Fifteen years ago, Lara found a welcoming home at Fay, beginning her journey as an Upper School English teacher and Director of Residential Life, living in the dorms with her husband, Mike. Lara and Mike eventually moved into a campus house, where their family grew to include their son, Myles, and later, their daughter, Maisie. While her roots were in the Upper School, Lara quickly found her calling guiding Fay's sixth graders. Today, whether she is teaching reading and writing in her classroom or coaching 5-6 girls lacrosse and soccer, Lara makes it her mission to pay forward the warm welcome she found at Fay. As a teacher and coach, she intentionally builds tight-knit, supportive environments where students feel encouraged to take risks and grow. We chatted with Lara recently about what she loves about teaching sixth grade, her empathy for reluctant readers, and growing alongside her students at Fay.

It's such a year of change; their bodies and minds are changing, they're learning more about the world and themselves, and they're starting to think more abstractly. It's this magical time of, wow, things are coming together! Like all of us, sixth graders make lots of mistakes, and I love helping students through that because it's part of learning, and it makes us better, stronger, and more flexible. We can have epic fails, and they can be really beautiful learning opportunities. The other amazing aspect of sixth graders is that they are natural leaders. There's a strong sense of justice to this age group. They care about the world, they care about other people, and they want to do the right thing—even if they don't always do it! They want to do it.

We spend a considerable amount of time in the fall establishing classroom routines because, regardless of what's happening in the outside world, we can control how we treat and support each other. If we're going to grow in different ways and test out new ideas, this needs to be a safe place to do that.

As a kid, I loved making, writing, and listening to stories, but I wasn't a great reader. It took me a while to find out who I was as a reader and discover different genres. Now, we have such incredible Young Adult (YA) books that can tap into any interest, but there weren't always books that grabbed me at that age. I obviously love reading now and strive to share that passion with my students!

The book that I stick with the most is Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk. It feels like the perfect way to culminate the year, because it's about empowerment, finding your voice, and recognizing that your actions—what you say and what you do—really matter. It's the right book for the students at this moment in their lives. I think that's also why the interdisciplinary Transforming Our World unit is one of my favorites. I love reading and writing because they're a way for me to help students feel they can move into the world and be empowered, active citizens. I want them to have a tool set that allows them to speak up about the issues they care about and be articulate.

Absolutely! I believe in goal setting and building community, and I think a team is the perfect place to do both. Each player is working on their individual skills, supporting their teammates' development, and then helping us grow as a team. Additionally, building those relationships is important. If I coach students in fifth grade and then teach them in sixth grade, that starts a relationship that continues. The reverse is also true. Sometimes, developing that relationship in the classroom can really help when I coach them on the field.

The hype for the Lower School Dodgeball Tournament brings palpable joy to the division. Each year, the team names are hilarious and showcase our creativity. Connecting with my colleagues playfully also strengthens our relationships, giving us opportunities to show our competitive sides while modeling teamwork, good sportsmanship, and mutual respect for our students. Whenever we can all have fun together, it's just the best.

Something I love about teaching is that I'm always learning. For example, this is probably the seventh or eighth year I've taught Wolf Hollow, and every time I do, a student says something I hadn't thought about before. I cherish those moments and intentionally pause to acknowledge them to the students, so they can see me learning as well. It's a reminder that learning is a lifelong journey.