The Fessy Den Blog

3 Questions an Admissions Counselor Will Ask When You Apply to Their Kindergarten Program

1 Comment | January 10, 2018

On this blog, we often write about choosing the right private kindergarten program and the right questions to ask teachers, admissions staff, and other parents when you’re visiting a school. Now let’s turn the tables. What questions should you expect to be asked? Honesty is the best policy. The most important thing to understand, says Margaret Kelly, Director of Lower School Admissions at The Fessenden...
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International Take on an American Tradition

Leave a Comment | December 13, 2017

While Thanksgiving might feel like a distant memory, we thought sharing our international boarders’ impressions of this American tradition was in keeping with the spirit of this festive time of year. Many of us have treasured memories of gathering around the dining room table, as a parent or grandparent skillfully carved a carefully roasted turkey to begin our Thanksgiving celebration. Warm recollections such ...
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An Insider’s View: Getting Into the Best Private Elementary Schools In Boston

Leave a Comment | December 06, 2017

What steps must you go through to get your kindergartner or pre-kindergartner into one of the best private elementary schools in Boston? If you don’t have another child already in private school, the process might be a mystery to you. To help you understand it, we spoke with Margaret Kelly, Director of Lower School Admissions at The Fessenden School. Private elementary school admissions is similar...
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2 Developmental Areas The Fessenden School Looks at in Pre-K Applicants

Leave a Comment | November 22, 2017

At 3 and 4 years old, children don’t have transcripts to review. How can you possibly determine readiness in pre-kindergarten applicants? At The Fessenden School, the pre-K admissions process was designed not to judge individual applicants, but to create a class. As Margaret Kelly, Director of Lower School Admissions, explains, her team’s mission is to select from among a given year’s applicants to build a...
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The Truth About Academic Redshirting

Leave a Comment | November 08, 2017

Your child will turn 5 this summer. It’s not a bad time for a birthday party; the kids can run around outside, play in the pool, enjoy grilled hot dogs and hamburgers. But for many parents, the fun of a summertime birthday is overshadowed by an agonizing decision. Do you start your son in kindergarten in September or do you wait a year, starting him...
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3 Insider Admissions Tips for Junior Boarding School Hopefuls

Leave a Comment | November 01, 2017

Your son’s report cards boast all A’s. His resume is brimming with volunteer experience. His elementary school teachers are standing by to make glowing recommendations. He’s shown prowess on the soccer field or a budding virtuosity on the clarinet. That should be enough to stand out to a top junior boarding school, right? Not exactly, according to Caleb Thomson ‘79, Director of Admissions at The...
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Private Schools and “Teaching to the Test”: Why Lack of State Testing is an Advantage

1 Comment | October 18, 2017

Standardized testing, to measure how well schools and educators are teaching children, is constantly under debate. Government programs, such as “No Child Left Behind” and “Race to the Top,” were implemented to give states a standard by which to hold our education system accountable. Instead, these programs have created divides among parents, teachers, and politicians. Among teachers, cheating (i.e. ...
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The Promise of the New School Year

Leave a Comment | October 04, 2017

Each new school year brings with it feelings of excitement mixed with anxiety, opportunity coupled with trepidation. Boys see so many possibilities, yet they often feel overwhelmed. Fessenden offers an incredibly rich experience for students. During elementary and middle school years, boys pass through a variety of particularly uncertain and vulnerable moments in their development, and they benefit greatly from ...
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4 Tips for Letting Go When Your Son Starts Junior Boarding School

Leave a Comment | September 13, 2017

After your son starts junior boarding school, you may not hear from him every day. You won’t always be there to make sure he does his homework, tidies up his room, or brushes his teeth. For a parent, it can be nerve-wracking. Yet, while many parents go to great lengths to make sure their sons are ready for the academic and social challenges of junior...
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