Cocurriculars
Fay’s academic program is enhanced by our commitment to enriching cocurricular classes that help build well-rounded students. Daily Physical Education and Specials classes allow children to explore their strengths and stretch themselves as they learn new art media, prepare for a performance, or learn Spanish vocabulary.
Physical Education
Exercise strengthens the body, mind, and spirit. Research shows us that physical activity primes the brain for learning. All Fay students participate in daily PE classes. Primary students attend Music and Motor. These classes are designed to help children explore and gain an understanding of elements of movement in relation to others and the environment, including the concept of personal, common, and shared space. The program helps the child’s coordination, balance, agility, flexibility, and general fitness as it fosters a joy of movement. It allows each child to experience movement on his or her own through the use of space, shape, force, time, steady beat in music, and the rhythm of the word. The program enhances the child’s self-image, creative thinking, and control of movement through experiences and the use of problem-solving techniques.
In Kindergarten, students continue this development through their PE classes. We emphasize safe and precise movement in open space. Throughout the year, we continue to incorporate these movements - galloping, skipping, hopping, and jogging - into our warm-ups and class games. As the year progresses, we work with the students on advanced skill acquisition, reiterating the importance of correct technique and form. For example, in our throwing and catching unit, the students work on keeping a high elbow while stepping with the opposite foot. Along with spatial awareness and skill development throughout our units, we consistently accentuate the importance of playing cooperatively, playing honestly, and playing as a team. Whether a child is on the road to becoming an elite athlete or less competitive physical activity, Fay’s PE teachers meet each child where they are to help them grow in their fitness and wellness journeys.
Primary students participate in a limited number of Specials as they learn the ways of school, get to know a variety of teachers, and feel comfortable in their school home. Weekly, Primary students learn Spanish vocabulary and Hispanic culture through talking, listening, singing, and playing. Props, toys, pictures, motion, dramatic interpretation, and fun play an important part of our Spanish language program. Students also visit the library to hear stories and check out books. Listening skills, language development, and a love of reading promote literacy amongst our youngest students.
Language and Fine Arts
Our Lower School offers expanded opportunities to grow in creative ways through language and fine arts. The Music curriculum focuses on helping students cultivate their music reading skills and expand their knowledge of music history. Students develop their expertise in playing both unpitched and pitched percussion instruments. Every Lower School student participates in a musical performance during the school year.
Our art curriculum encourages inventive thinking, creative problem solving, and visual awareness. We consider every student an artist and cultivate innate creativity and curiosity with hands-on exploration of art materials, as well as self-reflection.
We have over 15,000 volumes of books in The Wolfe Library and aim to provide a collection that meets the needs of our students. All students visit the library once a week with their class and at other times with their teacher’s permission. The library program strives to promote a love of reading and to help students become users and producers of all types of information. Our Spanish program focuses on the development of speaking vocabulary and appreciation of Spanish culture. The use of props, toys, motions, song, and storytelling with student actors is prominent in the students’ ability to acquire the language while they become more comfortable with giving and sharing responses in Spanish. Fay’s cocurricular program gives every child a chance to shine in their own way by allowing them to explore a variety of topics and materials in our Specials classes.