School Hours
7:45AM - 3:45PM | M, Tu, Th, F
7:45AM - 2PM | W
Students are asked to be in school by 7:45AM and between 7:45 - 8AM should go to their classroom. Students are marked tardy if they arrive after 8AM. Students are welcome to play on the FMA playground starting at 7:30AM on school days. On rainy days, students may wait in the school cafeteria in the basement.
Hot Breakfast
Served in the cafeteria between 7:30AM and 7:45AM. Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and SCALE classrooms are served breakfast in their classroom.
- Late arrivals between 7:45AM and 8AM will receive a prepackaged cold breakfast.
- Students arriving after 8AM will receive a grab-and-go cold breakfast with milk when they pick up their tardy pass and proceed to class.
Inclement Weather
Students will be allowed to come into the cafeteria starting at 7:30AM. Lead teachers will pick up their students from the cafeteria at 7:45AM. Students coming in after 7:45AM will be allowed to eat in the cafeteria and be sent to class by 8AM. The procedure for tardy students will remain the same.
Absenteeism and Tardy
If your child must be absent from school, please call Linda, the school clerk, before 8AM at 617.349.6588.
(Please always inform the main office of absences even when you text/email the teacher.)
If students are tardy or need to be dismissed early from school, please provide a written explanation to the FMA office and alert your child’s teacher. Many teachers communicate with parents via email or text. Please ask your teacher how to contact them.
FMA Attendance and Tardy
Caregivers and students are reminded that Massachusetts law requires compulsory attendance for students. As a result, FMA discourages families from taking vacations when school is in session. In addition to compromising the attendance requirements, vacations when school is in session interrupt the educational process for children in ways that make-up will not remedy.
Tardiness
We ask parents and caregivers to please make every effort to help your child arrive at school on time. Students arriving after 8AM are marked tardy. If you know your child will be tardy, please report it to the main office 617.349.67588 or homeroom teacher as early as possible. *Students are marked tardy when they arrive after 8AM.
Absences
Students should be reported absent by a parent/guardian/caregiver. Please call the main office to report a student absence (617.349.6588). If the call does not come in before 8AM, the parent/guardian/caregiver will be notified via an automatic phone call informing them of their child’s absence. These “robo-calls” go out around 9:30AM. If you get a call that your child is absent and you know it is an error, please call the main office at (617.349.6588).
Parents who pick up their children should pick them up on the playground outside of the FMA main entrance.
Extended Day
The 8-hour school day allows students to receive instruction in a wide range of subjects, including Spanish, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, & Math), and Choice Time courses. FMA has strong community partnerships with Harvard City Step and Lesley University to support these exciting learning opportunities.
Parking
Parking around FMA is limited, but there are a few spots reserved for pick-up and drop-off during carpool right in front of the school on Harvard St. Parents who drive also often find parking on Boardman St., which is parallel to Windsor St., or further down Harvard St. near Izzy’s Park.