FLEX Friday 

Dear TEA Families,

As previously shared and reflected in our new weekly schedules, TEA's traditional academic schedule will end at 12:30 p.m. on Fridays, following our All-School Community Lunch. This change creates dedicated weekly professional development time for faculty while maintaining a full day of enriching opportunities for students.

Students may leave at 12:30 p.m., however they are encouraged to stay through 3:00 p.m. to participate in Flex Fridays, our new all-school Friday afternoon program offered at no additional cost to families.

Depending on their grade level, students will have opportunities for adventure and enrichment, academic support, internships, leadership, and connection. Our goal is to make this time purposeful and distinctly TEA, while also giving students greater choice in how they spend their Friday afternoons.

For PreK Students | Regular School Day: PreK students will continue with their regular school day in their classroom, ending at 3:00 p.m. Their Friday schedule and programming will remain consistent with the rest of their school week.

For Students in Grades K–3 | Adventure & Enrichment: Students in grades K–3 who remain on campus after Community Lunch will participate in Adventure & Enrichment, which may include on- and off-campus experiences such as hiking, sports, outdoor skills, land stewardship, creative pursuits, faculty-led passion projects, and other adventures. Activities and groupings will be designed to be age-appropriate.

For Students in Grades 4–8 | Choose Your Own Adventure: Students will have the opportunity to choose between:

Adventure & Enrichment — On- and off-campus experiences that might include hiking, sports, outdoor skills, land stewardship, creative pursuits, faculty-led passion projects, and other adventures.

Or 

Study Hall & Academic Support — A structured space to complete assignments, get organized, work ahead, or receive academic support.

Students in grades 4–8 will make their Friday selection with their Crew Leader on Mondays, allowing us to plan staffing and programming for the week.

For Students in Grades 9-12 | Choose Your Own Adventure

Students in High School will have the opportunity to participate in various Leadership Internships

As part of our commitment to developing authentic leadership and stewardship within our school community, High School students will now complete 20 TEA Leadership Hours each year —approximately 8 Friday afternoons— giving back to our communiTEA.

Students may earn these hours by contributing meaningfully to the TEA community through opportunities such as mentoring younger students, supporting Flex Friday adventures or Study Hall, leading clubs or activities, helping with Lower School or aftercare, participating in land stewardship, supporting school events, and other leadership opportunities. 

Flex Fridays is one of several ways High School students can complete their TEA Leadership Hours. Kathleen Ruffle will support students in identifying and carrying out meaningful leadership opportunities and will help track their hours throughout the year. Each Monday, High School students will also check in with their Crew Leaders to share their plans for the upcoming Friday and ensure they make purposeful use of their time. 

More information about the TEA Leadership Hours will be shared with students during crew and with parents during Back-to-School Night.

Help Us Prepare!

We'd love to better understand how your family plans to use Flex Fridays throughout the year. Please complete this brief Flex Friday Family Survey. Your responses will help us anticipate participation, staffing, student interests, and seasonal changes. (NOTE: If you have more than one child,  please fill out a separate form for each of your children.) 

We are excited to create another opportunity for students to explore, connect, receive support, and contribute to our community.

Warmly,

TEA Leadership