Fall 2025 Overnight Trips are in the books! It was three days and two nights of working on paddling, climbing and campcraft skills, hiking and enjoying campfires, building stronger relationships with classmates and teachers, and learning lessons of resilience that inevitably arise in the outdoors. Whether on a river trip to the Tuckaseegee, Nantahala, or […]
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By Elizabeth Douglas, Director of Admission & Communication We were thrilled to welcome back several FBRA alumni to speak at our annual “High School Night” on October 6, 2025. Current FBRA families left the event inspired by our articulate graduates who shared about their transition to high school, what their respective high schools offer, and
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While teachers and students enjoy a much-needed summer break, the work of FBRA continues during the “off” months of June, July, and August. From construction projects to summer camps to professional development, summer 2025 has provided a time for us to keep our community engaged and energized. Summer Construction Projects That beautiful slab at our
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By Tricia Chan, Girls Program Director “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” Eleanor Roosevelt Twice each year after a fall of paddling and a winter of skiing, we shift into what we lovingly call “Place-Based Learning Season.” This is when our field lessons get even
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By Felix Dowsley, Boys Program Director I’m writing on behalf of Will Yeiser, Tricia Chan, and our staff to celebrate our triumphant return to paddling this week. I want to especially thank Nora Randolph and David Clarke for their tireless planning and strategizing to get us back out there safely. We are also grateful to
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At French Broad River Academy, every student travels to Costa Rica each of the three years they are at the middle school for this incredible immersion experience. Each year’s trip builds on the prior one and is in a different area of the country. Year in and year out, the Costa Rica trip is what
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By Stiles Rockey, FBRA Girls Dean of Students At French Broad River Academy, advisory groups play a crucial role in fostering a sense of community and connection among middle school students. These groups, which bring together students from various grade levels, provide a unique opportunity for cross-grade connections that help build strong relationships throughout the
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The story of the beautiful new river mural at FBRA’s South Campus began last September. In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s devastating impact, the need for quick, organized relief was urgent. As communities in Western North Carolina scrambled to rebuild, two organizations quickly stepped in to make a difference: the French Broad River Academy (FBRA)
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On a very sunny and warm December 19, 2024, FBRA community stakeholders gathered to celebrate groundbreaking on French Broad River Academy’s South Campus, soon to serve as permanent home for the FBRA Girls Program. All Star Speaker Line Up Girls Program Director Tricia Chan shared what this new building will mean for the FBRA Girls
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By Felix Dowsley, Boys Program Director When I stepped on stage at the Orange Peel with Staff Rock as a first year FBRA teacher, I was keenly aware that I was treading in the footsteps of legends. Ms. Lauren Hill had stood behind these very curtains! Bob Dylan had mused on this same backstage couch!
Music Class as Character Education? Read More »