As we close the chapter on The Fay School’s 34th year, we do so with deep appreciation for the joy, momentum, and shared purpose that have defined 2024-25. This was a year of record-breaking growth, meaningful connections, and incredible achievement — all grounded in our vision to deliberately build and educate the future leaders of our world.
From our youngest Primary School learners in Forest Days to our Fifth-Grade leaders at graduation, every child helped shape a year rich in learning, leadership, and lasting impact:
- We expanded our learning community with families joining us from across the globe, welcoming guests from multiple continents to Grandparents and Special Friends Day — nearly 400 visitors in all.
- Our Fourth and Fifth Graders rose to the occasion through a new leadership development program, leading Morning Meetings, coordinating community service projects, and representing Fay at public events like the Jaipur Literature Festival and Space Cowboys National Anthem performance.
- We strengthened our relationship to our environment, including tree planting led by our Kindergartners in partnership with Trees for Houston, water testing in the bayou, and the upcoming addition of bees to our schoolyard ecosystem — a joyful nod to our roots as one of Houston’s first nationally certified Schoolyard Habitats.
- We deepened academic excellence by implementing Know Atom STEM curriculum, launching advanced Project-Based Learning units, and participating in professional learning partnerships with Moonshot, The Garden Hen, Urban Harvest, and more.
- We gave back in big ways through the Third Annual Fay Day of Service, with volunteers supporting the Houston Food Bank, Kids’ Meals, Nature Discovery Center, Houston Arboretum, and Books Between Kids.
- We embraced the arts and community fun, producing five musicals, hosting two Fay’s Got Talent Shows, enjoying four community runs, enjoying carnival fun at the Fall Festival, and celebrating cross-cultural connections at the third annual Multicultural Fair.
- Our Fifth Grade Leaders hosted the Third Annual Dog Day at Fay, collecting donations and making hand-tied blankets for Citizens for Animal Protection.
- The Fourth Annual Gena Lewis Distinguished Teacher Award was presented to Ms. Barbara Duecker and Ms. Emma Peterson, whose students created a powerful project on Fay’s ecological footprint.
- Proving that Readers are Leaders, we welcomed three-time Theodor Seuss Geisel Award-winning author Greg Pizzoli for a lively visit, and our Book Fair raised over $24,000, allowing us to add more than $3,500 in new materials to the library!
- We saw continued national recognition as faculty presented at conferences hosted by CASE-NAIS, Teton Science Schools, and the National Association for the Education of Young Children, with more already accepted for the 2025 National Place-Based Symposium.
- Our alumni community flourished, with a record turnout at this year’s Alumni Reunion and a special Senior Send-Off for the Class of 2018.
- We achieved 100% participation in the Annual Fund for the fourth consecutive year — a reflection of your extraordinary partnership and belief in the transformative work we do together.
This summer, our faculty and staff will continue learning through national programs including Responsive Classroom, Harvard Project Zero, the New Frontiers Reading and Writing Institute, Nature-Based Teacher Certification, and more. Our commitment to growth is unwavering — because your children deserve nothing less.
As you begin your summer, we hope you take time to slow down, go outside, and reconnect with the natural world. Hike. Splash. Watch bees at work. Marvel at the stars. Let the outdoors teach you what Marie Fay Evnochides taught us all — that when children learn in nature, they learn more deeply, more joyfully, and more meaningfully.
Marie once shared, “We are so proud of our students and faculty for their commitment to taking care of our Earth.” That legacy lives on — in our gardens, our Fay Forest, and our hearts — and it will continue to guide us for years to come.
Thank you for being part of this extraordinary year. See you in August for the 2025-26 school year!