October 17, 2025
What Sustains Us
A pilot inter-disciplinary program weaves together content, context, and connection. Last fall, 16 Upper School students stepped into a new kind of classroom. While Cary Academy has long championed experiential learning and flexible environments, this was something more—an ambitious, co-developed and co-taught interdisciplinary pilot rooted in curiosity, collaboration, and connection. There were no bells dictating subject shifts, […]
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January 7, 2025
Water Planet
In CA’s Middle School science labs, students don’t merely learn the facts and figures of science. Instead, they transform into engaged scientists, activists, and communicators thanks to an evolving year-long teaching and learning approach that blends classroom science with immersive experiential and social-emotional learning opportunities and equity-minded service. Moving beyond theory to engage with science […]
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November 16, 2023
Uncomfortable Magic
As Service Learning Director, I have the unique honor of helping push our students outside the comfort of our familiar school environment and into the wider world. Time and time again, I have seen firsthand the incredible learning and self-discovery these uncomfortable and unfamiliar moments often yield. Consider: a spark of unexpected human connection with […]
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November 2, 2023
Beyond the Walls
Last month, at our second Upper School Town Hall of the year, students and faculty trooped into the Theater, ushered in by faculty and the sounds of one of the students playing piano. Once all were seated, we heard from various student groups; they asked for service project volunteers, shared updates for class spirit points, and […]
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October 26, 2023
Supporting Our Students in Times of Crisis
On Tuesday, we held our second lockdown drill of the school year. It is a shame that we have to spend time worrying about gun violence at school, but the risk in this day and age is too significant to treat lightly. Interestingly, we only began practicing lockdowns monthly at the suggestion of our Upper […]
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October 19, 2023
Time Well Spent
It is perhaps a (deceptively) simple question: How is your relationship with time? I mulled over this question after reading a chapter called “Generosity with Time” in Chris Balme’s Finding the Magic in Middle Schools. As someone who teaches in middle school but lives with teenagers of various ages—especially older ones—I found it resonant, offering […]
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October 5, 2023
A Taste of the Arts
You’ve seen the emails. Maybe you’ve purchased tickets for a show. Perhaps you’ve visited the silent auction and checked out the raffle item. But what is A Taste of the Arts? Our fall community-building events have one primary goal: to foster a sense of connection amongst our families, students, employees, and community partners. That might […]
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September 21, 2023
Mission Critical
As Director of Equity and Community Engagement, my CCE team and I are in unique positions, holding enviable front-row seats to student discovery and growth. Whether helping a student to create a club, develop a product, build a car, or start a nonprofit, it is our privilege to facilitate opportunities and partner in ways that […]
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August 24, 2023
Innovation on Vacation
Have you ever wondered what our teachers are up to during their summer breaks? Each year, many CA faculty spend their well-deserved summer vacation on professional development opportunities that translate their interests into incredible learning opportunities for our students—in the classroom and beyond. Cary Academy offers two major grant programs to support the professional development […]
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