Religious Society of Friends established Brooklyn Friends School in 1867 with educational principles rooted in 19th-century Quaker traditions. Head of School Crissy Cáceres leads this institution through significant transformation while maintaining its foundational commitment to Quaker values, demonstrating how centuries-old religious principles can address contemporary educational demands.
Cáceres, who assumed leadership in 2019, inherited a school with deep historical roots but recognized the need for institutional adaptation. “Somehow people think connecting to Quakerism means continuing to repeat all elements of the past,” she observed during a recent interview. “It’s almost like Little House on the Prairie. They just remain that way.”
Her critique addresses common misconceptions about Quaker education that reduce it to outdated practices. She describes Quakerism as “an ethos of humanity that is about bringing out the greatest possibilities around people’s inner light.”
Reimagining Traditional Quaker Practices
Brooklyn Friends School balances historical continuity with contemporary relevance under Crissy Cáceres’ leadership. Weekly Meeting for Worship, a cornerstone of Quaker educational tradition, continues while adapting for a diverse student body where few modern-day students are Quaker.
“The vast majority of people in Quaker schools are not Quaker. For us, it’s over 90% of those in our school community who are not Quaker,” Cáceres explained. “What brings people together in a magnetic pull is the centering around the values that inform our work.”
The school’s commitment to inclusivity extends beyond religious diversity. Cáceres noted that historical Quaker meetings included segregated seating arrangements that would have restricted her own participation. “The meeting houses of the past had spaces where I would be allowed to sit in places where I wouldn’t be allowed to sit,” she observed. “We’re not void of the sins of the world. We actually enforce them.”
Her acknowledgment of historical limitations informs her method for modernizing Quaker education. Cáceres advocates for principles that reflect Quaker values while addressing contemporary needs for equity and inclusion instead of preserving practices unchanged.
Brooklyn Friends School organizes its educational philosophy around traditional Quaker testimonies known by the acronym SPICES: Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship. These principles guide institutional decisions while allowing flexibility in implementation methods.
Technology Integration Through Quaker Values
Crissy Cáceres’ method for educational technology demonstrates how Quaker principles can inform contemporary issues. Brooklyn Friends School evaluates options based on alignment with core values instead of categorically embracing or rejecting technological tools.
“Everything that is in service to the students in a way that is values aligned would be allowed,” Cáceres explained regarding technology policies. “So long as it is not in violation of the values that we hold as a school, is developmentally minded and guided, and is in service to the growth and development of their learning, then we merit to make way for that to be utilized.”
Her framework guided Brooklyn Friends School’s early adoption of cell phone restrictions, implementing policies in middle school nine years before the practice gained widespread attention. Upper School followed suit within the last two years, demonstrating proactive policy development.
Artificial intelligence receives similar values-based analysis from the school. Crissy Cáceres views AI as a tool that can “equalize the playing field” when used appropriately, allowing students to enhance their thinking and exploration instead of replacing original thought.
Students may use AI for research papers provided they credit how they utilized the technology. Brooklyn Friends School distinguishes between appropriate uses such as expanding upon existing thoughts versus inappropriate applications like having AI write entire essays.
“Our training, for lack of a better word, is that our greatest challenge is the way society is aiming to have AI influence the lives of young people and adults alike,” Cáceres noted. Her school’s response emphasizes teaching students to use technological tools in alignment with Quaker values instead of avoiding them entirely.
Modernizing Quaker Governance and Community
Traditional Quaker decision-making emphasizes consensus and direct communication among community members. Crissy Cáceres has adapted these principles for contemporary school governance while maintaining their essential spirit.
Brooklyn Friends School’s board structure reflects both historical Quaker principles and modern institutional needs. The school’s charter requires that 50% of board trustees be Quakers, with one of two board co-chairs being Quaker-appointed, maintaining formal Quaker presence in governance while allowing operational independence.
Community engagement remains central to decision-making processes. Cáceres regularly seeks input from faculty, families, and students on major institutional decisions, reflecting the Quaker commitment to collective discernment and shared responsibility.
Expanding Quaker Education Beyond Traditional Boundaries
Crissy Cáceres has positioned Brooklyn Friends School as “the singularly Quaker independent two-year-old through 12th grade school in a downtown setting.” Her combination reflects her method for modernizing Quaker education through institutional distinctiveness instead of conformity to established patterns.
Three pillars—Diversity, Equity, and Belonging; Global Social Impact; and Wholeness and Well-being—translate traditional Quaker testimonies into contemporary educational framework. These pillars guide curricular decisions, professional development, and community engagement while maintaining connection to historical Quaker values.
“We are assertive, we are efficient, we are blunt and bold, we are joyful, we are messy when need be,” Cáceres described her school’s current identity. Her characterization disputes stereotypes of Quaker institutions as passive or conflict-averse while maintaining core commitments to peace and integrity.
Brooklyn Friends School’s disciplinary practices exemplify modernized Quaker principles. The institution employs restorative practices that center truth-telling and community healing instead of using traditional punishment models. Cáceres shared an example of addressing student misconduct through extended dialogue focused on understanding impact and building empathy.
“Every situation is an opportunity for learning,” she explained. “Every situation is an opportunity to reflect that you too may have this in your journey. And every opportunity as a result of that is building more proximity to the humanity at the center of every challenge.”
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