A Fayerweather Journey

 

Walking into that open house, that feeling of welcome and comfort was strong. Talking with parents, we got the sense that this was indeed a place where families were valued and truly partnered with the teachers and the administration. And I even had a reunion with Maxie, one of the librarians. Maxie’s daughter and I were friends as kids and were in the same class at Fayerweather. Maxie and my mom were friends, and our families had been close for a long time. Seeing her brought me right back to my days at the school, exploring the open classrooms, learning, and existing as a student in ways that did not happen in public school settings. We felt we had found the right place.

But still, as parents, are we ever really sure? We know what we think will be best for our kids, but they are the ones who will actually experience the classrooms, the teachers and their approaches, and the other kids, and their potential friendships or animosities. What if the sense we had during the open house, the follow-up visits, and the discussions with the admissions teams was more wishful thinking than actual reality? What if Rory didn’t click here, or her teachers didn’t “get” her the way her preschool teachers did? What if we made the wrong choice?

I can’t say exactly how quickly we knew it was the place for her and us, but it was within the first month, if not the first week. Understandably nervous about entering a new school, Rory came home happy and excited every day. She made connections with other students and bonded with her teachers. The teachers, in turn, knew when to give her space, letting her ease into the day or the lesson, and when to push her and help her grow. We connected with other families, went to evening events, and felt truly welcomed into the school.

And then Covid hit. But, what could have been a total unraveling of the year, the gains, and the connections, became yet another way that Fayerweather surprised and impressed us. Watching the school overall, and the teachers, in particular, pivot to online education and finding ways to keep the kids engaged and learning was incredible. We felt that we were all in this together. The zoom classes, work packets and books that were sent home, informal parent “coffee hours,” and more kept us afloat and still connected and supported when everything else felt so scary and unsettled.

The following fall, I had the opportunity to join the school as a staff member. Over the past two years, I have worked in various roles, including co-teaching growth ed, co-leading the Diversity, Equity, and Community Committee (DECC), and providing social and emotional support for students. I have become a part of the work of centering kids in their education and truly getting to know and understand them. I have been thrilled to hear their questions, to challenge them in their learning, and to be challenged by them their curiosity and advocacy.

I have now seen the school from the perspective of a student, a parent, and a teacher. My appreciation for what goes on here has only grown, and as I enter my third year as a staff member and fourth year as a parent, I am excited to see where we can take this school, these students, and this community.