The Fessy Den Blog

Can Reading Help Your Child Avoid the ‘Summer Slide’?

Leave a Comment | July 22, 2018

There is a natural crescendo of any school year that typically culminates with a finale of tests, projects, events, and celebrations. Children (and parents) often crave rest and relaxation after the last bell rings. Whether students have been studying language development in Pre-K, or global citizenship in middle school, it is undoubtedly important to take a break from the academic rigors of the school year....
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How to Help Your Child Master Elementary School Math Skills

Leave a Comment | May 23, 2018

American math test scores have been a topic of debate for more than a decade, and the data is nothing short of disheartening. But schools are beginning to look toward successful international math programs, and there is hope that by rethinking the way we teach math, educators can increase national test scores and improve math skills. What does the data tell us? According to the...
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The Fessy Bear is Everywhere!

1 Comment | May 16, 2018

Visitors to Fessenden are sometimes taken aback by the unexpected presence of a five-foot-tall, furry, brown figure who stands guard in the lobby of Bernon Hall. Actually, you might encounter this friendly presence in a variety of locations around the School, because the Fessenden Bear, our school’s beloved mascot, has a habit of turning up in myriad guises throughout our campus. Sometimes he carries a...
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Why Parents Need to Step Back and Allow Four- and Five-Year-Olds to Seek Adventure

Leave a Comment | May 09, 2018
Private School Will Coddle Your Son

It’s a natural instinct to prevent your child from doing something that appears to be risky or dangerous. But allowing children to take small risks and establish a sense of adventure can have a positive impact on their development. It’s no secret that most young children have an innate desire to conquer things. They want to be perceived as capable; they want to be big...
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Boarding School: An Academic Experience With All the Benefits of Summer Camp

Leave a Comment | May 03, 2018

Summer camps are known for their ability to take a group of children, often unknown to each other at the beginning, and over the course of a few short months help them develop and foster deep, long-lasting friendships. In fact, the experience is so important, and so ubiquitous in our culture, that it has spawned an entire genre of movies. Residential faculty members will tell...
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Why Fourth Grade is a Great Time to Enroll in a Private School

1 Comment | April 25, 2018
Fourth Grade Private School - Fessenden

Fourth grade is a year of significant change for young, growing learners, which makes it a great time to consider enrolling in a private school. In the fourth grade, students are beginning to become self aware and to see themselves within the context of their environments. They know when their math or literacy skills are ahead of the curve, and also when they might not...
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Managing Screen Time at Boarding School

1 Comment | April 18, 2018
managing screen time at boarding schools

A common anxiety-provoking question that parents often ponder is, “how much screen time is too much?” From toddlers to teenagers, parents are faced with the difficult task of managing their children’s use of televisions, tablets, video games, smartphones—and, within phones, the seemingly infinite world of apps and games. Parents wonder if excessive screen time will impede their child’s cognitive ...
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Fourth Grade: A Time to Encourage Complex Conversations

Leave a Comment | April 11, 2018

Fourth Grade: Encouraging Complex Conversations The need to educate socially adept global citizens and learners is more crucial now than ever before. Shaping compassionate, agile, and resilient children is becoming increasingly important in the 21st century, as complex national and global issues are omnipresent and we are connected by continually advancing technology. But when is the right time to address these ...
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How Questions Shape Cognitive Development in Pre-K

1 Comment | April 04, 2018

Parents of preschool-aged children are subject to daily, hourly, and even minute-by-minute questions. Queries about what things are and how they work can be heard from car seats, at the dinner table, and in the morning, afternoon, evening, and night. If you find yourself growing tired of answering so many questions—sometimes the same question three times in a row—you can find comfort in the fact...
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