75th Anniversary
The Capsule Collection:
Recipes Across the Decades
from the Greenbriar Community
We're so excited to launch our cookbook in honor of our 75th anniversary! Check out The Capsule Collection, recipes from across the decades from the Greenbriar community. Click here to order your hard copy for $35--all proceeds go to benefit Education for All Children, a non-profit that helps to fund education in Kenya including for District 28's sister school, Spurgeon's Academy.
A look back
Greenbriar School was dedicated in 1949 with five classrooms, a gymnasium and an office.
Students work independently with a variety of mediums which appear to be an art lesson.
Parent involvement is a hallmark of Northbrook District 28 schools, and book fairs continue to this day as a valuable asset to students' learning experiences
Calisthenics like those being demonstrated in this 1960s Greenbriar Physical Education class were completed to improve strength and endurance. Jack LaLanne helped popularize the practice in the 1960s. --From the JFK Sixth Floor Museum
Part of the Greenbriar archives includes this photo of the school principal in 1963, though her name is not credited.
In 1967, the Greenbriar Gremlin was adopted as the first mascot. A gremlin is considered a friendly spirit. It changed to a Greyhound around 1993.
History
Greenbriar opened its doors in 1949 when Northbrook’s population was under 3,000 people. The original building contained five classrooms, a gym, and an office and was built for $222,612. In 1952, District 28 decided to add onto Greenbriar by building an additional eight classrooms to serve 350 students. In 1961, another addition enlarged Greenbriar to 22 classrooms. In 2012, District 28 and the Park District joined together to build the large gym. At the same time, additional classrooms, office spaces, and a new front office were added to the building. In 2017-18, Greenbriar served more than 400 students in 23 classroom sections.
Greenbriar’s first mascot, established in 1967, was the Greenbriar Gremlin. The Greenbriar Gremlin was a happy creature resembling an elf. In 1984, the movie “Gremlins” hit the box office and Greenbriar decided to update the school’s mascot. The mascot was changed to the Greyhound around 1993. In December 2017, Greenbriar students voted to name the Greyhound mascot Flash.
Tribute to Sister School
Greyhounds Sing 'Jambo"
As part of the 75th anniversary celebration, Greenbriar School is raising funds for Education for All, an NGO that helps support schools like Spurgeon's Academy, District 28's sister school in Kenya. "Jambo" is a song sung by schoolchildren in Kenya and was recommended by Education For All. Music teacher Jeremy Bartunek researched the song and found an arrangement suitable for elementary students, he said. The students learned the song in music class and then recorded it in their Greenbriar 'Packs". Mr. Bartunek tied it all together by gathering the school in the gym to make an all-school recording then editing in clips of each pack singing it.
The translation is:
Jambo, Jambo Bwana - Hello sir!
Habari gani - How are you?
Mzuri sana - I'm very good.
Wageni wakaribishwa - Stranger, welcome,
Kenya yetu hakuna matata - Kenya has no problems
Community Open House
Join Us!
Residents and alumni are invited to participate in Greenbriar School’s 75th Anniversary Celebration from 10 a.m to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 17.
Visit the school to take a walk down memory lane with historical photos, a time capsule display, a selfie station, and a self-guided tour. Current students will perform a new song composed especially for the occasion. There are also keepsakes available for purchase including a 75th anniversary cookbook with recipes from across the decades from the Greenbriar community. Hard copies and e-books will be for sale with proceeds benefiting Education For All Children, a nonprofit organization that helps fund education in Kenya, including District 28’s sister school, Spurgeon’s Academy.
Share a Memory or Photo
We are asking community members to share photos or a memory about Greenbriar School.