It was bright and early on a fall Friday morning. The MLK room was full of teachers eating and conversing. In the center of the room was a table filled with breakfast goodies and homemade treats. Above it all, the sounds of laughter and chatter formed a chorus of community and camaraderie.

Each Friday, the teaching departments alternate hosting the weekly staff breakfast, an event highly anticipated and appreciated by all, according to history teacher Stephanie McAllister-Poon. According to Poon, this breakfast builds community and strengthens bonds between teachers.

Dean Kendell Jones said the breakfast has a positive impact.

“I really enjoy the breakfast; I think it really brings us together. It’s always great to close the week together as a community,” Jones said.

Teachers find themselves beholden to the same strict schedules as students with the added task of planning and grading, leaving behind few opportunities for socializing between colleagues, according to math teacher Adam Fried. For the teachers whose time is so precious, these early mornings are a treasured opportunity to gather together in an organic fashion.

Chemistry teacher John Magee, said a benefit of the breakfast is bringing colleagues together, beyond the limitations of departments.

“You also meet people outside your department, which is huge. You see names you’ve only known from emails, and now you get to greet them in person. It’s a big school, so these opportunities matter,” Magee said.

With over 190 faculty members, the staff spans 11 departments. In this context, small gatherings and exchanges are increasingly important, especially between colleagues. Whether it be a conversation during those breakfasts or an exchanged greeting across the hallway, teachers build community through these collective gestures, according to Magee.

Each of the many departments form their own unique community dynamic. Poon said the social studies department has become closely knit thanks to their shared office space and frequent lunches together.

“I think my primary focus during the day is my students, but there’s a tremendous amount of collaboration and work with other adults, and I think that at a place like Brookline, that is one of the things that’s great because the people you work with are so thoughtful,” Poon said.

This sentiment is echoed in the math department, where teachers have developed their own fall tradition over the years, according to Fried.

“Every year, the math department kickstarts the faculty Halloween costume contest. There’s always debate about what our costume theme should be, and then we get together to help each other make costumes,” Fried said. “We’ve been doing that for seven or eight years and always end up with a unified, creative theme.”

Fried also introduced the trivia-style game of Sheep to the high school, broadcasting a weekly question list and sending out results via email, quickly garnering a dedicated weekly following.

“I found out how they felt when I stopped running it after about three years: they missed it. People really wanted it to come back. It’s a nice distraction from the usual work emails and helps connect people across departments,” Fried said.

Teaching at Brookline High is a major commitment, enhancing the allure of a collaborative community, Poon said.

“This job is really consuming. It takes up a lot of time and energy. Largely, that’s great, but sometimes it’s tiring. I think it’s great to have a community that’s all going through it together, and we can lean on each other and bounce ideas off each other,” Poon said.

Many teachers said there is a demand for an annual event, holiday party or even staff talent show. However, according to Magee, cost and budgeting pose major setbacks for this idea.

“I love the idea, but we have a limited budget. We want everyone to feel included, so it’s hard to balance cost and accessibility,” Magee said.

Though larger events remain out of reach, Associate Dean Lisa Redding agrees upon the idea of more time with one another provides the foundation for a strong and united community.

“We want kids to feel like this is their home away from home, and staff should feel that way too. When staff feel connected, they want to be here,” Redding said. “I try to go to games and events because I enjoy the atmosphere. We need to create that feeling for everyone.”