News

Tenacre is hosting an Animal Rescue League Community Drive this month to collect new supplies for shelter animals. As part of this effort, second graders made cat toys during tech class this week. Working in the Design Center's woodshop, students used the drill press to bore holes in wooden dowels, then cut fabric strips and attached them to the dowels with leather cord. And voilà—an entertaining toy for cats!

Fifth graders teams kicked off the basketball season this week. Both the boys’ and girls’ teams have two wins. 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. The sixth-grade basketball teams have their first games next week.

Students in grades 2–6 were inspired this morning by author Katie Wood, who spoke to the group about the importance of gratitude in daily life. Wood is the author of A Simple Seed: Of Growth, Gratitude & Giggles, a daily journal to help students focus on mindset, interpersonal connections, and social-emotional well-being. Wood spoke about the importance of focusing on the positive, practicing gratitude daily, being kind to others, and believing in oneself.

Yesterday, third- and fourth-grade students from Tenacre and The Chestnut Hill School gathered at The Chestnut Hill for a day of community-building. Partnering with the organization Letters of Love, students created cards for children hospitalized with chronic illnesses. Students worked in small, mixed-school groups, each led by Tenacre and Chestnut Hill teachers. They wrote messages, in English and Spanish, of hope, empathy, and kindness for patients at nearly 60 children’s hospitals. In addition, the fourth graders decorated bags for the Newton Food Pantry.

Fifth graders brought their symbols to life this week using the printing press. In art class, students explored Adinkra cloth and learned about the meanings and cultural significance of its symbols from West Africa. In Tech class, students created designs with simple shapes in Adobe Illustrator. Those digital designs were then laser-cut into wooden stamps. This week, students used their custom-made stamps to create colorful prints, transforming their sketches into finished pieces of art.

Happy New Year! It's wonderful to have Tenacre students back on campus. We hope everyone enjoyed the break and is ready for a great start to 2026.