Th e Fenn School A Time and Place for BoysK

Each one is an individual with the potential to be a force in the world. He meets each day bursting with the need to dig in and explore, expand his horizons, assert his unique perspective, and make his mark.

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THE boy:

Few elementary and middle schools are structured to offer the intellectual challenges and opportunities for independence and engagement that will excite a boy’s imagination and love of learning.

Fenn is the exception.

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Our program is designed to serve the specific needs of boys during the most critical years in their academic and personal development—grades 4 through 9. This is a time when, a growing body of research suggests, earlier maturation can give girls an advantage in the classroom, leaving boys less confident in their abilities and under-mining the joy of school.

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At some schools, the wonderful qualities that make boys boys can be viewed as problems to be solved, rather than strengths to be embraced.

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At Fenn, everything we do is tailored to the nature and learning styles of boys. The school day offers them ample opportunities to release their expansive energy. When gender-based social pressures are eliminated and boys understand that they are valued for who they are, they feel safe to explore the arts, throw themselves passionately into challenging academics, be kind and compassionate to one another, value and respect their community.

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When boys, supported by the solid role model of older students, are given the opportunity to take personal responsibility, they meet the challenge, embodying our motto, Sua Sponte, or “on one’s own responsibility.”

With an emphasis on academic achievement, leadership, kindness, and respect, Fenn shapes boys into humane young men who will go on to succeed and become leaders and role models in high school, college, and life.

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THE JOurnEy

At Fenn, we specialize in boys. We are structured to meet the needs of boys during the years when they are developing from children into young men. Our program balances athletics, academics, and arts to educate the whole boy. Our distinctive community of learning provides opportunities for each boy to explore his interests and test his abilities, try new things, and find a path that is true to his own individual nature.

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Lower School lays the foundation for a boy’s time at Fenn. Each boy builds confi-dence and develops the academic and social skills he will need to flourish in higher grades—beginning his journey to becoming an independent learner.

Middle School boys take on greater challenges, respon- sibilities, and intellectual opportunities. Each boy assumes a more active role in directing his learning and begins to explore the possibilities for leadership.

upper School boys are role models and mentors for younger students, embracing academic challenges and leadership opportunities, and taking intellectual risks as they prepare for the transition to high school.

Lower School *Grades 4 & 5

Middle School *Grades 6 & 7

upper School *Grades 8 & 9

The homeroom is a student’s “anchor” and safe haven in Lower School. The homeroom teacher is both advisor and language arts teacher, and students leave their homeroom for other classes, building a sense of responsibility and indepen-dence. The learning process continues on the playing field. Every Fenn coach is also a Fenn teacher.

Middle School boys move from class to class, with a different teacher for each subject. Academics continue to grow in rigor, and each student meets regularly with an advisor, who is also one of his teachers, for guidance and encouragement. Values, ethics, and a sense of community are reinforced daily through exciting, fun sports competition—which, in keeping with Fenn’s philosophy of educating the whole boy, is offered during the school day, not as an after-school activity.

rigorous academics in upper School stress reading, writing, critical thinking, and creative problem solving. Classes average 12 boys, and many are taught in seminar format. Students have greater freedom during the school day, including open study periods. Teachers encourage each student to pursue his interests, embrace the joy of learning, and develop habits of mind that will ensure his success in secondary school.

Academics: Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies

Arts: Visual Arts, Woodshop, Music, Drama, Ceramics—arts are offered four days a week in every grade.

Academics: Pre-Algebra/ Algebra i, Integrated Studies (combines English and Social Studies), Latin or Spanish, Science

Arts: Ceramics, Drama, Visual Arts, Music, Photography, Woodshop

Student Life

Academics: Algebra i/ii, Geometry, or Pre-Calculus; Biology; English; Latin or Spanish; Social Studies

Arts: up to 15 classes offered each year in Drama, Visual Arts, Music, Photography, Woodshop, Video

Student Life

The Intensive Language Program (ILP) is for a small group of intellectually strong students selected during the admission process who need support in the areas of reading and writing to realize their full academic potential.

Treble Choir, instrumental music, and bands are available for interested students beginning in fourth grade.

After a brief introduction to Latin and Spanish during the first trimester, 6th grade students choose their world language.

A full-length auditioned play is offered as an extracurricular arts activity in Middle School, and its performance is a major School-wide event. Music offerings in the Middle School expand to include an a capella group and jazz and marching bands.

The upper School grades begin each fall with an experiential learning retreat to build class unity and establish their goals for the School as Fenn’s emerging student leaders.

For each year’s winter musical, Fenn 8th and 9th graders collaborate with girls from nearby nashoba Brooks School.

Boys in the Lower School work diligently at understanding and internalizing Fenn’s core values of honesty, respect, empathy, and courage. Community service and elections for Student Senate begin in Grade 4.

Student Life courses begin in Middle School with a focus on helping pre-adolescent boys grow and mature; reinforcing Fenn’s core values; and helping them gain self-awareness, confidence, and understanding of others. Fenn’s Peer Advocacy Program allows boys to begin resolving conflicts without the intervention of adults.

Student Life classes continue in upper School. Eighth and ninth graders have many opportunities for leadership— in student government and activities, as Big Brothers to mentor entering students, and on School Committees. Seniors gain additional privileges.

An introduction to team sports—not “phys ed”—offered four days a week, during the school day. Lower School sports provides a safe and encouraging environment for every student to sample soccer and flag football in fall; basketball, ice skating, and wrestling in winter;

Intramural competition begins in Middle School, and every boy plays a sport: soccer and tackle football in fall; basketball, ice hockey, and wrestling in winter; baseball, lacrosse, and tennis in spring. Skilled 7th graders can try out for upper School interscholastic teams.

Full participation in sports continues in the upper School as students shift from intramural to interscholastic play. Every student chooses a sport each season, and three levels of competition provide challenging competition for players at every

Objectives Structure for Teaching and Learning

Course Offerings Special Offerings and Electives

The Fenn Community Athletics

non-contact lacrosse and baseball in spring. The emphasis is on building athletic skills, self-confidence, fitness, and the camaraderie of teams.

Focus is on laying the ground-work for a healthy, active, happy life, enriched by ongoing participation in sports.

level. Sports remain a regular part of the school day, and teachers continue to deepen their understanding of students in their role as coaches.

* Full detail on Fenn’s academic, arts, and athletics offerings can be found in our Curriculum Guide at www.fenn.org.

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THE MInD

At the center of a Fenn education, the academic program is rigorous and intellectually exciting. In the lower grades, the curriculum emphasizes mastery of reading, writing, math, and science. In the upper grades, students synthesize and apply what they’ve learned as analytical thinkers and creative problem-solvers. The classroom environment encourages energetic participation, collaboration, and hands-on learning. The school day provides the space and time for boys to be themselves and connect informally with friends and teachers–ensuring that the time they spend in the classroom will be productive and joyfully focused on learning.

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Fenn’s academic program is deliberately broad, offering a range of learning opportunities that allows teachers to create educational experiences that motivate each boy, engage him in intellectual discovery, build his confidence, and help him discover a true love of learning. In the spirit of Sua Sponte, each Fenn student takes responsibility for achieving his own personal best as he explores interests and talents that will prepare him for high school, college, and life.

“ The Middle School years are when children form their sense of identity as learners. At Fenn, boys are encouraged to try everything, explore everything.”

Parent of a 5th grader

Mr. Giles’ 4th grade math class is engrossed in a diagram projected on the screen. A boy stands by his desk, others lean forward or kneel up on their seats. All eyes are on the screen. “OK, so we have a ray that passes through points Z and A, and one that passes through A and Z. What if I put my pencil down at A and stop at Z?” Hands shoot up. “It’s a line segment!” “Are AZ and ZA the same, or are they different?” “Sort of the same!” “Sort of different.” “How?” “They’re like trains, just going different ways.” “How are

they not different?” “Point A is on both.” “Is that all? How about this point?” “yes!!” “How about this point way out here?” “nO!” “OK, we have to wrap it up. You told me that point A is on both, point B is on both, and the line segment AZ is common to both rays. You’re getting it. Great work by the whole class!” The boys gather their books and amble out, unhurried, chatting to friends and calling out cheerfully: “Bye Mr. Giles!” “Thanks Mr. Giles!”

“Great work by the whole class!”

In the last five years, 91% of Fenn 9th graders and 80% of 8th graders were admitted into one or both of their top two secondary school choices.

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Teachers at Fenn are men and women who find it deeply rewarding to work closely with boys. Teachers who love to teach support their advisees in becoming caring friends and self-motivated students. Fenn teachers share their own passion for learning with students. When you visit Fenn, the warm camaraderie between teachers and students is evident in the easy give-and-take and respectful affec-tion they bring to their work and play.

Writing can become a daily enthusi-asm for boys when it feels relevant and connected to their lives. With the guidance of English teachers, Fenn students begin blogging in 4th grade—sharing ideas, experiences, and responses in a secure online environment. Here’s an inside look at a few Lower School blogs:

“…My mom said death is a part of life…but that does not mean it is easy. She also said talking about it helps, so that is what I am doing right now. I have begun to write a journal about my grandfather….”

“…These lyrics mean a lot to me, but when I first heard this song I did not really grasp their meaning. I just thought the song had a nice beat and was sung in a cool way.…”

“…‘It is not who I am underneath, it is what I do, that defines me.’” This quote [from Batman] has been an inspiration to me. This is not meant just for superheroes….your actions make who you are….”

Expressing and Connecting

“ At Fenn, the teachers really care about the students. Every boy is respected for who he is.”

Parent of 4th and 6th graders

Fenn’s size offers the right balance—big enough to be diverse, small enough to focus on the individual: approximately 300 students in grades 4 through 9, class sizes averaging 12 to 16 students.

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THE SELF

The arts are integral to a Fenn education, providing a fertile ground for boys to develop intuitive skills, understand other cultures, and find their voice. Our broad-based program in the visual and performing arts allows every boy to develop fluency in the languages of the visual, musical, and dramatic arts. Through the arts, a boy can discover new areas where he can excel, explore new roles for himself, be inspired to take creative risks, and find new outlets for creative expression.

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The arts aren’t just a classroom exercise at Fenn. They infuse daily life. Student paintings and photographs brighten nearly every wall. Student musicians perform at All School Meeting. Plays bring the entire Fenn community together to celebrate our students’ talents. Central to life at Fenn is a recognition that artistic expression is a human necessity. Boys who excel in the arts are as valued here as those who perform well on the athletic field or in the classroom.

Visual arts facilities include a well-equipped woodworking shop, digital equipment for photography and video, a darkroom for traditional wet-process photography, studios and materials for painting and ceramics.

“ A single-sex school creates a safe environment for boys to engage in creative risk-taking.”

Mike Salvatore Arts Department Chair and Music Coordinator

Mrs. Cobblah is chatting with a class of Lower School boys in the cozy chairs that form the art studio’s conversation corner. Morning light streams in, and the boys are excited about a new project. They’ve had fun scavenging recyclables at home and around School, sorting them into shapes and sizes. Today, they’re talking about the geometric forms they’ve

found in the pile, brainstorming how manufactured objects can become armatures for organic forms as they plan to make sculptures of creatures. Construction begins. Soon a plastic detergent bottle is the belly of a dinosaur with spiky vertebrae. A cereal box is the open wing of a bird. Water bottles string together to form a sinuous snake. The skeletons are covered with a skin of gauze, and the creatures come alive as the boys apply energetic bursts of color.

Sustainable Creativity

What started as an engineering exercise has sparked creative inspira-tion, and their teacher points out the wonderful choices each boy has made in tapping his imagination to shape an artistic gem from things we might have discarded.

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Fenn’s hands-on approach to learning engages boys in gaining firsthand knowledge of the creative process. The array of offerings provides something to capture the interest of every student— vocal and instrumental music, high-tech and traditional visual arts, the craft and art of woodworking, and every area of theater production and performance. Fenn’s expansive and well-equipped studios and new meeting hall provide facilities that foster our students’ talents and their teachers’ creative approaches to engaging boys with the arts.

“ We assume that every student has creativity he needs to let out, so we offer a broad- ranging program within which each boy can find his place. And once he finds his place, he finds his voice, and that’s a gift he’ll have for the rest of his life.”

Kirsten Gould, Drama Program Coordinator

“ At Fenn, they loved that my son is an out-of-the-box thinker and encouraged his unique perspective. Every boy is respected here—not just the strongest athletes, but also the students who are strong at music, science, model trains.”

Parent of 4th and 6th graders

upper School students can choose a different arts elective each trimester from a diverse array of offerings tailored to the interests of boys. In one recent year, we offered: Advanced CeramicsAdvanced PhotographyAdvanced WoodshopCartooningDrama (Fall)GuitarMidi Music Composition

Musical (Winter, with nashoba Brooks School)Paintingrhythm EnsembleComedy (Spring)Steel DrumsTheater TechVideo Production

Arts Electives

Every Fenn student participates in at least one of the more than 20 drama productions each year—building confidence in performance and public speaking.

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Fenn’s marching band recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and is featured in the annual Patriot’s Day parade and other major events in Concord as the town’s “unofficial” marching band.

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THE TEAM

The athletic field is another classroom at Fenn, a place where boys work hard to achieve their personal best and learn to accept both success and disappointment with grace. We believe that sports are a unifying force, helping our boys develop skills of teamwork and good sportsmanship. Team pride is valued over individual glory both in the classroom and on the field of play. Our greatest source of pride is not our most recent championship win—but the active participation of every student.

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All boys at Fenn play sports and, by 8th and 9th grades, all students compete on interscholastic teams. Teams are small enough to ensure that all boys are active players, and three levels of competi-tion accommodate players at all skill levels. We instill in our students a desire to do one’s best and to win, but the essence of Fenn’s athletic program is that we provide positive experiences which build confidence and a sense of team pride.

A decisive game against one of the toughest teams they’ll face this season, and the varsity baseball squad is up 4-2 in the seventh, two outs. The 8th grade outfielder misses an easy fly ball. Fenn ends up losing in extra innings. As they leave the field, the player is devastated, and tells his coach, Mr. Starensier: “Star, I messed up.” “yes you did. Get over it. Life goes on.” In the finals, facing the same team, that student finds himself at bat with the bases loaded, two outs, facing a

talented pitcher, and hits a roaring double to drive in two runs. As they leave the field, his coach reminds him, “Like I always say, I know nothing about you when you win—and everything about you when you lose. you showed me who you are today, kid. you could have sulked when things went badly, but you didn’t. you persevered, worked hard, and it turned out for you. Good job.”

“It’s not how hard you fall. It’s how you bounce back.”

“ Teachers at Fenn have so many roles. They may teach math, but they also eat lunch with the kids every day, and coach teams. They are here for boys in all dimensions of their lives, not just for algebra.”

Parent of a 7th grader and two Fenn alumni

90% of Fenn graduates play at least one sport in high school (compared to the national average of 50%), 50% play sports in college (compared to 7% nationally).

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Coaches are Fenn teachers who are passionate about their sports. As talented teachers who care deeply about their students, coaches focus on developing character, as well as on teaching skill and knowledge of a game. We take athletics seriously, but we never lose sight of the fact that the crucial lessons of sports lie in competing fairly, doing one’s best, meeting physical challenges, and learning to win and to lose with grace and sportsmanship.

“When you go to the plate in baseball, you shouldn’t be worried about striking out. It’s all about not being afraid to take risks. That message is universal at Fenn.”

9th grade school president at graduation

Since 1980, more than 250 Fenn graduates have proven their leadership skills by becoming captains of their high school and college athletic teams.

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At Fenn, the importance of sport is reinforced by the fact that it’s integrated into the school day—not tacked on as an after-school activity. Every student has sports four days a week.

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THE HEArT

Fenn’s campus is a place where boys can be comfortably at home. Everything about this place—from the white clapboard architecture to our location by Concord’s revolutionary War battlefield—serves to remind us that we are a family with shared values, history, and responsibilities. From All School Meeting to the informal games that boys organize at the end of each day, every student is constantly supported in his evolution as a caring and responsible citizen of this unique community of learning.

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To thrive, boys must feel part of a larger community and have a special role within it. Each boy at Fenn has a valued place here, as an individual with singular talents, interests, personality, and family heritage. Our goal is to instill in students a wholesome confidence in their ability to make a difference—and a belief that they must contribute in crucial ways to their school, commu-nity, and eventual profession.

Founded in 1929 and deeply rooted in Concord (home of ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, nathaniel Hawthorne, the Alcotts), Fenn is a place where traditions help build a sense of community. A sampling of Fenn traditions:

• Big Brothers—each entering Lower Schooler is matched with an older student who serves as friend, mentor, and role model.

• Most boys speak at All School Meeting at some point each year, and graduat-ing students’ reflections are a frequent highlight.

• Two annual public speaking contests challenge boys who have honed their self-confidence through years of speaking in their classrooms and at All School Meetings.

• Every Wednesday before Thanksgiving, alumni return to Fenn for a special All School Meeting where students, faculty, and alumni share what they’re thankful for—and reconnect with friends and mentors.

• At graduation ceremonies, each graduating boy is given an individual testimonial by the headmaster on behalf of the faculty.

Traditions

“ We’re preparing our students for a world we don’t know, a world that doesn’t exist yet. So we teach them to spell and write, but we also focus on life skills, helping them to become independent think-ers and confident people.”

Jon Byrd, 5th grade teacher

More than 60 percent of the 4th grade class runs for Student Senate each year—their first election at Fenn.

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Fenn was one of only 15 schools selected internationally for a study on how boys locate meaning in their lives, sponsored by the International Boys’ School Coalition and led by renowned psychologist and author Adam Cox.

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Fenn students take an active role in their school and in the larger community. They rally their teachers and peers to causes they care about—recycling, Special Olympics, animal welfare. They participate in organized community service activities beginning in 4th grade and continuing through graduation. Trained peer advocates support their fellow students in finding positive solutions to conflicts without the intervention of adults.

Early morning, Fenn School files into robb Hall. ninth graders take “senior seats” along the walls. Other students fill in the center to form a cheerful, fidgety mass of boys ready to start their day. A few adults circulate, touching base with students, until the headmaster stands and asks for a moment of silent reflection. The rumble of voices quiets to respectful,

if still wiggly, listening. The string ensemble performs a piece they’ve just mastered. As they bustle off with their instruments, the captain of the varsity lacrosse team reminds every-one about an upcoming game. Then, a 5th grader stands and embarks on his first time making an announce-ment on his own. His parents will be surprised to hear about this because he’s usually pretty shy. “Did you know that potato chip bags can be recycled?” he asks the crowd. They

All School Meeting

didn’t. “We’ll be putting out boxes to collect them for the recycling place. So do your part!” His enthusiasm is infectious, and the round of applause he receives as he sits is not only for his idea, but also for his courage.

“ By Thanksgiving, I want my students to be aware that they have 14 friends who are here to support them, and a teacher who cares deeply about them and wants them to succeed.”

Ben Smith ’85, 4th grade teacher

Fenn’s annual food drive to benefit Concord’s Open Table Pantry traditionally collects nearly 13,000 food items. Fenn is the single largest contributor of non-perishable food items to Open Table.

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The best way to determine if Fenn is the right choice for your son is to visit our campus, talk with our admission team, observe classes, meet teachers and students—and see Fenn for yourself.

Admission to Fenn is made on the basis of each student’s character, academic ability, and promise of success in our educational program. Admission decisions are mailed March 10. An active waiting list is kept until early September.

Families should not be dissuaded from applying to Fenn due to financial circumstances, and should contact the Admissions office if they need assistance with application fees. Financial aid is available solely on the basis of demonstrated financial need. Requests for financial aid are made at the time of application.

For more information about the application process and printable versions of all forms, visit www.fenn.org, or contact the Office of Admission and Financial Aid at 978-369-5800.

Admission to Fenn

60% of Fenn students come from Concord, Carlisle, Acton, and Sudbury; 40% come from 33 other area towns—including Lowell, Lexington, Winchester, Boston, and Leominster.

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Visiting Fenn

The best way to discover if Fenn is the right choice for your son is to visit our campus and see for yourself. Fenn offers a number of programs throughout the year of special interest to parents and boys, including two open House afternoons in the fall, and talks by our faculty and nationally renowned experts about the intellectual development and emotional lives of boys. To schedule a visit, register for a Fenn open House, or learn more about our public programs, please contact us. 978-369-5800 or visit www.fenn.org.

Non-Discrimination Policy

The Fenn School was founded in 1929 to educate boys and to promote their personal growth and character development. It is the policy of The Fenn School to maintain a school environment that is free from discrimination and to conduct its educational practices, admissions program, financial aid policies and athletic and other school-administrative programs solely on the basis of an individual’s merit, qualifications and abilities. The Fenn School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation or disability. D

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516 Monument Street Concord, Massachusetts 01742 978-369-5800 www.fenn.org

Where Boys Thrive