Name: Maria Averza
Interests/Extracurriculars of Your Child: Jazmin loves Art especially drawing, skiing, sports and being out in nature, all of which FBRA provides during her middle school years. Jazmin has also participated in theatre, voice lessons, mountain biking and playing Magic the Gathering: new activities that she explored at FBRA, discovering a differnt side of preferences and abilities. She has practiced piano and formed different roles in her band at FBRA. Jazmin is curious, loves exploring new environments and travelling, and learning about other cultures. She occasionally practices British style horseback riding lessons as she is passionate about animals and has many pets at home! Jazmin especially values connection and social interactions and therefore cherishes her friendships at school and outside of school! We are thrilled that Jazmin has grown to enjoy and be enthusiastic about her Science classes at FBRA and has set her goal to thrive academically while having fun. People can observe how lively she becomes when talking about her education and experiences at FBRA.
About You: “FBRA – redefining middle school” is what caught our eye when we were shopping for a middle school for our daughter. We were researching a different kind of school, especially for this important age in a child’s development. As Jazmin’s parents (as well as mental health counselors), we priortize education on all levels. We strongly value the impact her education will have on her young life and beyond. Otherwise, education is partial, senseless and an accumlation of missed opportunities during a long phase of a person’s life. Jazmin has always attended private schools (different ones) from Montessori to experiential to Christian ones. Our experience at other schools was that they significantly lacked in several areas that promoted forming an individual on all the other levels besides ‘only academics.’
A well-rounded life is handcrafted by all the activities and experiences that a child encounters. Schools have a major impact on their growing minds and bodies, since they are at school for many hours each day and for most days of the year. Parents need assistance in sculpting their children for the world “out there” as well as their futures. We desired a school that could meet the crucial needs of a young child by offering real world opportunities in order to grow and help mold their social, emotional and experiential learning in a positive and supporting manner. FBRA offers this very much needed type of education through teaching, practicing and implementing skills that allow youth to discover who they are, thrive and be happy in life.
From the school tour to the current time, we have been impressed with the flip education system (shift in perspective of how to learn), the nature based field lessons (where the theoretical becomes practical), and the staff (actively) helping with the ‘road bumps’ on the students’ middle school journey. FBRA overextends education in other qualities that make them unique, such as their professional skillset on “taboo subjects” that most schools avoid and/or ban (i.e. menstural cycles, drug education, life skills, etc). These are, for us, key to what FBRA stands for. This is a school where you can learn the deeper lessons of life: discover abilities, strategies, preferences; have healthy social connections; tolerate and face challenges: being kind and respectful of eac hother; skills that enhance professionalism, and so many other abstract values put into action through the many experiences the students endure. This, alongside daily/weekly structured and intentional lesson plans and routines. We need more schools like this one due to its unique offerings that help form a human being at a precious time in their life cycle!
In a nutshell: FBRA reflects the old saying: “It takes a village to raise a child.”
They are our village!