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Branson School News, Sports, Life and Opinion

The Blazer

Branson’s student-run newspaper
Branson School News, Sports, Life and Opinion

The Blazer

Branson School News, Sports, Life and Opinion

The Blazer

News

Classroom phone caddy, known familiarly as the "phone jail," holds students' phones during class. Currently, each teacher is responsible for their individual classroom phone policies.

Task force set to design schoolwide phone policy

By Gigi Hohenrieder October 22, 2024
Branson has made efforts to address the growing issue of phone usage on campus, beginning with a student-and-faculty task force.
Students participate in bonding activities and discussions on leadership during August retreat. The Student Leadership Institute was established by Whitney Livermore and JuanCarlos Arauz to orient leaders of student senate and affinity groups for the school year ahead. (Courtesy of Whitney Livermore)

Branson inaugurates Student Leadership Institute

By Alexa Warrin October 22, 2024
Student leaders convened in August for a two-day retreat, where they bonded, learned about leadership and constructed plans for the school year.
Branson classroom from last year. This year marks a change in the gradebook policy, wherein Blackbaud will no longer display students' grades.

Branson adopts new gradebook policy

By Hazel Levinson October 22, 2024

This year marks a change to Branson’s gradebook policy. Previously, Blackbaud calculated a student’s grade average, and that information was available to students. However, this year students will...

English Department Chair Giles Scott and Head of School Chris Mazzola at Convocation. Scott was nominated by the community to speak at Convocation this year.

Convocation features community-nominated faculty speech

By Olivia Ritter October 22, 2024

“The obvious thing to focus on would be the election, right? Yes? No? The adults are all ‘No.’ The students are like, ‘An election, what election? There was nothing about an election on TikTok...

The buffet-style Branson lunch in the commons. There are two major changes to school lunch this school year, including changed leadership and a new provider.

The kitchen’s changing

By Cecilia "CC" Brenner October 13, 2024

The Branson kitchen is getting two big updates this school year. Executive Chef Marcus Trigg is now officially a Branson employee and come spring semester, a new food provider will feed the Branson community.  Trigg...

Todd Fries of the Northern California Innocence Project speaks to the Branson community during special assembly. Fries visited Branson last week to discuss the mission of the Innocence Project, which works to exonerate falsely convicted individuals.

Innocence Project guest speaker shares mission to fight false conviction

By Barry Liu October 13, 2024
Todd Fries of the Innocence Project visited Branson last week to discuss the organization's work in exonerating the wrongfully convicted and fighting flaws in the criminal justice system.
Librarian and new Class Dean Charlotte King. King hopes to support the incoming students in adjusting to Branson.

Charlotte King appointed ninth-grade dean

By Sadie Winter October 13, 2024

Librarian and Digital Literacy Specialist Charlotte King has taken on the additional role of ninth-grade class dean.  This year, Branson welcomed 107 new ninth-graders to campus. As class dean, King...

Students in classroom during immersive course. Branson administration announced the school's break from AP courses March 12.

Symonds says end of APs at Branson is opportunity for ‘innovation’

By Olivia Ritter June 4, 2024

When the student body first heard about the clean break from the AP curriculum, every qualm circulating around campus centered on a perceived disadvantage in college admissions. In response, Jeff Symonds,...

Students play Ultimate Frisbee on Tom Ryan Field, marking the launch of the school's new club. The club, led by Zachary Redlin '25 and Christopher Mao '26, looks to expand beyond casual play to competitive matches.

New Ultimate Frisbee Club looks to offer friendship, fun

By James Stovell May 22, 2024

After enduring countless weeks of rain, Branson’s spirit is back and the field has come alive with the birth of a new activity and club, the Ultimate Frisbee Club. Led by Zachary Redlin ‘25 and...

Branson yearbook wins Walsworth award

By Samara "Sam" Lehman May 17, 2024

As the end of the school year approaches, so too does the reveal of the yearbook, whose design has been a mystery to everyone except those working on it. However, earlier this year those yearbook club...

Peer tutoring makes its return to Branson

By Alexa Warrin April 9, 2024

The peer tutoring program is returning this spring semester with two main objectives: destigmatizing asking for help and creating opportunities for students to connect across grade levels. Student leaders...

Escalante steps up as interim sophomore class dean

By Ella Tsai and Maddie Schneider April 9, 2024

As the spring semester kicks off, With sophomore class dean Ellie Skewes-Cox out on maternity leave, Alex Escalante, dance teacher and sophomore adviser, has assumed the position as interim class dean....

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