The Power of Being Known
After more than two decades helping shape student life at Brewster Academy and later launching schools in Spain, Bret Barnett has come full circle, returning to the close-knit relationships and sense of community that make boarding school life so rewarding. This July, he joined Cushing as Director of Student Affairs, bringing a deep commitment to helping students feel known, supported, and challenged to grow.
Barnett knew early on that he wanted to be a teacher. A math major at Harvard University, he often fielded questions about why he was choosing education. For him, the answer was simple.
“It's what I'm passionate about—connecting with kids, helping them have that light bulb moment, helping them understand,” he says.
That passion led him to Brewster Academy. He expected to stay only briefly. Instead, one opportunity led to another. Over more than 20 years, he served as a math teacher, dorm parent, department head, residential life director, and eventually assistant head of school, overseeing all aspects of student life outside the classroom. Along the way, he discovered that what energized him most was working closely with students and faculty. He also earned his M.A. in Private School Leadership at Columbia University’s Teachers College, gaining further grounding in the field.
“I love celebrating students’ successes, whether in sports, the arts, or academics, and being their go-to person,” he says. Barnett is known for greeting students by name each morning and for helping them navigate both triumphs and setbacks.
Several years ago, Brewster asked him to help launch a network of schools in Spain. The experience took him from New Hampshire to Madrid, where he helped recruit faculty and students, build school culture, and launch entirely new campuses. “I thought I knew a lot about schools until I had to open one,” he says, laughing.
Still, something was missing. “I realized that while I enjoy opening schools, what I really love are the deep relationships that develop in a boarding school environment,” he says. “I missed that tremendously.”
When he visited Cushing, he immediately felt at home. The balance of academics, athletics, arts, and residential life reminded him of the kind of environment he spent his career helping to build.
What stood out was a culture where students and adults genuinely knew one another. A student tour guide who was also a hockey player enthusiastically showed him the glass studio, where students were working on stained- and fused-glass projects. Traditions such as Dorm Olympics, Mountain Day, and the Capping Ceremony reflected a community where students value their connections with faculty and staff.
As he begins his new role, Barnett is eager to immerse himself in dorm life and campus traditions, working alongside students and faculty to make an already strong student experience even better.
Outside of work, Barnett is a devoted Red Sox fan and Liverpool supporter, a theatre enthusiast who has seen Mamma Mia! 37 times, and an avid jigsaw puzzler. As he settles into life at Cushing, he’s enjoying the parts of the job he has always found most rewarding: building relationships that help students grow, find confidence, and feel like they belong.
