Fayerweather is known for our unique culture, which helps students connect with their own curiosity to find joy in the learning process. Our vibrant classrooms are filled with passionate teachers and engaged learners. We hope our website inspires you to come see for yourself how we are igniting confidence by truly knowing each child, engaging their intellect, and awakening their imagination.
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Commitment to Social Justice
Fayerweather is committed to developing a strong sense of community in which every member feels valued.
Fully Knowing Each Child
Our educators are committed to forging connections with students and are empowered to respond to students’ passions and curiosity in the classroom.
The Potential for Joy in All Learning
Honoring the pace of childhood and nurturing joy is key to a fulfilling educational experience.
Learning in Community is Powerful
Students at Fayerweather learn in collaboration, building their classroom communities by finding commonalities and valuing differences.
Addressing The Themes and Issues of Our Time
The heart of progressive education is imperative to respond to the world around us.
We Are All Global Citizens
Part of being a responsible citizen is taking care of the environment and understanding our behaviors' impact on the earth.
At Fayerweather we are committed to keeping our school affordable to families of different economic means, believing that socio-economic diversity is an important component of our mission. We work closely with each family to do our best to make tuition and a Fayerweather education within reach for as many applicants as possible. Extracurricular activities and extended care are pro-rated at approximately the same level as tuition. In the 2020-2021 school year, Fayerweather allocated more than $1,200,000 to a program of need-based tuition assistance. This year 30% of the student body will receive tuition assistance. The average aid amount is approximately $21,000.
FSS News
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Productive Struggle and Deep Learning in Math
Read MoreOver the past four years, I’ve had a chance to experience our math curriculum, Illustrative Math, in action. Over this time I’ve seen students' communication skills grow as well as their confidence as problem solvers. I think these developments can be attributed to two aspects of the curriculum: the inclusion of low floor/high ceiling activities at the start of most lessons and the focus on productive struggle within the lessons.
Low floor/high ceiling math tasks are just as they are described. These tasks are intentionally designed so that every student can begin, no matter their starting point, while still providing opportunities for deep thinking and extension. When students experience this kind of learning environment, they engage more readily, feel more motivated, build stronger connections with classmates, and discover genuine joy in mathematical exploration -
Unity in Community
Read MoreAt Fayerweather we use the word community a lot. In our mission we speak about a joyful and collaborative learning community, we believe learning in community is powerful and complex, and we are committed to creating a community where every member feels valued. In the past few weeks, that sense of community has come through powerfully. The Fayerweather Families put the UNITY in commUNITY. As we move toward the end of the year, a time when many of us pause to reflect on what we value most, I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to every family who has already contributed to the Solid and Strong CommUNITY Fund, we are now at 88% participation from our families and 100% from the Board of Directors. Your generosity is felt deeply across the school in classrooms buzzing with ideas, in the confidence of students discovering new strengths, and in the joy that comes from knowing they belong to a community that truly sees and supports them.This season invites us to reflect on what matters: connection, purpose, and the shared responsibility of building something meaningful together. At Fayerweather, we believe education is not simply preparation for life — it is life happening in real time. It is curiosity in action, identity in formation, and joy in discovery. It is students building understanding not just from books, but from each other, the world around them, and the trust we place in their potential. -
Environmental Responsibility at Fayerweather: Experiential Learning That Takes Root
Read MoreAt Fayerweather Street School, our approach to caring for the environment is woven directly into the fabric of daily school life. As someone who sees the building and grounds through the lens of operations, I’m continually struck by how deeply our values of conservation, sustainability, and hands-on environmental learning show up in every corner of campus. These efforts aren’t add-ons or special projects; they’re part of who we are as a community, shaped each day by the enthusiasm and curiosity of our students and the dedication of our staff.It doesn’t take long to learn that Fayerweather Street School is committed to integrating conservation, sustainability efforts, and environmental education into the school’s daily life. This can be seen inside the building and around the grounds . -
The Heart of Our Community: The Power of Giving
Read MoreWhen I started at Fayerweather in 2018, I’ll admit that one of my greatest uncertainties was fundraising. I wondered whether I would be able to inspire others to give, year after year, with the same conviction and hope that the work deserves.The responsibility felt immense and deeply personal. A mentor once told me that raising money for a worthy cause is never difficult when you believe wholeheartedly in the organization's mission. Those words have proven true again and again. At Fayerweather, our mission of knowing every child, nurturing joy in learning, and teaching students to engage thoughtfully with the world has never been more important.
When Fayerweather was founded in 1967, I imagine that the founders believed this kind of education could be the antidote to the traditional, in-the-box kind of learning that was the practice of many public schools at the time. Fayerweather founders imagined and brought to life a school where children could learn with purpose, passion, and curiosity amid social upheaval. Today, we find ourselves once again in a world marked by division and uncertainty, and the need for such a community feels even more urgent. The promise of Fayerweather endures: that through thoughtful, progressive education, we can cultivate the empathy, critical thinking, and courage our children will need to shape a better future not just for themselves, but for our greater community. -
Marketing as a Community Practice
Read MoreEarlier this week, I facilitated one of Fayerweather’s Word of Mouth Ambassador trainings. During that session, I mentioned that while I’m ostensibly the one in charge of our school’s marketing and communications efforts, I see marketing as a community practice that we all participate in. There are many reasons I believe this to be true, but the biggest is this: no organization can thrive if the people within it don’t believe in its mission and share that belief with others. Whether you’re a student, alum, parent, or staff member, you’re constantly helping tell the story of who we are to those eager to listen.When I describe marketing as a community practice, I mean that it’s borne of common purpose, shared storytelling, and interpersonal trust. In this view, marketing isn’t just about persuasion—it’s about relationship-building and crafting a story that invites others to imagine themselves and their families within it. At its most basic level, this happens in the small, daily ways we engage with the school.
Coming Up at FSS
List of 5 events.
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All School Meeting
Come enjoy a preview of the grades 3-6 musical: Shrek Kids! -
Shrek the Musical KIDS! (School Musical Grades 3-6)
Based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film, Shrek The Musical KIDS is a Tony Award-winning fairy tale adventure featuring all new songs from Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly Modern Millie; Caroline, or Change) and a sidesplitting book by David Lindsay-Abaire. Shrek brings all the beloved characters you know from the film to life on stage and proves there's more to the story than meets the ears.
"Once upon a time, there was a little ogre named Shrek...." And thus begins the tale of an unlikely hero who finds himself on a life-changing journey alongside a wisecracking Donkey and a feisty princess who resists her rescue. Throw in a short-tempered bad guy, a cookie with an attitude and over a dozen other fairy tale misfits, and you've got the kind of mess that calls for a real hero. Luckily, there's one on hand... and his name is Shrek.
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Shrek the Musical KIDS! (School Musical Grades 3-6)
Based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film, Shrek The Musical KIDS is a Tony Award-winning fairy tale adventure featuring all new songs from Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly Modern Millie; Caroline, or Change) and a sidesplitting book by David Lindsay-Abaire. Shrek brings all the beloved characters you know from the film to life on stage and proves there's more to the story than meets the ears.
"Once upon a time, there was a little ogre named Shrek...." And thus begins the tale of an unlikely hero who finds himself on a life-changing journey alongside a wisecracking Donkey and a feisty princess who resists her rescue. Throw in a short-tempered bad guy, a cookie with an attitude and over a dozen other fairy tale misfits, and you've got the kind of mess that calls for a real hero. Luckily, there's one on hand... and his name is Shrek.
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.
NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS
Fayerweather Street School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin (ancestry), or disability in administration of its educational, admissions, and financial aid policies, as well as, athletic and other school-administered programs.