
History
The school was founded in 1971, with classes first held in the Brown Hotel at Fourth Street and Broadway in downtown Louisville. Brown was the first "magnet school" in the JCPS district, and it enrolled students from all parts of Jefferson County. As the school grew, the neighboring Brown Building was rehabilitated to accommodate it. The lower nine of the ten-story Brown Building were ultimately used by the school for its first ten years of existence, before the school moved to its present location on S. First Street, south of Muhammad Ali Boulevard.The founding director of J. Graham Brown School was Murray State University
Murray State University
Murray State University, located in the city of Murray, Kentucky, is a four-year public university with approximately 10,400 students. The school is Kentucky’s only public university to be listed in the U.S.News & World Report regional university top tier for the past 20 consecutive years...
graduate Martha Ellison, who, during her earlier teaching career, was the English teacher of playwright Marsha Norman
Marsha Norman
Marsha Norman is an American playwright, screenwriter, and novelist. She received the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play night, Mother...
. Upon her retirement Ellison was succeeded by her longtime assistant director, Douglas Proctor. The Martha A. Ellison Peace Green, across First Street from the school, is named in her honor. The current principal of Brown School is Timothy R. Healy.
Notable alumni
- Diepiriye S. Kuku-Siemons, New Delhi based writer, researcher, activist
- Mac KingMac KingMac King is a comedy magician who has performed on television specials, often as a co-host. He has his own family-friendly show, "The Mac King Comedy Magic Show," at the Harrah's Las Vegas in the Clint Holmes Theater....
, magician - Brian McMahanBrian McMahanBrian McMahan is a guitarist from Louisville, Kentucky. He was member of the band Squirrel Bait and went on to create the seminal band Slint. He was both vocalist and guitarist for this band. After their breakup, circa 1991, he went on to play with Will Oldham on his project Palace Brothers...
, musician (SlintSlintSlint was an American rock band consisting of Brian McMahan , David Pajo , Britt Walford , Todd Brashear and Ethan Buckler...
) - Will OldhamWill OldhamWill Oldham , better known by the stage name Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, is an American singer-songwriter and actor. From 1993 to 1997, he performed and recorded under variations of the Palace name, including the Palace Brothers, Palace Songs, and Palace Music...
, musician - Britt Walford, musician (Slint)
- Rob Totten, Siam Riep based syndicated columnist and dot com millionaire
- Devin Theriot-Orr, Activist Attorney
- James Brandenburg, TV Sportscaster
- Elizabeth Lee, Adult Mental Health Activist, local not-for-profit leader
- Camara Douglas, Counselor and Street Activist
- Cortlandt Armstrong, United States Military Academy Graduate, Two-time Club National Saber Fencing Championship runner-up, and Engineer
- Dr. Anika N.Al-Shura, China based, Chinese/Western Medicine Physician
- Peter SearcyPeter SearcyPeter Searcy is a musician from Louisville, Kentucky.Searcy was the frontman of the Louisville punk group Squirrel Bait in the 1980s. After Squirrel Bait disbanded, Searcy formed a funk-rock group called Fanci Pantz. Fanci Pantz garnered a lot of praise and major label attention, but they broke...
, musician
External links
- Official website
- JCPS profile
- thebrownschool.org — alumni information and directory
- The Brown School Orchestra
- JCPS Brown School Parental Involvement Site