Fredericksburg Parent

www.FredericksburgParent.NET 27 Join us for the live conversation on Stay tuned to the Fredericksburg Parent & Family YouTube and Facebook channels this month for a video interview featuring Fredericksburg Academy. Facebook: @fredericksburgparent • Twitter: @FredParent Instagram: @fredparentmagazine a sk t h e e x p e rt Sponsored Material Q: Fredericksburg Academy was founded because parents saw a need for an independent school in this region. What distinguish- es the independent school experience? Education at FA is student-focused, not test-driven. We steer away from basing a curriculum off of an end-of-year test. Our founders wanted teachers to have the flexibility to be able to dive deep into a subject when warranted, and provide those engaging experiences and projects that foster true learning and inquisi- tion. Despite all the standardized testing that has been put in place in this coun- try, no study can show that it improves the quality of education. Students need to be able to be creative, they need to be able to work in collaboration with one another, and that is what FA's program is built on. That's not to say we don't have high standards. FA's curriculum is rigorous. We are accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools. Our teachers are constantly looking at national standards for what students should be able to do at certain levels. We incorporate those standards into our program, but they are woven in in so many ways. It's not just studying vocabulary in English. That vocabulary is woven in through math, science, history, art; it's much more com- prehensive and holistic. Q. We hear a lot these days about the challenge to find teachers in American schools. What keeps your faculty going? It is hard for me to put into words how amaz- ing our teachers are. Our faculty members are scholars. They are everything. They like being with kids, they are experts in the subjects they teach, and they are around other teach- ers who have that same mindset. And they are working with students who are eager to learn. When all of these things are in place, you get this incredible mix that allows for magic to happen on a daily basis. It's incred- ibly hard work—I don't think anybody can truly appreciate the preparation that goes into teaching, the time it takes to make sure every student is getting what they need and moving in the right direction. At a time when everything swirling around them about teach- ing is negative, I think our faculty have risen above and shown that they are at the head of the class. Education at FA is student-focused, not test-driven. Q: Both the Fredericksburg region and FA have grown a lot in the past 30 years. How does FA reflect the community around it? The Fredericksburg community is diverse in so many ways—economi- cally, ethnically, racially—and FA is a brilliant compilation of that. I am really proud when I look around here and I see how much representa- tion there is of our community in general, I think it speaks to the fact that people feel valued when they walk through these doors. You really need to come in and take a walk around to understand it. We recognize that our tuition isn't attainable for everybody, but we also know that our tuition has to be set a rate where we can keep our extraordinary teachers here. We have put in place an indexed tuition program that allows for people of many financial levels to access the education we provide. Indexed Tuition considers your financial situation to say, "This is what you can afford, so this is what your tuition is going to be." It has really helped open doors. To learn more, or to schedule a tour, visit fredericksburgacademy.org.

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