News

This morning, Tenacre hosted artist Arisa Boit, whose work is currently on display at the Tenacre Art Gallery (TAG). For nearly three decades, Arisa has worked as a contemporary artist specializing in smoke and fire as her medium. The Boston-based artist has developed and perfected her distinctive technique of painting with smoke and fire throughout her career. During her visit, Arisa presented an all-school assembly and then led a collaborative project with Tenacre's fourth-grade art students. Each student began by painting on a small square magnetic tile, then passed it to the person on their left. This process continued, with students layering paint and designs onto each tile as it made its way around the group. The completed tiles were arranged on a magnetic wall, creating an interactive installation that allows students to rearrange the pieces to form their own unique patterns.

This morning, sixth graders took the stage before their classmates to deliver one of two historic speeches: Lincoln's Gettysburg Address or Frederick Douglass's "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" The recitations are a cherished element of the Grade 6 social studies curriculum's Civil War unit. Dressed in period attire—think black top hats, white button-down shirts, and black coats—students positioned themselves by the library fireplace to channel either Lincoln or Douglass. This annual tradition has become a highlight that students look forward to with excitement, and its impact endures: many Tenacre alumni can still recite the opening lines years after graduation.

This morning, fifth graders participated in a service project supporting Generic Ministry, a volunteer organization that collects and distributes food, clothing, and supplies to people experiencing homelessness in Boston. Twice weekly, the Ministry's van travels to designated locations throughout the city, personally delivering essential items to help individuals through the night.
 
The fifth graders prepared sandwiches, packed bag lunches, and decorated the bags. Families of fifth-grade students generously donated all the food needed for this project. Tenacre hosts this project twice a year to support the Generic Ministry.

Tenacre’s new playground, completed earlier this week, officially opened today for student use. From swinging and climbing to balancing, sliding, jumping, and spinning, students were eager to explore all the activities the new playground has to offer. The main playground is designed for students in grades 1–6, while a smaller, age-appropriate area serves our pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students.

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.