Fay’s sixth graders will now have separate instructional times for reading and English, effectively doubling the amount of time students spend on language arts each day. “Our sixth grade language arts program will be developmentally appropriate and challenging,” Lainie says. “Students will focus on analyzing literature, exploring a range of literary genres, and developing a clear and expressive writer’s voice.”

 

Lainie is particularly excited about the robust classroom libraries that Lower School teacher Dava Dunne has prepared for the fall: “Research shows that classroom libraries are a powerful motivator for continued independent reading—and stronger comprehension—in adolescence,” Lainie notes. “We’ll continue to focus on making time for students to read for pleasure: students who do well on standardized tests are voracious readers with rich vocabularies.”

 

Fay’s Lower School is welcoming some “new-old” faces to the faculty—teachers who are making the transition from Fay’s Upper School to the Lower School. Kara Mertz will teach fifth and sixth grade Spanish; Andy Long will teach sixth grade science; history department chair Bruce Chauncey will teach sixth grade social studies; and math department chair Julie Porrazzo will teach sixth grade math. “With their years in Upper School, these teachers will bring a first-hand understanding of what are sixth graders need in order to be prepared for the coming year,” Lainie says.

 

The addition of the sixth grade to the Lower School also makes it possible for teachers to work collaboratively in “clusters” – teachers in grades three and four will work together to ensure continuity of curriculum, as will teachers in grades five and six.

 

Fifth grade math teacher Tyler Auer gets the credit for this new piece of Fay terminology: the word refers to the new homeroom/advisory period that will take place for about 20 minutes at the beginning and end of every school day. Fifth and sixth graders will meet with teachers in small, mixed-age, mixed-gender groups for regular daily check-ins, to talk about what’s going on in the school day. “The mixed-age groupings are an effective way for us to build a collaborative community spirit within our division,” Lainie notes. Students in grades three and four will continue to meet in homerooms.

 

Director of Athletics Rob Feingold has been working with Lainie to develop an athletic program specifically for Fay’s fifth and sixth graders. The new program will have three components: instruction, intramural games, and interscholastic competition. “Students will choose a sport each term,” Rob explains. “During each week, the bulk of practices will focus on instruction and intramural play. Throughout the season there will be interscholastic competition once a week, or once every two weeks, against well matched opponents from our peer schools.” Exceptional sixth grade athletes will, with permission, have the opportunity to try out for Fay’s varsity teams.

Lainie believes these enhancements will serve to help students make a seamless transition to Upper School in seventh grade. “Everything we’re doing is designed to get them ready for the challenges of Upper School, academically as well as developmentally,” she says. Continued communication and collaboration among Lainie, Head of Upper School Matt Evans, and the faculty will ensure that students will be ready to take the next leap, confident and well prepared.

 

Even more to look forward to this fall, including:
• Enhanced music offerings for grades five and six, including beginning strings, band, and chorus

• Upgraded rooms for grades five and six at the end of the west wing of the Root Building to make them consistent with the rest of the Lower School classrooms

• A four-day spring trip to Chewonki’s Outdoor Classroom program in Wiscasset, Maine for grade six