The origin of the Brewster Madrid project cannot be understood without the existence of Brewster Academy, located in New Hampshire, United States, with over 200 years of history and educational experience. After an intense research phase, Madrid was chosen as the first location for its two international campuses: Chamberí, successfully opened in September 2023 with more than 150 students, and La Moraleja (Pº Conde de los Gaitanes, 23), which will open in September 2024. It is truly special to know how innovative and satisfying the experience is, and the very positive impact Brewster is having on the students.

Join The Knowledge Review as we explore Brewster Madrid in this interview with Craig Gemmell, Head of School at Brewster Madrid.

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Can you tell us about Brewster Madrid’s journey towards becoming one of the top American schools?

Since 1820, Brewster has been at the forefront of innovative American education. We believe in student-centered learning that is both relational and responsive to the diverse needs of our students. Brewster provides an academically and intellectually challenging program that empowers students to make a difference in the world and cultivate a life of purpose, graduating students who are caring, curious, creative, and persistent.

What is the primary mission and vision of Brewster Madrid?

Our Mission: We prepare diverse thinkers for lives of purpose.

Our Vision: An approach to learning that has the exponential power to transform education, communities, and the lives of students in our care.

Could you elaborate on how Brewster Madrid aims to cater to the diverse learning needs of its students through its team approach?

Brewster Madrid’s Team Approach to education is the cornerstone of the Brewster Model and a critical means by which teachers come to know and fully understand the students in their care. The team fosters sustained collaboration among teachers, enabling them to craft the most effective approach to maximize student learning. As not all students learn alike, the team is the central hub by which we ensure that all types of thinkers are valued, understood, and prepared to develop and activate their full potential.

To achieve this goal of comprehensive development and actualization of each individual student, advisors take part in ongoing conversations with their teams to ensure that every student receives an individualized approach to education, an approach by which they can discover their true potential, activate their passions, and make meaningful contributions to the community.

What are the main goals that Brewster Madrid strives to achieve in terms of student development and empowerment?

We prioritize joyful learning, student-centered pedagogies, and are committed to continuous improvement through innovation and research. We endeavor to transform education for ourselves, our communities, and our world. Regardless of where our students live and learn—on our picturesque 203-year-old Wolfeboro, New Hampshire campus, in Madrid, or at any of the other international Brewster campuses, we are in the process of opening or haven’t even imagined yet—all are considered Brewster students.

Could you share some of the challenges Brewster Madrid has faced and how have you overcome them?

Brewster Madrid started its journey in 2018. The pandemic slowed our timeline for opening, but we were sure to take all the necessary precautions to open safely given the global pandemic.

In what ways has Brewster Madrid leveraged technological advancements to enhance the educational experience for its students?

In 1993, Brewster Wolfeboro was one of the first one-to-one laptop schools in the United States. Since then, Brewster Wolfeboro has remained at the forefront of technological advances that bolster student engagement and learning. As such, Brewster Madrid has further committed to this tenet of excellence. Brewster Madrid classrooms are outfitted with state-of-the-art, interactive Promethean boards, and our information technology department images all student devices to ensure that all the necessary software that teachers employ is loaded onto these machines. Brewster Madrid teachers find ways to use the burgeoning artificial intelligence landscape to help students understand how to use this new technology most effectively. With courses like Advanced Placement Computer Science in high school and STEM Club in the lower school, Brewster Madrid keeps a keen eye on technological advances to ensure they remain on the cutting edge, just like their predecessor.

What sets Brewster Madrid apart from other schools?

Brewster Madrid is the first international campus of Brewster Academy and the only K-12 American school in the city center of Madrid. We have the same core values, mission, and vision as Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, NH. Our methodology follows inquiry-based learning models, and, with the exception of our language teachers, all of our faculty are native English speakers, many of whom have advanced degrees in their area of expertise. We offer a radically student-centered approach where each student is guided through our advisor system, team approach, and holistic education.

Please tell us about Brewster Madrid’s notable awards or recognition for its educational initiatives and practices.

Since we are a new school, our most notable accolade is that we enrolled 153 fantastic students in our first year, and we’ve built a strong culture of kindness, engagement, and joyful learning in our first months. Emerging as we do from Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, we can also celebrate some of Brewster’s most notable accomplishments: founded in 1820, Brewster is one of the oldest schools in the US; in 1994, Brewster was the first school in the US to partner with Apple Computer Corporation in a 1:1 laptop program; in 2011, Brewster partnered with Yale University to develop a now widely-used social-emotional learning (SEL) program.

Can you provide insights into Brewster Madrid’s future plans for further enhancing its educational offerings and global impact?

Brewster Madrid will surely scale its influence by increasing both the number of students it serves in Madrid and opening a second campus in the adjoining community of La Moraleja. In the coming years, we will develop other campuses on the Iberian Peninsula and, perhaps, elsewhere in the world. Our influence will grow as the number of students we educate grows and as our program evolves to meet the changing needs of our students.

What educational programs or extracurricular initiatives does Brewster Madrid employ to help students discover their unique talents and abilities?

Many of the extracurricular offerings are similar to what one might find at other independent schools such as debate, chess, art, creative writing, music, and theater–in addition to athletic opportunities such as strength and conditioning, yoga, football, and lacrosse. However, what is distinctive about Brewster is our desire to have students participate in shaping our program. We ask our students “What do you want?” What would you like to explore?” And these questions are allowing our students to assert their agency and pursue passions outside of the classroom. This fall student initiative led us to add “Business and Marketing” and “Podcasting” to our afternoon activity programming.

How does Brewster Madrid foster an inclusive and welcoming environment that promotes respect and appreciation for diverse cultures and national groups among its students?

In our inaugural year, we opened with 150 students from 19 different countries and more than 90 sending schools. Through our enrollment process, we prioritized students that were mission-appropriated and families who were looking to partner with us in our growth and development. This was crucial to creating an inclusive and welcoming community from the start of the school year.

Can you share some alumni success stories or inspiring examples of Brewster Madrid students who have exerted an impact on the world as a result of their education?

While Brewster Madrid is brand new and does not have graduates as yet, we aspire to actualize our mission just as Brewster Wolfeboro has – to graduate diverse thinkers destined for a life of purpose. As Wolfeboro can proudly tout Hollywood actors and NBA players among their alumni, Brewster Madrid has students playing on semi-professional teams in basketball, soccer, and swimming, as well as students that perform professionally in Madrid theater productions. Nevertheless, while we are proud to boast of our successful alum, we believe our highest achievement is not seen on professional rosters or playbills but rather on the faces and in the hearts of our graduates all aspiring to lead lives that make a difference.

Lastly, what advice would you give to students who aspire to make a significant impact through their education, based on Brewster Madrid’s educational philosophy and experience?

Students need to develop skills to be able to understand themselves and the world intelligently; they need to learn how to ask questions and wade through the extraordinary range of information available in the 21st century. They need to develop the capacity to discern and reflect. Honing all of these necessary skills and developing these capacities–these habits of mind–takes time, practice, and discipline. Our advice to students is to think of their time at school not as a mere steppingstone to the next phase of their lives but as a joyful time of exploration and discovery and a time to build enduring friendships.

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