The Foundation for a Meaningful Life
Kindergarten - Grade 9 in Southborough, MA
The Private School Admission Process (K-9)

Transition Fatigue?

Transition Fatigue? Consider the Benefits of a K through 9 Education

In many towns, students transition between multiple schools in the elementary and middle school years, sometimes experiencing as many as four different school communities before they even reach high school. School transitions can be a time of anxiety and apprehension for students as they navigate the routines and expectations of a new school community and try to find their place within it. Independent schools that offer K through 9 or K through 8 programs can provide a more stable and consistent alternative as students progress through their school years in an environment where the focus is on learning rather than constantly adapting.
 
Research supports the idea that K-8 and K-9 schools do a better job of supporting the growth of students’ skills and confidence. Research presented in the journal of Professional School Counseling found that school transitions are associated with declines in student achievement, motivation, and self-esteem. In a recent study conducted by New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, researchers found that student perceptions of their reading and writing skills were lower at traditional middle schools than at K-8 schools.

What are the key factors that make a K-8 or K-9 school such a good option for kids? Here are a few issues to consider.

Consistent mission and values

K-8 schools are able to teach and reinforce a consistent set of core values over time so that children can internalize them more effectively. Here at Fay, for example, our students in Kindergarten through grade nine are broken into three divisions: Primary School (K-grade 2), Lower School (grades 3-6,) and Upper School (grades 7-9.) This structure allows students to learn and grow in an age-appropriate setting within a larger community where the mission, culture, and values remain consistent. In our school, Earnest Effort is one of our core values, so beginning in grade three, students receive effort grades in each subject every two weeks, a system that follows them through ninth grade. Dedicated Service is another of our core values - and every grade at Fay, Kindergarten through grade nine, incorporates community service into their year, whether it is a day spent sorting donations at Cradles to Crayons for second graders or a term spent learning about the needs of local children in Worcester's Head Start program in ninth grade. These consistent values will guide students throughout their time at Fay.

Meaningful milestones within a known community

Within a K-8 or K-9 community, students are able to experience mini-transitions that celebrate their achievements, build leadership skills and confidence, and encourage a growing sense of independence. At Fay, for example, each division has a capstone year where students take on new leadership roles and responsibilities as they prepare to move on. In second grade, students make announcements at lunch and are expected to be the behavioral models for Primary School. In sixth grade, students monitor the walk to recess and volunteer as Primary School lunch helpers, and in Upper School, ninth graders can captain athletic teams and be color officers. As students graduate to the next division, they experience the excitement of new challenges and opportunities but within a known community. 

A holistic understanding of students as they grow

Perhaps the greatest benefit of a K-9 education is the institutional knowledge that the community brings to support the growth and development of each student. When a student has a tenure of five to ten years at the same school, his or her strengths, weaknesses, and individual learning style are well understood. Here at Fay, in fifth and sixth grade, students are part of the same “homevisory” group for two years, and in Upper School each student has an advisory group for all three years that provides a home base and advisor as the point person. At Fay, teachers are able to share experiences about students with one another to help tailor the educational experience to each student’s needs. The institutional knowledge of each student is a huge benefit, enabling the school to prepare them well for the challenges and independence of secondary school.

The social-emotional benefits of sending your child to a school where he or she is known and valued within the community is vitally important in the tumultuous middle school years. Like an old-world neighborhood where everybody knows each other, the relationships that students build with faculty, staff, and peers in a K-9 community provide a web of support and an opportunity for growth that are truly unique in an elementary and middle school environment.

About Fay School

Fay School was founded in 1866 and is the oldest junior boarding school in the United States. Our 66-acre campus is located in Southborough, MA, just 25 miles from Boston. Our community includes 475 students in kindergarten through grade nine and includes 150 boarders in grades 7-9  from across the United States and over 20 countries. Fay is recognized around the world for its superior educational program, and our graduates are accepted to top secondary schools. Fay's program empowers students to discover their talents, develop their intellectual abilities, establish essential academic skills and knowledge, and define their moral character - all essential to living a life of meaning and making a positive difference in the world.

Learn more about Fay School.

48 MAIN STREET
SOUTHBOROUGH, MA 01772
main number 508-490-8250
admission 508-490-8201