Friends Connection
School for Friends is a member of the Friends Council on Education, founded in 1931 and "celebrating four centuries of Friends education". The Council has 81 member schools in 21 states with 20,600 students, 4,560 faculty and staff and 1,190 trustees/board members. It includes 14 nursery schools, 37 elementary schools, 19 preschools, 10 secondary schools (7-12 and 9-12) and eight boarding schools.
School for Friends is also a founding member of eight area Friends Schools located in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC.
School for Friends is a Quaker school that follows a conscious approach to instilling Quaker values in our children, contributing to a more just, compassionate society. The School is a member of the Friends Council on Education, a national Friends organization that advises and provides consulting services to Quaker schools. It has also joined with the seven other Friends Schools in the area to form the Mid-Atlantic Friends Schools of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.
Our Origin and History
- The Board of Trustees business is conducted in the manner of Friends.
- Our founders were neighborhood parents and members of Friends Meeting of Washington.
- Half the members of the Board of Trustees that guide our school are Friends.
Our Connection with Friends Meeting of Washington
- Friends Meeting of Washington nominates four to five Members of the Meeting to the School for Friends Board of Trustees.
- Our school has a spiritual connection with Friends Meeting of Washington through events promoting Quaker values, frequent interaction between parents and members, and parent attendance at Meeting for Worship.
- School for Friends hosts an annual 'simple meal' event in order to celebrate our connection and thank Friends Meeting of Washington for their support.
Our Curriculum
- For nearly 25 years, our curriculum has reflected the Quaker values of cooperation, equality, and nonviolence.
- Our developmental program focuses on helping children respect others, solve problems together, resolve conflicts peacefully, think independently and make choices.
- Our school community consciously reflects and supports our larger community, another important Quaker value-each classroom takes on a community service project each year.
- Our community is diverse in terms of race/ethnicity, religion, nationality, family structure, and income level.
Our Teacher Training
- School for Friends' Teachers are valued resources whom we invest in through informal training on Quaker beliefs/values and formal training sessions organized by Friends Council on Education and Mid-Atlantic Friends Schools.
- The Director maintains active links to other Friends schools.
Our Daily Moment of Silence
- Twice a day, all our children as a group observe a moment of silence for 1 to 6 minutes. This stems from the silent Quaker Meeting for Worship, and brings the peace and reflection of that practice into the classroom.
- Twice a month our older children from ages 3.5 to 5, observe a group meeting for worship for 15-20 minutes followed by a meaningful story and sharing time on a theme that mirrors Quaker values.