Dear All,

At FASRI, we seek to instill our students with skills that will last them a lifetime. You already know about our unique dual-language program and its lifelong benefits, but another part of our mission is to foster autonomy and create independent thinkers and learners.

From a very early age, our students are encouraged to strike out on their own, whether it's a trip to the front office in first grade or an internship in the community in middle school. And nothing cultivates self-reliance better than our field trip programs.

While our teachers incorporate hands-on learning into their classroom practices, there is nothing like a real-world field trip to get the kids thinking in a different way. It's a chance for them to explore their own mental and physical limits, to safely test boundaries and ideas, and form closer bonds with peers and teachers. This is especially true with overnight field trips, which start with a one-night outing for our first graders and expand as the years pass.

Some might say that first graders are a bit young for an overnight trip; I say, perhaps that is true for other students in other schools. But at FASRI, thanks to our learner-centered approach to teaching and our encouragement of a child's autonomy from age three, our students possess maturity above their age and benefit greatly from the well-supervised activities designed just for them and their classmates.

During the conference of French schools in Charleston, South Carolina, which I recently attended, we talked a lot about the strength of our schools and the skills we develop through French cultural and linguistic immersion: resilience, independence, critical thinking. What better way to emphasize these qualities in our students than through traveling and experiencing the outside world in its own context? At FASRI, this is exactly what we do.

Here are some of the exciting trips planned for 2013:

• This year, our first and second graders will embark on an adventure in nature with an overnight trip to the W. Alton Jones Environmental Education Center in southern Rhode Island. FASRI has used this invaluable resource for years, and our students return to school with a renewed respect for environmental conservation thanks to outdoor learning experiences tailored to our science curriculum.
• The third grade will learn about the history of our country and its first residents with a trip to Connecticut's Pequot Museum.
• Our fourth and fifth graders will take on Boston this spring with an educational sleepover at the Boston Museum of Science. But that's not all; they will also explore the history of the city by way of the Freedom Trail.
• And, as we speak, our Middle School students and teachers are returning from Québec, where they have stayed in a rustic cabin off the grid. Please read on for more news on these brave young men and women of the wilderness!

As our school progresses and the middle school blooms, I hope that we will one day be able to offer each of our students a trip to French Canada, and even France. In the meantime, you can see we have plenty of adventures right near home, where the children can learn about themselves and their classmates, all while making lasting memories.

I look forward to sharing our students' experiences with you in my next letter. Until then, should you have any questions about field trips, stay tuned for a special presentation by your child's teachers following February break.

The Middle school students and faculty return today from Québec, where they lived "off the grid" for three nights in a rustic cabin. They were in a cabin with no modern amenities...not even electricity! Here is where they stayed.

The students learned to cook for themselves and participated in lots of educational, hands-on winter activities in the great outdoors. We can't wait to hear all about the trip and will share news with you soon. For now, we welcome them back to the Real World, just in time for more snow.

Middle School faculty and staff bundled up and ready to brave Québec's wilderness.

Come join the fun on Friday, March 1, from 5:15 - 7:15 PM at FASRI. We will celebrate Mardi Gras à la Novelle Orléans

Last year, all FASRI families were invited to attend an informalgroup meeting over breakfast or lunch with Head of School Dominique Velociter. Dominique's goal is to give all parents the opportunity to meet with her in a small group setting, to talk, get to know one another better, and exchange ideas. 

Look out for an email invitation over the coming weeks. Please contact Louise Jakobson at ljakobson@fasri.org with any questions. 

Thank you to all FASRI donors and volunteers! We were alerted to an error in last year's Annual Report listings. We strive to publish an accurate report, but mistakes do sometimes happen. Please see the updated report here. 

We apologize for any omissions or inconsistencies, and thank all of our donors for their generous support. We value your support and trust. Merci beaucoup.