News

Pre-kindergartners and kindergartners learned all about bees this morning in the final of the Gwyn Loud science workshops of the spring. After starting with a story about the lifecycle of honeybees, students had the opportunity to explore different stations in the classroom that featured a live honeybee station, large-scale photos of honey bees, a dress-up area with beekeeper clothing, and picture books.

Tenacre was proud to continue a 20+ year tradition of hosting its annual water stop at the Boston Marathon yesterday. Our Tigers handed out hundreds of cups of water to thirsty runners while bringing the energy to our water stop at Route 16 and Morton Street in Wellesley. Burgers and dogs, courtesy of Chef Riseborough, kept our crew fueled through the day!

This morning Tenacre pre-kindergarteners took to the stage in Wells Playhouse to sing the “Tenacre Song” for their parents and Big Friends in fourth grade. This was the PKers first opportunity to perform on stage, and they received enthusiastic applause! The “Tenacre Song” is considered the school’s alma mater. It was written by Phyllis Scoboria, who was Tenacre’s head of school from 1952 to 1972.

Kindergartners performed swimmingly in their production of “Go Fish” this morning. They acted out the story of a Tiger Shark and his unique collection of friends who discover how their differences make them each special. Bravo kindergartners!

Tenacre’s Gwyn Loud Science Week has continued this week with interactive workshops for second and fourth graders. Second graders learned all about whales, by interacting with a giant inflatable whale measuring 100 feet long. The whale exhibit helped Tenacre students appreciate the immense scale of these ocean-dwelling mammals, their feeding habits, migratory routes, and how scientists can learn more about the health of the ocean by observing these creatures over time. Fourth graders built and tested paper rockets, an extension of their previous learning of the Engineering Design Process and Newton's 3rd law of motion, the action-reaction law. They tested them on Centennial field using an air propulsion system as the force. Gwyn Loud is a former Tenacre science teacher and co-head of school (1994–1995).

Tenacre third graders have been learning about the physical properties of light and the physiology and anatomy of the human eye. They dissected a cow eye specimen, which has a similar construction to the human eye, and saw first-hand the anatomical parts that they have been studying. The dissection exercise provided students with a relevant comparison to explain some of the various diseases and problems that arise with the eyes of any typical mammalian organism.

For the next few weeks, Tenacre is celebrating Gwyn Loud Science Workshops, an annual tradition in which every grade participates in engaging science workshops facilitated by outside groups. Fifth and sixth graders participated in workshops earlier this week. The Discovery Museum hosted a workshop for sixth graders about physical matter, including lessons on the process of changing solids to liquids and solids to gas. Fifth graders focused on electromagnetism, learning about magnetic force, and experimenting with changing the strength of electromagnets. Gwyn Loud is a former Tenacre science teacher, assistant head of school, and co-head of school (1994–1995) who worked at Tenacre from 1980 to 2006.

First graders recently completed an economics unit where they learned about such concepts as goods, services, producers, consumers, supply and demand, and price fluctuation. They put their newly learned economics knowledge to use by creating their own businesses, developing business plans, and producing products or providing services. For the final part of the unit, students bought and sold goods from each other’s businesses. Examples of their entrepreneurial ventures included a bookstore, computer store, and personal training business. Students applied their math skills as they conducted transactions and made change using play money. This experiential learning unit proved both engaging and educational for Tenacre’s young entrepreneurs.

Fifth graders recently completed a collaborative science and tech project in which they created custom “Operation” games based on the classic Milton-Bradley game. Their custom games differed in that fifth graders designed all the parts and printed them on a 3D printer, incorporated intricate circuitry, and infused them with Scratch coding. They themed each game around a topic of their choice. Fifth graders showcased their creations to their kindergarten Little Friends, who had a blast “playing” the games.

Students from all grades participated in Tenacre's annual used book fair today. The event featured gently used books donated by families, with each book priced at 25 cents. Younger students especially enjoyed the fair as it gave them the opportunity to select and purchase books independently. Teachers and parents were on hand to provide assistance when needed.

Five fifth graders at Tenacre Country Day School were recognized for their essays in the 2025 Will McDonough Writing Contest, all earning Honorable Mention. The Will McDonough Writing Contest, named in honor of the legendary Boston Globe sportswriter, takes place every year. In 2025, more than 1,000 students from across New England participated in the contest. The winners are chosen by Boston Globe Sports Editors. The contest is open to all students in grades 4 through 12. Every member of the fifth-grade class at Tenacre submitted a 400-word essay to the contest as part of a class writing assignment.

Congratulations to our Tenacre first grader whose artwork was selected for the President’s Choice display as part of a Youth Art Month celebration! During the month of March, the Massachusetts Art Education Association (MAEA) annually sponsors a statewide PK–12 Youth Art Month exhibit of student artwork submitted by art educators in public, private, and independent schools from across the state. In addition to winning the President’s Choice award, the Tenacre student’s artwork was exhibited in the National Youth Art Month exhibit as part of the National Art Education Association Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, from March 19–21. In addition, congratulations to the other 15 Tenacre artists who were featured in this online art gallery.

This morning in music class, fourth graders used Orff instruments to listen and respond to different rhythms guided by a student "conductor's" movements. The students had opportunities to rotate through the various Orff instruments, while also taking turns serving as "conductors" to lead their classmates.

The second-grade classroom burst into culinary creativity as students transformed their learning space into a bustling Bob's Burgers-themed restaurant, turning a math lesson into an interactive adventure of adding, subtracting, and calculating restaurant bills. students took turns ordering from a menu, adding the total amount of their order, and then figuring out how much change was owed. Bon appetit!

Students and staff returned to school yesterday after a two-week spring break, starting the day with a “Welcome back” assembly with Head of School Will Crissman. There was a lot of excitement to see friends and get back into the school routine. We love having everyone back on campus!

PK and K students went ice skating this morning at the Babson Skating Rink. Every student took a 30-minute lesson, followed by 30 minutes of free skating. This is part of Tenacre’s Physical Education curriculum, in which every grade learns a recreational sports skill during P.E. The PK/K group will skate three times.

Tenacre students cheered on professional biker Mannie Nogueira this morning as he performed a series of amazing feats on his bike – including jumping his bike over two Tenacre staff! Mannie shared with students the importance of never giving up and believing in yourself. Thank you to Tenacre’s TPA for organizing this enrichment assembly!

Fourth graders were inspired by the My Intent project where students consider a word or phrase that’s important to them and create a bracelet with a focus or personal intention. The idea behind the project is to choose a word or phrase that holds meaning for the wearer. Fourth graders chose words that are important to them, reflected a goal they have, or considered aspects of their personality in which they take pride. The culmination of the project was to create a bracelet with their word that they could wear with pride. Some of the words and phrases that students chose include practice, original, believe in yourself, joy, and rise.

The Tenacre TPA hosted its annual Pizza Bingo night last Friday, a popular family event that always draws a crowd. Thank you to all of the volunteers who made the night a great success for the kids.

This morning, third graders performed Dino Soaring!, a pre-historic musical that explores the lives of seven exciting dinosaurs. Tenacre third graders sang and danced their way through the early history of life on Earth. Bravo third graders!

Tenacre second graders have been studying crustaceans in science class and learned first-hand from two new additions to the classroom’s saltwater touch tank—a male and female lobster. The touch tank is divided into two “ocean zones,” the sunlit zone and the midnight zone, where the lobsters will reside. After fish are added to the sunlit zone next week, students will be able to observe how marine life lives in the different zones.

Tenacre second graders performed their class play this morning, the entertaining musical “It’s Saturday.” The plot focuses on the celebration of a “day off” in the life of a kid and all of the different options available on a day off from school.

Award-winning local author and illustrator Jarrett Lerner visited Tenacre today and inspired Tenacre students with a series of engaging workshops. Students in grades 2-3 and 4-6 participated in grade-appropriate story-building workshops. In addition, a group of students—whose names were pulled from a hat—had the opportunity to eat lunch with Lerner and ask questions.

A group of Tenacre third, fourth, fifth, and sixth graders collaborated to host an all-school assembly yesterday in honor of Black History Month. The student presenters highlighted remarkable Black Americans who shaped our nation's history, including agricultural innovator George Washington Carver, Olympic champion Jesse Owens, civil rights icon Rosa Parks, groundbreaking actress Hattie McDaniel, school integration pioneer Ruby Bridges, and legendary jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald. Students also featured the stories of young, contemporary Black trailblazers Like Marley Dias, who collected over 9,000 books with Black female characters and donated them to schools around the country, Mo'ne Davis, the first Black girl to play in a Little League World Series game AND pitch a shutout, and Mari Copeny, who worked to end the Flint, MI water crisis.

After weeks of preparation, sixth graders stood in front of their peers this morning with the option of reciting the Gettysburg Address or Frederick Douglass’s “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July”. This tradition is part of the Grade 6 social studies curriculum and its focus on the Civil War. Donning the garb of the times—black top hat, white button down, and black coat--students stood in front of the library fireplace and invoked their own interpretation of Lincoln or Douglass. Reciting these speeches is a Tenacre tradition that students eagerly anticipate. Many alumni are able to recite the first paragraph years later!

Tenacre’s fifth- and sixth-grade basketball teams have been competing for several weeks against local schools. Fifth- and sixth-grade sports are part of Tenacre’s P.E. program. Students practice during P.E. class to prepare for the season and play games after school. They have the option to play flag football, soccer, or run cross country in the fall, play basketball in the winter, and play baseball/softball in the spring.

On Saturday, Tenacre’s TPA held its Family Skating Party, an annual family event that is eagerly anticipated by all. Families enjoyed ice time at the Babson Skating Center and took pizza and hot cocoa breaks as needed!

This morning fourth, fifth, and sixth graders from Tenacre and The Chestnut Hill school gathered in Tenacre’s performing arts center for a presentation by At the Table with Dr. King, a live performance that taught students about the American Civil Rights movement and valuable lessons of equality and respect. Through music, poetry, historical video footage, and Dr. King’s own words, At the Table also challenged students to engage in creative acts of service and leadership in their communities. This hour-long show was performed by professionals from More than Music.

This morning during the time block for Affinity Groups, Tenacre fourth, fifth, and sixth graders started the day with options to participate in different activities in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., Day. Students could participate in community service options by tying fleece blankets to donate to local shelters, creating birthday cards for the Confetti Foundation, which sends them to local children in hospitals, or joining classmates in a campus clean-up. Students also had the option to take part in an African dance workshop. All of the choices were a wonderful way to start the day.

Tenacre has just released its third “This is Tenacre” podcast. In this edition, Christina Grace, Tenacre's Director of Educational Support and Reading Coordinator, shares her experience growing up with ADHD and how feeling "othered" shaped her teaching philosophy. She emphasizes the importance of understanding, nurturing, and challenging children while recognizing neurodiversity and setting high yet realistic expectations for all learners.

This morning at assembly, Tenacre’s Dance Club presented an interpretive dance titled Dream Variations. The dancers gathered throughout the fall to rehearse their routine. Choreographed by Robin Offley-Thompson, the administrative assistant and assistant to the head of school, the rehearsals focused on teaching the students how to collaborate as a group and navigate their dance space. The seven dancers, representing grades three through six, wore pajamas for their lively and imaginative performance.

The Tenacre Art Gallery (TAG) welcomed artist Mark Heffley to campus today. An artist and climber, Mark uses retired climbing ropes to create art. Climbing rope is generally used for 3 to 5 years before being discarded for safety reasons. Mark uses the rope to create tables, chairs, coasters, and art to hang on walls. In the 10 years since he started his art, he has used 30,300 feet of discarded climbing rope, equal to about 5.75 miles. After hosting an all-school assembly in which he described his art and process, Mark worked with fifth graders in art class as they designed an item that could be created with climbing rope.

Tenacre’s Term 3 Student Council held its first meeting during lunch today—a group of sixth graders and the three faculty advisors discussed the leadership roles sixth graders would take on. Sixth Graders are assigned the responsibility of being co-presidents, treasurers, secretaries, and school reporters for their “term in office.” The Term 3 group will focus on a global organization to support and begin brainstorming ideas next week when fourth and fifth graders join the meetings. Starting at next week’s meeting, all Student Council participants will have the opportunity to offer suggestions for potential projects and how to organize, advertise, and implement them. 

Happy New Year and welcome back! We hope everyone had a relaxing break. We are thrilled to have Tenacre students back on campus.