David Brooks—“Cometh the hour, cometh the man”

In the spring of 1986, Glenlyon Norfolk School was created by amalgamating Norfolk House and Glenlyon Schools. It had been almost a decade of a long, sometimes difficult but ultimately successful process steered by committed Boards of Governors and the tireless work of Peggy Wilmot and Keith Walker, Heads of the two amalgamating schools. They became co-Heads for the maiden year but also retained responsibility for their own Junior Campus while Assistant Heads, June Beynon and Stephen Johnson did much of the “bullwork” on the re-organising Senior Campus. As the complex planning unfolded, it became clear that the best plan was to appoint a new Head to continue the transition of this new school.

In this pursuit and from a wide field of candidates, “Cometh the hour, cometh the man” and enter Mr. David Brooks.

David was educated at Tonbridge School, Kent and graduated with a B.A. at Durham University. He married Jane, who was training as a physiotherapist after her family’s return to England from colonial service in Malawi, East Africa. They came to Exeter, Ontario where David taught high school for ten years. During this time, not only did he further his qualifications with a Dip.Ed at Western Ontario and a M.Ed at Toronto, but he also took the summer vacation of 1975 to sail with Jane and her brother Jon across the Atlantic in their 30 foot yacht. The adventure took thirty days of both good and bad weather arriving in Falmouth, England. Two years later David was offered a position at Upper Canada College, where he taught senior English, coached soccer and cricket and was Senior Boarding Master of Wedd’s House for another ten year period.

The energy, resourcefulness, risk-taking and commitment that characterized his life proved invaluable in establishing the dynamic, successful school that everyone hoped for. Just recently, David reflected that the support of all the people, board, staff, students and parents was the vital ingredient when he joined this newly amalgamated school. “I was a greenhorn Head and there were many wiser and experienced individuals around me who guided me through those early years.” During which especially, with the contagious passion and positive energy exhibited by him, he set the tone for the thriving school GNS has become.

Restructuring the school on two campuses, building new facilities, integrating the staffs into a successful combination, helped by establishing the Faculty Association to advise on salary negotiation and professional development, developing new, exciting and global programmes that would encourage an influx of new students at the senior level and increase the vitality and range of their activities, were just a few of the important focuses he supported. Even the enrolment of his three sons, Matthew entering Grade 10, Jeremy Grade 5 and Benjamin Grade 4 and their eventual roles as Games Captain, Head Boy and future Staff member provided a significant plus for the fledgling school. All this while still retaining the small school feeling and maintaining the family atmosphere of the founding schools and their traditions.

David Brooks left GNS in June 1997 for new adventures in Switzerland and beyond, but he never really left. The building that started out as the Library Wing in 1961, then known as the East Wing in the early 1970s, upgraded to the Junior Girls Classroom Block after amalgamation and eventually dedicated as the Brooks Building in 1997 is now a legacy of the lasting impact of David’s time at GNS. He has remained an avid supporter of the school as he watches its growth and accomplishments reflecting the very hopes and direction he first helped to create.

It is fair to say that David Brooks was ‘at the helm’ while steering the school on its new course that led to being one of the top independent schools across the country. Many changes have taken place since his leadership, but they happened in large part thanks to his infectious personality, his vision, and his willingness to get things done.

Thank you Mr. Brooks for your invaluable part in GNS’s history!