Viewbook

Letter from the Head of School | Four Stories
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The Support System

Because we believe in educating the whole child, we supplement our academic program with a comprehensive support system. We offer a network of people, programs, and resources that attend to every aspect of our students’ lives: academic, emotional, and social.

Fay’s advisor system provides every student with a faculty mentor - an invaluable source of personal support, academic guidance, and adult friendship. Advisors meet daily with their student advisees, sometimes one-on-one, sometimes in advisory groups of four to five students. Advisory groups allow students to broaden their circle of friends, share their experience, explore healthy decision-making skills, and plan community service activities. Advisors also serve as liaisons between families, students, and the School; they help parents monitor their child’s progress, share news of their child’s life at the School, and work with parents to support their child’s efforts.

The Fay Library features an extensive collection of books and magazines, a long list of online resources, and access to thousands of additional volumes through an inter-library loan program. The library’s professional staff help students conduct research, navigate the Library’s holdings, and make effective use of technological resources. The Library includes the Media Center, a full-service facility for teachers and students using technology for research, presentations, or instruction. The Center offers mobile computer labs and a suite of electronic and audio/visual aids, plus guidance from trained staff members.

Our Learning Center is at the heart of our academic building - a calm, quiet space dedicated to focused study. During their study periods, students use the Learning Center to seek extra help from teachers, work collaboratively with peers, use computers for research or paper writing, or study quietly. The Center encourages students to set priorities, organize their academic work, and manage their time wisely.

Our Learning Services program offers professional tutorial support, customized to meet the needs of students. Tutors can focus on specific subject areas or help students develop broad study skills; they offer intensive daily sessions or informal weekly meetings. They also serve as a resource for teachers, observing classes and suggesting ways to serve students with different learning styles.

We’ve nurtured young students for more than 140 years; we know the challenges they face as they move through adolescence. Staffed by seasoned counselors, our Counseling Services program offers students a safe, supportive space to consider difficult issues. Counselors can meet with students privately or in groups; offer tools and strategies for personal growth; and consult with parents about ways to support a student’s emotional health.