Featured News
Date Range
-
Filter by Tag
- All
- action research
- Anniversary
- Assciate Director
- be examples
- Board of Directors
- Celebration
- Climate Activists
- Connectivity
- COVID
- Education
- Educator
- election
- ENTQ
- Environmental Education
- Equality
- Equity
- Friends Council on Education
- Friends school leadership
- George Fox
- Head of School
- Healthcare
- History
- IELFS
- Independent Schools
- Leadership
- Leadership Institute
- Letting Their lives Speak
- Meeting for Worship
- Music
- National Voice
- Parker Palmer
- Peace
- Peer Networks
- Poetry
- professional development
- Quaker Education
- Quakerism
- Quaker Students
- Quaker Youth
- QYLC
- racial justice
- racial literacy
- Resources for Schools
- Respect
- Road we are traveling
- Social Justice
- Sources of Light
- systemic racism
- Testimony
- Trustees
- Walk cheerfully
- YOUTH
![QuakerEd Reads Feb 13]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1598278618/friendscouncilorg/siloh2pkwdwvpqmz0mlu/qedreads.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1598278618/friendscouncilorg/siloh2pkwdwvpqmz0mlu/qedreads.jpg","width":440}])
![Native American Heritage Month]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1764967153/friendscouncilorg/t7qtqz2fxtgqo8n4fgrc/amerhermoththumb.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1764967153/friendscouncilorg/t7qtqz2fxtgqo8n4fgrc/amerhermoththumb.png","width":440}])
In the spirit of continuing revelation, we are lifting up and celebrating Cultural Heritage months, amplifying voices that seem underrepresented in our conversations. The thread of pluralism harkens back to the early days of Quakerism and underscores the Equality and Community testimonies in the daily life of our schools today.
We encourage and support students, teachers, parents, and other members of the school community in:
- Affirming all identities, celebrating the Light in each of us.
- Learning about people’s experiences that might be similar to or different from our own.
- Connecting to our inner voice, seeking empathy, understanding, and paths toward kindness, inclusivity, and social justice.
- Making room for young hearts and minds to find their people and their place.
In this message, you will find:
- Queries to spark your reflection and discussion within your communities.
- Resources and additional information.
- A spotlight that illustrates how one of our schools is immersing students into an aspect of cultural heritage.
![QuakerEd Reads Dec 5]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1764967679/friendscouncilorg/eperh0abochbkkhsybxb/qedreads440.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1764967679/friendscouncilorg/eperh0abochbkkhsybxb/qedreads440.png","width":440}])
![Welcome New Heads of Friends Schools in 2025-2026]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1756295975/friendscouncilorg/bwtdxfcet1mih3pvcvba/newheads2526.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1756295975/friendscouncilorg/bwtdxfcet1mih3pvcvba/newheads2526.png","width":440}])
Join Friends Council in a warm welcome to 12 educators who stepped into new positions as heads of school or co-clerks this summer.
Some of these new heads are longtime champions of Quaker education, bringing a deep history of service across multiple Friends schools. One of the heads is a graduate of Friends Council's Institute for Engaging Leadership in Friends Schools. Others are new to the Friends school network, yet bring a strong alignment with Quaker principles and practices along with their wealth of experience in a host of educational settings.
Although their journey to headship varies, all these new heads share a common joy: fostering a learning environment that nurtures individual growth while holding collective responsibility for being in community as well as seeking equity and justice.
We are grateful to each of these new heads for assuming a very public leadership role within what might be characterized as a counter-culture institution. Their courage and vision are especially meaningful during these dynamic and complex times.
Although their journey to headship varies, all these new heads share a common joy: fostering a learning environment that nurtures individual growth while holding collective responsibility for being in community as well as seeking equity and justice.
We are grateful to each of these new heads for assuming a very public leadership role within what might be characterized as a counter-culture institution. Their courage and vision are especially meaningful during these dynamic and complex times.
![Equality Testimony]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1740152831/friendscouncilorg/gzlkwkhp6tez07fyiyhl/equality.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1740152831/friendscouncilorg/gzlkwkhp6tez07fyiyhl/equality.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1740152831/friendscouncilorg/gzlkwkhp6tez07fyiyhl/equality.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1740152831/friendscouncilorg/gzlkwkhp6tez07fyiyhl/equality.png","width":919}])
![Friends schools stand for something]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1731008822/friendscouncilorg/xxh05lyejkf5qppengsw/colorleafSMOOTH440.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1731008822/friendscouncilorg/xxh05lyejkf5qppengsw/colorleafSMOOTH440.png","width":440}])
![Peace is the Way]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1728323102/friendscouncilorg/y03treunglahsq5g8uud/peacway.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1728323102/friendscouncilorg/y03treunglahsq5g8uud/peacway.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1728323102/friendscouncilorg/y03treunglahsq5g8uud/peacway.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1728323102/friendscouncilorg/y03treunglahsq5g8uud/peacway.png","width":919}])
Drew Smith recognizes the new heads of school joining our Quaker school community this fall. “Welcome one and all! We are confident that your leadership and vision will help guide our schools in nurturing the intellectual and moral development of their students. We look forward to the creativity, compassion, and wisdom that you bring to your new roles, and we are excited to witness the impact you will make in shaping the future of our schools.” These new heads are leading schools located on both the East and West coasts, in the Midwest and in the Southeast. We are pleased to note that one is a graduate of Friends Council’s Institute for Engaging Leadership.
Join us in extending greetings to these eight new heads/interim heads. Share how important the connectivity of this community has been to you and encourage them to reach out to the Friends school network to enrich their experience.