February Vacation Week
School will be closed from 12:30 on Friday, February 16th until Monday, February 26th. Enjoy a safe and restorative February break!
State House Trip
As part of our annual Civics Community Learning Project, all Farr students took a trip to the State House on January 10th, where they participated in a tour and had a private audience with Marjorie Decker, State Representative from Cambridge.
Winter Break starts at 12:30 on December 22nd
Any excuse to wear weird things — Friday, December 15th was Ugly Sweater Day at Farr Academy.
Don’t forget that school will be closed from 12:30 p.m. on Friday, December 22nd until 8:10 a.m. on Tuesday, January 2nd, which will be a Professional Development day for staff with student release at 1:00 p.m. Enjoy the holidays!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
All of us at Farr wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving! School is closed from 12:30 on Wednesday, November 22nd until 8:10 a.m. on Monday, November 27th in observance of this national holiday.
NO SCHOOL on November 10th
Reminder: we will be closed on Friday, November 10th in observance of the Veterans Day holiday.
NO SCHOOL MONDAY, MAY 29TH
Farr Academy will be closed on Monday, May 29th, in observance of Memorial Day. Enjoy a safe and healthy long weekend!
NO SCHOOL April 17th-April 21st
Spring is here, and it’s time for April vacation! School will be closed from 12:30 on Friday, April 14th until 8:10 a.m. on Monday, April 24th. Enjoy your time off!
Honoring Black History Month
As always, to recognize the contributions and historic achievements of Black Americans, each office and classroom at Farr Academy decorated its door. Shown here is a collage of the twelve doors, each reflecting the unique personalities and interests of each room’s occupants.
Staff and Student Appreciation Breakfast
Today, we continued our annual tradition of a breakfast cooked to order by the Leadership Team (Jami, Tim, Kim, Ariel and Susan) for each member of the Farr Community. Available were pancakes (plain or with blueberries or chocolate chips) and breakfast sandwiches (any combination of eggs, cheese and bacon on a bagel). We are grateful for this opportunity to show those we work with every day how much they mean to us.
SPIRIT WEEK!
The school week leading up to Halloween is full of fun traditions at Farr. Of course, our first step is to decorate our doors! We then have a series of themes: this year, they were Crazy Hat/Crazy Hair Day; School Colors Day; Favorite Sports Team Day; and Pajama Day. For 2022, the Administrative Team were minions, and the Teaching Team all dressed as characters from The Office. Students were very creative in their choice of costumes.
Reminder — No School Friday, November 11th
School will be closed on Friday, November 11th in observation of Veterans Day.
STEM Week at Farr
This is STEM Week in Massachusetts. Our theme at Farr is “Women in STEM,” and we have many inter-disciplinary lessons and events happening, starting on Monday with a trip to the MIT Museum and culminating on Friday in a live Zoom chat with Peyton Anders, a rocket scientist who will share with students her experiences in higher education and Science as a person with ADHD. Other special hands-on activities include the rope pictured here, which students built entirely out of toilet paper and so far has successfully held up 115 pounds!
Parents Night is October 6th!
We hope that all parents and guardians will be able to attend our fall Parents Night, when they will have the opportunity to follow their child’s schedule, meet as a group, and enjoy light refreshments. Please note this event does not include conferences with teachers about individual students, which can be scheduled through your Homeroom Teacher/Counselor, and is for adults only.
Honoring Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15th through October 15th
School is in full swing again, and we’re settling into our routines — which at Farr, include decorating our doors for holidays, special occasions, and cultural milestones. This month, a variety of themes — ranging from literature, to the arts, to politics, to sports and entertainment– commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month.
No School April 18th-April 22nd!
Don’t forget, school will be closed for April vacation starting Monday, April 18th. School will re-open on Monday, April 25th. Enjoy the break!
International Women’s Day — March 8
International Women’s Day is observed annually on March 8 and celebrates the global “social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women,” according to the International Women’s Day website. This year’s theme is “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.” Doors at Farr were decorated in honor of this day, and Women’s History Month, depicting notable women who have changed, or are changing, the world.
School Vacation Week!
School vacation week is 2/21 – 2/25. Have fun and stay safe during the break!
Doors Decorated to Honor the History of Black Americans
As we always do, we festooned our doors this month with images and information highlighting the contributions of Black Americans to the culture and evolution of the United States through literature, innovation, entertainment, sports, and more.
Holiday Break begins on Friday!
School will be dismissed at 12:30 on Thursday, December 23rd for the holiday break. We hope everyone finds this hiatus to be restful and restorative. Please be safe, and enjoy the holidays! We will see you on January 3rd in 2022.
Honoring the Indigenous People of the Americas
November is Native American Heritage Month, and administrators bedecked their doors with images and information reminding all of us of the importance of recognizing the contributions and sacrifices made by those who lived on this land long before settlers from Europe arrived. Influences on culture, tradition, and language, and acknowledgement of important leaders in American tribes, were among the topics showcased.
Visit from Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission
We were pleased to host a visit by Yvonne Tylinski, M.S., C.R.C., a Vocational Counselor with the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, on Monday, November 8th. Here, our Educational Coordinator, Kim Phillips, introduces Yvonne to a group of our juniors and seniors who were presented with information about the pre-ETS (Employment Transition Services) program which is offered to young adults as they prepare for adulthood. MRC works with many community providers to offer transition services for students designed to provide them with the skills needed to be successful with employment or further education after high school. The broad range of services the agency offers for both students and adults, in partnership with schools, families, and other state agencies, focuses on the importance of self-advocacy and helping people live more independently.
We’ve Got Spirit… Yes, We Do!
Our annual Spirit Week begins on Monday, September 25th! Staff and classroom doors will be decorated and each day has a different theme:
Monday — Crazy Hat/Crazy Hair Day
Tuesday — Mismatch Day
Wednesday — School Colors
Thursday — Favorite Sports Team
Friday — Costume Day! Many Homeroom Teacher/Counselors are planning a Halloween theme with their group (school-appropriate, of course) and the rest of the staff also dresses up.
Shown here is most of our Leadership Team on Monday in their Crazy Hats.. Check back soon for more photos of all of us FULL OF SPIRIT in 2021!
Thank You, Parents and Guardians!
We greatly enjoyed seeing our students’ caregivers last night — and were especially pleased that many of our newer students were represented! Folks followed their student’s schedule, shared some refreshments, and had a chance to chat with teachers and other staff.
Parents Night
We hope that all parents and guardians will be able to attend our fall Parents Night, when they will have the opportunity to follow their child’s schedule, meet as a group, and enjoy light refreshments. Please note this event does not include conferences with teachers about individual students, which can be scheduled through your Homeroom Teacher/Counselor, and is for adults only.
Decorated Doors for Hispanic Heritage Month
To honor Hispanic Heritage Month, which began on September 15th, staff followed our Farr tradition of decorating doors. Displays celebrate flags of Spanish-speaking countries; accomplished artists in music, literature and painting; athletes and pop stars; and more. We are proud to recognize the rich cultural contributions of the Hispanic and Latino communities in the U.S. and abroad.
We’re back to school and right on track!
September 1st was our first day of school, and already students are getting back into their academic routines and starting 2021-2022 off with positive momentum. Even our new students are settling in nicely. We can’t wait to see the amazing things our students are going to accomplish this year!
Summer School Begins July 6th
Our five-week summer program starts on July 6th and ends on August 9th. Academic classes happen in the morning as usual, but many of the courses offered are aimed at student interests and include hands-on, interactive curriculum. Afternoons feature community trips, local and further away, for enrichment, career exploration, and just plain fun.
Welcoming our new Associate Director
We are pleased to announce that Tim Gallagher joined our team as Associate Director on June 1st. Tim comes to us with a wealth of experience in education and we are excited that he has joined the Farr Community.
Celebrating our Seniors
In 2021, we have ten students graduating — a true testament to their hard work and perseverance, especially during this challenging year.
All seniors are invited to our annual Senior Dinner attended by Farr Administrators and Homeroom Teacher/Counselors. This year, the event will be held at Farr Academy on Monday, June 7th from 5 to 7 pm.
Graduation will take place at 9:30 am on Friday, June 18th, at the Christian Life Center on Bishop Allen Drive in Cambridge. In accordance with Massachusetts DESE guidelines, each graduate is allowed to bring up to six guests to share in this milestone. All of us at Farr Academy are proud of our graduates and gratified to be able to share this special day with them!
MCAS Testing — this week and next
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recently announced that MCAS testing would go forward this Spring. Schools must administer both Math and ELA from May 3-June 11. All 10th graders are required to take both tests; 11th graders can take them for scholarship purposes. At Farr, we are doing ELA this week and Math next week. All 9th graders are required to take the Science MCAS between June 1-June 11.
April Vacation
Reminder: School is closed April 19th-23rd for April Vacation.
Jami, our Director, Guest Speaker at HGSE
On Thursday, March 25th, Director Jami Langley was honored to join Sara Skonieczny (Teaching Fellow) as a guest speaker, to talk virtually with Sara’s students in the Harvard Graduate School of Education about Self Care and Wellness for Educators, Practitioners, and Schools. Other topics included working in trauma-informed care settings and the importance of professional development and supervision with a self care focus. In this picture, Jami and Sara discuss the presentation and answer questions asked by the students.
Honoring the Contributions of Women
This month, many staff have decorated their doors with images and information about women who have influenced American history, from relatively unknown figures such as Pauli Murray (lawyer, activist, and LGBTQ advocate) to legends such as Ruth Bader Ginsberg (whose successful argument before the Supreme Court in favor of the Equal Protection Clause being extended to women was influenced by Murray’s writings).
February Vacation Week
Reminder: There is no school for the week of February 15-19. Enjoy your winter vacation. We look forward to seeing everyone again on Monday, February 22nd. Stay safe and warm!
Celebrating Black History
To kick off the first week of Black History month, staff’s doors displayed pictures and information about African Americans who were, and are, trailblazers throughout American history.
Remote Learning Day February 2nd
We will be conducting a Remote Learning Day on Tuesday, February 2nd owing to the snowstorm. Our building will be closed. Please contact your Homeroom Teacher/Counselor with any questions about the remote learning schedule or procedures.
Staff Breakfast
The Leadership Team cooked breakfast to order for all staff and students on Friday, January 15th to express our gratitude for their contributions to the Farr community. Folks had the choice of any or all of the following: pancakes, bacon, egg sandwiches on bagels, and fresh fruit.