Fayerweather Street School

Fayerweather is a terrific school, and more than that, a terrific community. We have two daughters who have been at Fayerweather since Pre-K. They are very different kids with very different learning styles. The school has served both extremely well. Both kids have been challenged and supported in equal measure, and both have made treasured lifelong friendships with other students, parents, and teachers. Nobody gets lost in the shuffle at Fayerweather. We feel really fortunate to have found this place.
--Submitted by a parent

Fayerweather has its issues. While a number of the faculty are good, by which I mean that they are responsive, thoughtful, and knowledgeable about your individual child, there seem to be many who are interested only in doing it their way, the way it s always been done. The home-school connection that gets bragged about a lot there really only goes one way. Asking questions about curriculum or about teachers approaches to your child isn t tolerated. The Head of School is defensive and unequipped to hear anything remotely negative. I know several parents who dared to raise questions and they were treated unfairly and bullied into shutting up or leaving. New parents are not well-received, and in my experience it takes years until you re not a new parent. That s apparently the Fayerweather Way, which means you either get it or you don t, and if you don t, you can go away. Also, there is a lot of negative energy in the school. Parents and faculty openly complain about the Head of School and the administration in general. Plus, many families were offered far less financial aid this year than previously, and I ve heard a lot of complaints about that.
--Submitted by a parent

Yikes - 14 reviews in just the last 4 days. I had to scroll back several pages to see the negative reviews someone was trying to hide. This is a perfect example of a controlling Administration mentioned by so many reviewers. Asking a select group of current and past parents to stuff the reviews to control what feedback is seen by others. Shame on you Fayerweather! Try asking all the current parents for their honest feedback next time.
--Submitted by a parent

If you are looking for a small school with a big vision, competent staff and a safe space for your child to mature intellectually, emotionally and socially, I heartily recommend Fayerweather. Due to previous educational experiences, my daughter came to FSS with gaps in knowledge and skills and a corresponding deficit of self-confidence. She had been shutting down, but the FSS team has worked with competence, insight and care to help her discover herself as a learner and take pride in translating new skills into significant progress. Teachers and admin coordinate and are competent, accessible and communicative. Beyond formal reports and conferences, they welcome additional meetings and correspondence. They've made me a more effective parent by helping me understand my child s learning style. FSS students are encouraged to develop a sense of responsibility to self and to others. Growth ed is a huge hit, where my daughter can engage in discussions about sexuality, bullying, internet, etc. Behavior is grappled with in a non-shaming manner. Diversity, respect, gardening and community service are practiced, and the school is twinned with a community in Haiti. All in all top notch!
--Submitted by a parent

My son started at Fayerweather in Pre-K and is now in 2nd grade. I fell in love with the school when I first walked in and we've been very happy with the experience thus far. Fayerweather specifically addresses the interpersonal and group skills needed to be a successful learner as well as the academic ones. The math, science, and literacy education my son has received in first and second grades is extremely rich. For math, in particular, the teachers will have the students go at a problem in a variety of different ways so that the understanding of numbers is much deeper than I had at that age or even later on. Fayerweather is a welcoming, nurturing community, that always has a lot going on -- from guest musical performances to speakers' series, child abuse prevention education, book exchanges (with books written by kids and translated into haitian creole/english with its sister school in Matenwa), to biographies project presentations (5th and 6th graders). Overall, a rich learning environment and a safe, caring community for kids.
--Submitted by a parent

Building resilient and self-confident learners is one of the best things this school does. Both of my daughters loved going Fayerweather each and every day. One daughter is thriving at Oberlin College, the other is just finishing at CRLS and is going to Hamilton College. They both continue to be strong students who are just thrilled about learning. Fayerweather's close knit community benefits the kids tremendously, allowing students to develop at their own pace and to not feel that they have to grow up too fast. 1. Accomplished, dedicated and loving teachers. 2. Great community of parents who believe in progressive education. 3. Child-centered environment focused on what your child finds exciting about learning. 4. Students treated with respect by all adults. 5. Zero tolerance for bullying makes it an extremely safe environment. Thank you Fayerweather!
--Submitted by a parent

A veteran elementary school teacher, I was an informed and critical consumer looking for a preK-8 school for our daughter. My husband and I had high hopes for all we would find at Fayerweather. Our expectations have been far exceeded. When researching independent schools, I highly recommend reading each one's mission statement, and then look to see if you find evidence of that mission in action when you visit. From the curriculum to the student-teacher interactions, the upper grades' play to the artwork hanging in the halls, the highly-involved parents to the readily-available teachers, you will see Fayerweather's mission living large, every day. The joy of learning is palpable. Our daughter LOVES her school. She is well-known not just by her classroom teachers, but the specialists and students throughout the grades. The parent community is fantastic as well: warm, thoughtful, open-minded, upbeat and generous. Our family is thrilled to have landed at Fayerweather.
--Submitted by a parent

As a medical educator informed about how individuals learn and what factors contribute to a superb experience around learning, I looked for a school for my kids that is progressive, child centered in its approach to learning, supportive of and aware of all different types of learners. I have loved seeing how Fayerweather does justice to an incredibly rich experience. We love the school for the way in which the teachers value experiential learning, the ability to be truly child centered in their approach, the richness of the curriculum, the many many opportunities for kids to shine and really develop a strong sense of self, with good self-esteem and sense of self efficacy. My daughter absolutely loves Fayerweather, and we have been completely thrilled to be a part of an engaged parent community. Would recommend the school enthusiastically and without reservations.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter loves being part of the Fayerweather community. Fayerweather is a place that tries to look at itself and improve itself. This is a key element of a progressive school --the ability to grow and learn from its own evolving community of new parents and students . The physical environment reflects this desire, having the library in the center, with comfortable places for adults and children to sit and dialogue, making connections, sharing books, and ideas. The place is always buzzing at dismissal. As a public school teacher, I see Fayerweather as the model of progressive education that we had in the Cambridge public schools before MCATS. This model must be preserved. Students thrive here. They have the freedom to do theme teaching and a full integrated curriculum as many wonderful teachers used to do across this city. Fayerweather has been a perfect match for myself and my daughter and her learning style. I have always felt that the teachers and administration here seek to collaborate with me to come up with the best educational plan for my child. It is a special community of educators and families of which I am proud to be a part.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter has had an amazing experience at Fayerweather. The middle school has so much less drama than at a typical middle school. The opportunity for community service within the school, interaction with kids in all grades, small classes, and caring teachers all add up to a place where she has really thrived. She is well prepared for high school, both academically and socially.
--Submitted by a parent