The Weather Station

2023

Recent Writings

  • September

    A Word From Our Student Life Coordinator & Assistant Director of Equity and Belonging

    Brian Padilla
    Greetings, Fayerweather Street School Community!

    My name is Brian Padilla, and I’m delighted to introduce myself as the new Student Life Coordinator and Assistant Director of Equity and Belonging at Fayerweather Street School. Before joining this wonderful community, I spent the last eight years working in public and private schools as a teacher, advisor, and advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In these roles, my commitment has always been to center students, prioritize equity, and foster authentic relationships. What attracted me to this community were the exceptional educators I encountered during my visit, the school's inspiring mission, and, of course, the students.
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  • A Word from Fayerweather's New School Counselor

    Anna Lingan
    My name is Anna Lingan and I am honored and delighted to join the Fayerweather Community as the new School Counselor. I am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW). Most recently, I was a school-based mental health clinician in Boston Public Schools through Franciscan Children’s Hospital, providing individual therapy to students at a K-6 school in Brighton. Most of my clinical experience has been in community-based mental health settings and schools, always striving to bring a trauma-informed and holistic lens to my work with students and families. I was drawn to Fayerweather for a variety of reasons, including its smaller community, progressive values, and mission. 
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  • Welcome Back!

    Kim Ridley
    Dear Fayerweather Community,

    Welcome to a new school year!

    It has been a busy and productive summer, with lots of planning and hard work going into the preparation to receive our students. Administrators do much of this planning and work, but Rob, Junior, and the cleaning and landscape crews lead the hard work of preparing the building. A big thank you to all of the excellent work that has been done, which includes many projects to update our security and overall facilities.
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  • June

    FSS Graduation Reflections Class of 2023

    Kim Ridley
    On behalf of the 8th Grade Class; teachers; staff; administrators; the Board of Directors; the President of the Board, Courtney Quinn, Parents, and friends of Fayerweather Street School.
    • Welcome to this celebration of learning, growth, and accomplishments of our 8th-grade students.
    Today I want to talk about the word resiliency. Sometimes it can be an overused word, but it is a word that describes how we grow, learn, and transform from our experiences.  

    According to the American Psychological Association, Resilience is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.  

    You sit here today before the people who love you and see the best in you ( your parents, your teachers, our staff, and students). You have met the external and internal demands of learning at Fayerweather.  You have learned to be resilient in the face of feedback from teachers and staff about who you are as a human being and learner.
    • In your relationships with your friends, including working through conflicts and misunderstandings, as well as being supportive and encouraging, and learning from each other
    • By managing the expectations and, sometimes, the demands of your caretakers and family and by advocating for your values and beliefs
    Now, I want you to picture a toolbox. Imagine all the tools you gathered during your time at FSS. I will name just a few of these tools you can rely on to grow your resiliency as you transition from this place.
    1. You know the conditions that support your best learning. You know who you are as a learner. This understanding has come through your many experiences here at FSS.
    2. You know the importance of asking questions or being curious. 
    3. You have learned that there are many ways to solve problems and how to reflect critically on ideas
    4. You have learned that there are multiple perspectives and ways of being; You get that what you see and understand about the world depends on where you stand.
    5. You know the importance of having empathy, voice and agency in advocating for your perspectives, interests, and well-being.  You have made your voices heard on a number of issues, from animal dissection to your perception of what is fair and equitable.
    You have learned this and much more through many discussions, the books you have read, the people you have met here, and the diverse people with whom you have relationships (your teachers, administrators, staff, and peers).

    As you move from FSS, know that you will be challenged in ways that will strengthen your character and sense of self but sometimes may cause you to question your self-worth. Remember the tools that you received here and use them not just to elevate yourselves, but to strengthen your resolve as you journey to high school and beyond.

    I will leave you with this poem, entitled “Tethering to Possibility” By Lisa Olivera.

    May we find what tethers us to possibility.
    May we use those tethers as a resource when we forget.
    May the unknown hold miracles and magic, and mystery and expanded vision.
    May we include goodness when we think of all that might unfold ahead.
    May our worries be leveled out by our capacity to imagine.
    May the best days of our lives serve as reminders to stay open to life.
    May the beauty of what’s happened nurture during moments of grief.
    May we not let the cruelty of the world take away our ability to dream.
    May we let what’s possible guide us during seasons it’s hard to see ahead.
    May our wounds be tended by the things we couldn’t have dreamed of.
    Read More

  • Graduation 2023 - Kim Ridley's Remarks

    Kim Ridley
    On behalf of the 8th Grade Class; teachers; staff; administrators; the Board of Directors; the President of the Board, Courtney Quinn, Parents, and friends of Fayerweather Street School.
    • Welcome to this celebration of learning, growth, and accomplishments of our 8th-grade students.
    Today I want to talk about the word resiliency. Sometimes it can be an overused word, but it is a word that describes how we grow, learn, and transform from our experiences.  

    According to the American Psychological Association, Resilience is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.  

    You sit here today before the people who love you and see the best in you ( your parents, your teachers, our staff, and students). You have met the external and internal demands of learning at Fayerweather.  You have learned to be resilient in the face of feedback from teachers and staff about who you are as a human being and learner.
    • In your relationships with your friends, including working through conflicts and misunderstandings, as well as being supportive and encouraging, and learning from each other
    • By managing the expectations and, sometimes, the demands of your caretakers and family and by advocating for your values and beliefs
    Now, I want you to picture a toolbox. Imagine all the tools you gathered during your time at FSS. I will name just a few of these tools you can rely on to grow your resiliency as you transition from this place.
    1. You know the conditions that support your best learning. You know who you are as a learner. This understanding has come through your many experiences here at FSS.
    2. You know the importance of asking questions or being curious. 
    3. You have learned that there are many ways to solve problems and how to reflect critically on ideas
    4. You have learned that there are multiple perspectives and ways of being; You get that what you see and understand about the world depends on where you stand.
    5. You know the importance of having empathy, voice and agency in advocating for your perspectives, interests, and well-being.  You have made your voices heard on a number of issues, from animal dissection to your perception of what is fair and equitable.
    You have learned this and much more through many discussions, the books you have read, the people you have met here, and the diverse people with whom you have relationships (your teachers, administrators, staff, and peers).
    As you move from FSS, know that you will be challenged in ways that will strengthen your character and sense of self but sometimes may cause you to question your self-worth. Remember the tools that you received here and use them not just to elevate yourselves, but to strengthen your resolve as you journey to high school and beyond.
    I will leave you with this poem, entitled “Tethering to Possibility” By Lisa Olivera.

    May we find what tethers us to possibility.
    May we use those tethers as a resource when we forget.
    May the unknown hold miracles and magic, and mystery and expanded vision.
    May we include goodness when we think of all that might unfold ahead.
    May our worries be leveled out by our capacity to imagine.
    May the best days of our lives serve as reminders to stay open to life.
    May the beauty of what’s happened nurture during moments of grief.
    May we not let the cruelty of the world take away our ability to dream.
    May we let what’s possible guide us during seasons it’s hard to see ahead.
    May our wounds be tended by the things we couldn’t have dreamed of.
    Read More

  • March

    Ongoing Work to Strengthen Our Community and Learning

    Kim Ridley, Head of School
    Dear FSS Community,

    It is hard to believe that we are in March, with only three months and some weeks left in the school year. I appreciate that this has felt like a more typical school year, especially after the challenges of the last few years. The word rejuvenation comes to mind when I see parents in the building, seated at All School Meetings, and attending in-person PA meetings in our multi-purpose classroom. Most students are returning to understanding what it means to learn and live within the community we call Fayerweather, while teachers and staff continue to work hard to make the school year vibrant and engaging.
    Read More

  • February

    Importance of Learning In Community

    Kim Ridley, Head of School
    Learning in a diverse community approximating the outside world is essential to creating societies concerned about growing people's capacity to care about justice and humanity. The process of humanizing ourselves to each other starts with education. Creating learning opportunities that make the connective tissue between us more visible is foundational for a responsive and thoughtful school experience.  How are we making our beliefs and values visible to ourselves and others interested in joining Fayerweather?
    Read More

  • January

    Why Do Families Choose Fayerweather?

    Kim Ridley, Head of School
    Fayerweather Street School has been educating students for over 54 years. We are a small, close-knit community located in the heart of the Fresh Pond neighborhood in Cambridge. There are many schools to choose from in Cambridge and Boston. Many of these schools have large campuses, swimming pools, tennis courts, and beautiful facilities. Facilities are important, but a larger priority is creating a sense of connection, purpose, and belonging. We continue to learn the importance of paying close attention to our student's and staff's humanity. One of our most important values at FSS is the centering of relationships. When people within our learning community feel seen, heard, valued, and respected, we see a greater openness to learn, develop and transform.
    Read More

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Fayerweather Street School | 765 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138 | 617-876-4746
Fayerweather is a private PreK, kindergarten, elementary and middle school. We engage each child’s intellect.