Bobcat Stories

Dear Bosque School Community,

We have had an absolutely joyful start to Bosque School’s 31st year. Seeing our students return to campus has brought so much positivity —there is nothing better than the energy of being back together. From welcoming new students with candy and conversation, to watching friendships quickly and meaningfully form and re-form, to witnessing the brilliance of our staffulty as they launch into a new year, our community feels vibrant and strong.

This joy has been matched by the energy of our new leadership colleagues, who have already brought fresh perspectives and deep commitment to student wellness and learning. It has been especially inspiring to welcome Mr. Snyder to the middle school and Mr. Miller to the upper school, whose thoughtful leadership—including the adoption of a cell-phone collection policy in the upper school—builds on the leadership of our middle school colleagues and further centers student wellbeing. I am proud of our upper school students for engaging in meaningful dialogue about this change and embracing it with openness.

Over the summer, we also mourned the loss of Dr. Gary Gruber, Bosque School’s founding head of school. His vision and leadership made our community possible, and his legacy continues to guide us. If you missed the earlier communication, you can read more about his lasting impact here. I also had the honor of sharing stories of his rich life with our students at our convocation ceremony earlier this month.

Our summer was busy in other ways, too—with record growth in summer camp attendance. Our annual community surveys reflected many encouraging trends:

• Students reported dramatic gains in overall satisfaction, pride in being a Bobcat, feelings of belonging, and deep trust in staffulty.
   
• Families saw notable increases in their children’s connections to staffulty, their positivity around recommending Bosque School to a friend, and their deepened understanding and valuing of our WELLBEING curriculum.
   
• Staffulty expressed significant gains in enjoyment at work, recommending Bosque School as a great place to work, feelings of belonging, and appreciation.

These results affirm what we see daily: a thriving community where students and adults feel safe, supported, and connected. They also highlight growth opportunities. After three years, some immersive courses showed slight declines in satisfaction. We are now reviewing the curriculum and feedback to inform the development of new and refreshed offerings. With consistently low ratings for lunch, we engaged JA’s Catering, whose all-day meal service and scratch cooking are already receiving rave reviews.

We also have much to celebrate:

• Our 6th-grade enrollment grew again this year, with 51 wonderful students joining the Bosque community.
   
• Thanks to the incredible generosity of our families, alumni, and friends, Bosque’s 30th anniversary year broke fundraising records: $1.6 million raised in the Bosque Fund, plus a $3.5 million gift pledged from the Corio Foundation to increase equity and access through high-need financial aid awards. Staffulty also demonstrated extraordinary commitment with 80% giving participation—well above the national average.
   

Looking ahead, we will welcome a 14-member accreditation team from the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS) this October. Their visit follows the impressive work of our staffulty last year, writing our 178-page self-study report. This visit will provide valuable feedback to affirm our strengths and highlight opportunities for our future growth. At the same time, our board and leadership team are engaged in shaping Bosque School’s next strategic plan, which will provide a foundation to build upon for our next 30 years.

We look forward to sharing more in the months ahead.

We are constantly asked how you can help Bosque School thrive, and we have three tangible things that would provide an immediate positive impact in our community:

1. Share your positive Bosque School experiences with prospective families as we open admission season for 2026–27. Applications open on September 1, and word of mouth is our most effective tool for connecting with new students. All admissions information can be found here.
    
2. Write an online review: Many prospective families start their research online, and having fresh reviews makes a BIG difference. Whether you are an alum, current or past parent, grandparent, or community partner, I would be so grateful if you could take a few minutes to share your positive reflections about Bosque School (even in just a couple of sentences) on our review sites. 
    
3. Consider making your annual gift early—every contribution moves us closer to our goal of 100% community participation in the Bosque Fund.
    

I am deeply grateful for your partnership and support—whether as a parent, guardian, alum, grandparent, trustee, or friend. Together, we are writing Bosque’s story, past, present, and future.

With gratitude and excitement for the year to come,
 

Jessie Barrie, Ph.D.
Head of School