With this e-newsletter, Friends Council on Education seeks to provide a wide variety of news and information about what's happening in the world of Friends education. Our hope is to share out stories from our member schools as well as news about Friends Council on Education's own activities. In addition to stories about our schools, we'll spotlight Friends school educators and alumni "letting their lives speak" as peacemakers, agents of change, leaders is social justice and equity, leaders in environmental sustainabilty and more.
We hope you enjoy it and we welcome your feedback.
We welcome submissions of Friends education news to news@friendscouncil.org. To discuss a story idea, call us at Friends Council at 215-241-7245.
Love and enthusiasm abounded for Friends Council and our work “keeping the Q in Quaker education” as we hosted over 100 guests for our Spring 2019 Annual Meeting. Educators and friends of Friends education gathered for food and fellowship, farewells to outgoing Board members, acknowledgement of our Evergreen Circle of Friends, the executive director’s report and the graduation of the 2017-2019 cohort of the Institute for Engaging Leadership in Friends Schools.
Heads of Friends schools peer network gathering is one of the many ways Friends Council strives to keep the Q in Quaker Education. Each spring and fall, we bring together heads of Friends schools from all over the country to learn and explore ideas old and new and explore the unique joys and challenges of leading in a Friends school.
How do Friends school educators work with students to use Quaker-based decision making? This was the topic of exploration during our recent Quaker-Based Decision Making with Students workshop. Co-clerks Margaret Haviland and Betsy Swan brought together great minds and energy to "workshop" ideas for launching Meeting for Business and for improving existing programs in Friends schools. The day included a panel of educators sharing their work with Quaker-based decision making and exploring the queries, "Why do we value this way of working together?" and "What is its relevance to helping student engage beyond the walls of the school?" The panel included Betsy Swan and Margaret Haviland, Westtown School; Ellen Johnson, Wilmington Friends school; and Kiri Harris of Greene Street Friends School. As part of this workshop, educators met in small groups by division level as well as by school to address queries and brainstorm. Visit our Friends Council Facebook page here for more photos.
Our "Keeping the Q in Quaker Challenge" is underway and gaining momentum. Help us reach our goal of growing our pool of Friends Council supporters. New donors and individuals whose giving has lapsed since June 2017 can give now and have their donation matched dollar-for-dollar.
Questions about how the challenge works?
If you have not yet supported our Friends Council Annual Fund, now is the time to become a new donor!
Friends Council’s Early Childhood Educators Peer Network took place this month at Pendle Hill to explore "hot topics" such as the importance of outdoor education, balancing academic work and play, and using mindfulness practices with very young children. The group viewed the Mr. Rogers film "Won't You Be My Neighbor" and engaged in discussion about how to these approaches might enhance their classroom practices. Shown here are early childhood educators sharing Meeting for Worship practices that work with young ones. This peer network was clerked by Lisa Dainton of Media Providence Friends School and Kathi Hajjar and Mingh Whitfield of Lansdowne Friends School and included visits to both schools.
Friends Council was proud to support Friends Select School's April 17 event, “A Conversation about White Fragility” with Robin DiAngelo and Jack Hill. The Worship Room of the Race Street Meetinghouse was filled to capacity for the event, so much so that the event was live streamed to Friends Select’s auditorium. The evening included talking frankly and openly about race, racism, white fragility, and the work white people need to do around their own racism and the racist systems we live in. Friends Council head of early childhood and elementary schools attended the event as the kick off for their three-day heads retreat.
Middle School students at State College Friends School have created a mural, entitled "Until All of Us Are Free," in honor of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. and dedicated to those who have lost their lives as we continue to fight for civil rights for all. The students were moved to create this piece to bring attention to disparity and injustice. The mural has had a greater impact on the community than originally anticipated and the school is now working to stabilize and digitalize the image so that it can be shared locally, regionally and nationally. Learn more about the mural and news coverage here and here.
On April 11, the Upper School Leadership class at Moorestown Friends School had a visit from Diane Randall, Executive Secretary of the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL). Diane spoke to students about her role as a leader and a lobbyist for the Quaker non-profit, what it means to be a non-partisan Quaker lobbyist, how she leads in her role with FCNL, and how Quaker practices tie into both her leadership and work. Read more about Diane's visit to MFS here.
Friends School Baltimore administrator Cynthia Barney is studying the effects of mindfulness on stress hormones in children. Cynthia is Lower School Assistant Principal for grades 1-5 and is in the doctoral program in educational leadership at Notre Dame of Maryland University. For her dissertation, Cynthia has designed a study to measure the effects of mindfulness training on stress hormone levels in children ages 5 to 8. And she is doing it all at Friends. Read more about Cynthia's work here.
Sunday April 28, 2019, 4pm - “An Afternoon with Dr. Philip McAdoo” at the historic Arch Street Meeting House in Philadelphia (320 Arch Street).
Come join Friends Select and George School for “An Afternoon with Dr. Philip McAdoo.” Educator and activist Philip McAdoo is a former Broadway actor and author of the recently-released book Independent Queers. This book is a culmination of the work that Dr. McAdoo has done with LGBTQ teachers of all grade levels over his career. He shares the stories of over 35 educators. We invite you to view the attached flyer and RSVP here by April 25, 2019. Please alert Toni Graves Williamson (tonigw@friends-select.org) or Marcus Ingram (mingram@georgeschool.org) of your questions. We hope to see you later this month!
Friday May 3, 2019 - Bridge Film Festival Judges' Choice Awards presentation and 20th Anniversary Celebration at Brooklyn Friends School. Register here by April 26.
Inspired by 16 year old Swedish youth climate activist Greta Thunberg, young people around the globe participated in a Global Climate Strike on March 15th and Friends school students were among them, including students from Friends Select School, William Penn Charter, Cambridge Friends School and Media Providence Friends School. READ MORE
One of the many ways Friends Council is “Keeping the Q in Quaker Education” is through our Educators New to Quakerism (ENTQ) workshop. Friends Council has been expanding this professional development offering in areas across the country. This year Friends Council offered our first ever ENTQ two-day workshop on the West Coast. Hosted by San Francisco Friends School (SFFS), over twenty educators engaged in discussions about testimonies, Meeting for Worship, and Quaker pedagogy. In addition, Drew Smith and Deborra Sines Pancoe held a Quaker decision making workshop for SFFS faculty and staff.
While Drew and Deborra were at San Francisco Friends School (SFFS) for ENTQ, the school kindly hosted An Evening with Friends Council reception for friends and supporters of FCE. Friends Council was thrilled to connect with our West Coast friends - old and new. At left are SFFS board member Amy Baker and former SFFS board member Harold (Koof) Kalkstein who currently serves on the board of Greene Street Friends School.
June Programs
June 13-16, 2019 Friends Association of Higher Education Conference @Swarthmore College and Pendle Hill
Open to ALL FRIENDS SCHOOL EDUCATORS AND BOARD MEMBERS.
Theme: Truth and Inspiration. For more details.
June 18 & 19, 2019 – Leading in the Manner of Friends@ Pendle Hill
As the head of High Point Friends School for ten years, David Girardi was able to witness first-hand the impact of Quaker education on young people. “Students were challenged educationally and developed a real sense of self-confidence,” says David. “Being strengthened spiritually through Meetings for Worship and a supportive Quaker environment helped each student to become a more mature, caring and involved person.”
It is for that reason that David continues to support Quaker education through philanthropic support of Friends Council on Education. Of particular importance to David is Friends Council’s National Friends Education Fund which provides tuition aid support for Quaker children to attend Friends schools across the country.
David is one of many donors who have stepped up to support National Friends Education Fund. He has made multiple contributions over the past five years that have been matched by our ongoing matching challenge to donors. Read our full profile about David Girardi here.
Upper School students at William Penn Charter School responded to the mass shooting in New Zealand by gathering for Meeting for Worship, remembrance, and discussion. According to Penn Charter's news story, "members of the Upper School Peace, Justice, and Social Change class worked to develop community responses, including a poster for people to leave messages to the victims, or to pause in remembrance." Students gathered in silence to consider student generated queries and made cards to send to families affected by the attack. Lee Payton, assistant director of the Upper School and a Friends Council Board member, was quoted in the article. "There is no question that these are challenging times of tension and strife in our nation and in the world. . . .As we move forward, let us be guided by the words of William Penn: 'Let us then try what Love will do.'" Read Penn Charter's news article here.
Media Providence Friends School has appointed their next head of school, Jon Hall, Ed.D., effective July 1, 2019. Jon succeeds Earl Sissell, a Friends Council Board member, who has served as head of school at MPFS since 2009-2010.
Dozens of middle and high school groups have come to Friends Committee on National Legislation's (FCNL) Quaker Welcome Center for lobby training to learn how to organize and advocate for reform and gun violence prevention, according to Sarah Holtsclaw Program Assistant, Quaker Outreach FCNL. Sarah shares that “Every group has expressed anxiety about the threat of mass shootings and gun violence. After training, many go on to share these concerns with their members of Congress.” Included among student groups recently were students from Friends School Mullica Hill and Abington Friends School.
Friends School of Wilmington in Wilmington, NC broke ground on phase one of Building Friends, its campus unification project on Wednesday March 27th. New Hanover County Commissioner Rob Zapple and Wilmington City Council Member Paul Lawler both spoke on the historic occasion. Singer LaRaisha Dionne, accompanied by Clyde Edgerton, sang “How Can I Keep From Singing” leading guests into a moment of reflection prior to shovels in the ground.
“Friends Council on Education is thrilled to learn of Friends School Wilmington’s groundbreaking and this important step in creating a permanent home in southeastern North Carolina, “ says Drew Smith, Executive Director of Friends Council. “It is no small feat for a school to launch and thrive, and it is uplifting to see Friends School Wilmington celebrating its 25th year and moving into the future in such a strong and vibrant way. Friends schools teach students from all walks of life habits of heart and mind so that they may go forth to create a more just and peaceful world and no doubt the communities of southeastern North Carolina are stronger for the presence of Friends School Wilmington. Congratulations to all!”
Phase one will provide improvements to Camellia Lane, a new entrance to FSW’s unified campus and re-engineering of storm water drainage and utilities. “As we begin our 25th year, Friends School of Wilmington is claiming its identity as a model for civil discourse and community engagement and as a permanent force for educational excellence in Wilmington. We believe the world needs passionate life-long learners who act with courage, integrity, and love. Lofty goals often require some steep climbing and, together, we are reaching new heights” commented Friends School of Wilmington’s Head of School Brenda Esch.
Friends education and the focus on quiet reflection through moments of silence and meeting for worship was the focus of a recent GRID Philly article. Featuring Germantown Friends School and Westtown School, the article shared the role and value of silent reflection in the life of Friends schools. Hannah Caldwell Anderson, chief advancement officer at GFS, was quoted in the article, “It’s a very natural and familiar practice for them...."They begin to learn, as soon as they hit this campus, their own relationship to silence and how they might use it in ways that create a connection to an inner light or an inner voice.” Betsy Swan, co-clerk of Westtown School's Spiritual Life Committee was also quoted, as were Friends school students and alumni. Read more.
Executive Director Drew Smith visited the newest Quaker school, International Friends School in Bellevue, Washington. The school is a dual-language immersion school, a first in 330 years of Quaker education in the United States.
Each year Friends school educators have a noteworthy presence at the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Annual Conference. 2019 is no exception! For the second year in a row Friends Council on Education is presenting and we've learned of nine additional workshops featuring Friends school educators (and there may be more)! From workshops on the student experience to leadership and governance, Friends school educators are contributing to the national dialogue on education.
Twenty seven Friends educators from 19 schools came together on Friday, February at Greene Street Friends School (GSFS) to talk about Growing a Future Ready Library. How do we create a library space and culture that prepares our students to be citizens of an increasingly diverse world? As librarians, how do we encourage to students to be engaged in their own learning so they can grow to be problem solvers, change makers, accomplices, and advocates? Erika Snowden, Dean and Learning Support Specialist at GSFS (left), shared her presentation "Using Books as Windows and Mirrors to Support Anti-biased School Culture" and Maggie Chiles talked about using flexible seating in learning spaces. The group enjoyed touring GSFS's new building that provides flexible community space and links old and new spaces in innovative ways. Many thanks to Julia Copeland (Greene Street Friends School) (right) and Allison Frick (Friends Select School) for co-clerking this peer network and to Greene Street Friends School for hosting.
Friends Council on Education took our Educators New to Quakerism (ENTQ) on the road again in February, this time to New York. Mary McDowell Friends School kindly hosted this workshop that gives teachers and staff new to Friends schools the opportunity to explore the Quaker identity of their schools. Through engaging presentations and discussions with seasoned Friends school educators on topics such as Quaker history, beliefs, testimonies, and meeting for worship, participants gain a deeper understanding of the strong spiritual roots of their schools. Schools report that participants return to their communities with a greater understanding of the mission of their schools and renewed energy and enthusiasm for strengthening the Quaker dimension. Many thanks to Mary McDowell Friends School for hosting! The next ENTQ is right around the corner – at San Francisco Friends School in early March!
Friends school alum Kyle Shenandoah, Friends Select School (FSS) Class of 2004, is a community leader, organizer, and social innovator in Philadelphia. Since his graduation from FSS, he's been involved in multiple roles in the City of Philadelphia and within his community of Grays Ferry. In part due to Kyle's advocacy, Grays Ferry has transformed from a place of vacancy and neglect to a neighborhood on the rise of newfound revitalization. Due to Kyle's impact, he has received over 20 awards from the PA legislature, been appointed by the mayor into three positions, won a competitive race for state committee, and recently was selected as a speaker for the upcoming May 2019 TEDx Philadelphia.
June Programs
June 13-16, 2019 Friends Association of Higher Education Conference @Swarthmore College and Pendle Hill
Open to ALL FRIENDS SCHOOL EDUCATORS AND BOARD MEMBERS.
Theme: Truth and Inspiration. For more details.
June 18 & 19, 2019 – Leading in the Manner of Friends@ Pendle Hill
Germantown Friends School - The Story Behind the Mural
Many schools engage in community service on MLK Jr Day of Service and Germantown Friends School (GFS) is no exception. This year, however, it turns out there's a powerful story about Quaker process and queries behind the Lower School's engagement in this annual day of service. Daniel Rouse, second grade teacher and member of the Lower School Quakerism Committee, shared the story about the genesis of the beautiful mural currently adorning the Cary Building Lobby.
Buckingham Friends School - Visioning Day. Over 160 community members representing nine stakeholder groups gathered at Buckingham Friends School (BFS) on January 12, 2019 for a community-wide strategic planning event. Trustees, faculty, students, parents, alumni, alumni parents, former faculty, and F(f)riends came together at Visioning Day to articulate a shared vision for the future of the school. Visioning Day was months in the making and led by the new Head of School, Paul Lindenmaier, and a Strategic Planning Council formed of trustees, faculty, administrators, alumni, and current and past parents. “As an independent school, BFS has the unique opportunity to embark upon a process that will yield a new and shared vision for its future," says Lindenmaier. "Hallmarks of success plans for school are inclusivity, shared responsibility, accountability, evaluation, and on-going planning.” Buckingham Friends School will now finalize and present the new Strategic Plan to the community this year. Learn more here.
George School -Students Awarded for Green Initiatives. The Environmental Stewardship Oversight Committee (ESOC) at George School announced the winners of the 2019 George School Green Initiative Contest. A total of forty-five students entered the contest and submitted twenty-seven proposals.Seven students/student-teams were recently named winners. Read more here.
Quaker Youth Leadership Conference 2019 - Every year students from multiple Friends Schools come together at the Quaker Youth Leadership Conference. What do they do there? See for yourself in this year's QYLC video!
Friends Seminary - Bryan Stevenson as Guest Speaker. In coordination with five other NYC independent schools, Friends Seminary hosted Bryan Stevenson in the Meetinghouse on February 20 2019. Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative and author of Just Mercy, presented an hour-long talk entitled “American Injustice.”
Sunshine O'Donnell, Abington Friends School Middle School English teacher and Award-winning author, has written and illustrated a series of mindfulness books for babies and toddlers for Out Breath Press. The Nesting House stores will be exclusively carrying the first release of Your Vacation on Planet Earth, a board book for babies and toddlers. Sunshine shared, “Your Vacation on Planet Earth was created to welcome new human beings to the planet with love, joy and honesty so that they can learn to become native mindful thinkers.” Read more here.
Saturday, March 2, 2019 Mindfulness practices, nourishing silences, and supportive sharing opportunities to strengthen educators’ work In the classroom at all levels.
March 20-23, 2019, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
The White Privilege Conference (WPC) is designed to examine issues related to diversity, equity, power, privilege, supremacy and more. While exploring and challenging these concepts, WPC offers solutions and team building strategies. This community-driven collaboration provides the foundation and resources necessary to disrupt and (possibly) change systems of oppression. Registration is open and fills up quickly.
Bridge Film Festival - 20th Anniversary!
Deadline for submission is March 15, 2019
Brooklyn Friends School’s Bridge Film Festival is open to all students currently enrolled in a Friends school or who are of Quaker families who have an affiliation with a Friends Meeting or Camp. Each Quaker school and Friends Meeting or Camp may enter one narrative and/or documentary film and/or one public service announcement and/or one new media production per division to the Festival. Learn more here:
2019 Friends Association for Higher Education (FAHE) Conference June 13-16, 2019
FAHE invites you to join teachers, scholars and educational administrators on the beautiful campuses of Swarthmore College and Pendle Hill near Philadelphia, for our annual conference. We will consider the theme “Truth and Inspiration” and other topics of interest to Friends and educators through presentations, panel discussions, and three plenary speakers: Joyce Ajlouny, General Secretary of the American Friends Service Committee; Maurice Eldridge, Vice Chair, The Chester Fund for Education and the Arts and Pendle Hill board member; and Frances Rose Blase, Provost of Haverford College. The conference also offers a disciplinary theme, as we prepare the seventh volume in our "Quakers and the Disciplines" book series. Sessions will address the theme of Quakers, Social Work and Justice Concerns. Conference presentations provide an opportunity to draft an article for inclusion in the volume.
In this collaborative effort, Friends Council’s Associate Director Deborra Sines Pancoe along with Friends Select School’s Director of Equity and Inclusion Toni Graves Williamson, Abington Friends School’s Mary Lynn Ellis, and with support from Ali Michael, Race Institute are co-leading their Community Conversations on Race.
Friends Council on Education offered a professional development workshop entitled “Supporting Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Students: First Steps to An Inclusive Classroom” as part of Haddonfield Friends School’s faculty in-service day in January.
Friends Council continues to offer its well-known program for Educators New to Quakerism at locations across the country. Westtown School hosted a two-day workshop in January 2019. Thirty educators new to eight Friends schools attended this event to learn about Quakerism, the testimonies, Meeting for Worship, Clearness Committees and more. The next location will be the Mary McDowell Friends School in Brooklyn, NY on February 4 – 5, 2019.
February Programs
February 5, 2019- Educators New to Quakerism@ Mary McDowell Friends School, New York City
February 8, 2019 - Librarians Peer Network @ Greene Street Friends School - Growing a Future Ready Library
April Programs
April 8-9, 2019 -Educators New to Quakerism @ Pendle Hill
April 11, 2019 – Dinner for Religious & Spiritual Life Committees in Friends Schools @Lansdowne Friends School. Inspiration and idea sharing with boards and staff who have care of the Quaker Life of our schools! Requires RSVP!
April 11-12, 2019 - Early Childhood Peer Network@ Pendle Hill
April 24, 2019 – New WorkshopUsing Quaker-based Decision-Making with Students @ Friends Center
April 25, 2019–Division Directors and Association Heads Peer Network Gathering@ Friends Select School
March 20-23, 2019, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
The White Privilege Conference (WPC) is designed to examine issues related to diversity, equity, power, privilege, supremacy and more. While exploring and challenging these concepts, WPC offers solutions and team building strategies. This community-driven collaboration provides the foundation and resources necessary to disrupt and (possibly) change systems of oppression. Registration is open and fills up quickly.
MIEN Mindfulness at Haverford College
Saturday, March 2, 2019
Mindfulness practices, nourishing silences, and supportive sharing opportunities to strengthen educators’ work In the classroom at all levels.
Bridge Film Festival - 20th Anniversary!
Deadline for submission is March 15, 2019
Brooklyn Friends School’s Bridge Film Festival is open to all students currently enrolled in a Friends school or who are of Quaker families who have an affiliation with a Friends Meeting or Camp. Each Quaker school and Friends Meeting or Camp may enter one narrative and/or documentary film and/or one public service announcement and/or one new media production per division to the Festival. Learn more here:
6th Annual Student Voices Project Deadline for submission: February 11, 2019
Friends Journal invites middle school and high school students (Quaker and non-Quaker) at Friends schools and also Quaker students in other educational venues to participate in the 6th Annual Student Voices Project. This year's theme is "Friendly Competition?" and students are invited to write about the role of competition in their lives and how Quaker values influence their approach to it. Click the link below for more details.
National Friends Education Fund – Tuition Aid for Quaker Children in Friends Schools Applications available online now.
National Friends Education Fund (NFEF) is a tuition aid fund to support Quaker children in Friends Schools across the country. The fund aims to increase the ability of Quaker families to afford to send their children to Friends schools. Friends Council on Education joins the efforts of families, schools and Monthly Meetings to provide tuition assistance for Quaker families who demonstrate need.
Rolling deadline; Funds still available!
The Ravdin Fund was established as a permanently endowed fund of Friends Council on Education to continue the essential consulting work with small Friends schools in the tradition of Bill Ravdin. Grants to small Friends schools (250 students or fewer) help to provide consultants in the areas of fiduciary responsibility, long-range financial planning, fundraising, and stewardship of financial resources.
Quaker Project Grants Application Deadline: May 1, 2019
Friends Council on Education offers support for creative, student-centered projects that focus on the Quaker testimonies in Friends schools. Friends schools in the United States which are members of Friends Council on Education are eligible to apply for these funds. Two years must elapse after a school receives a grant before it is eligible to apply again. Grant proposals are made by faculty members and administrators and must be approved by the head of school. (link to guidelines)
Sue Thomas Turner Quaker Education Fund Grants Application Deadline: March 1, 2019
Funding to further enhance the understanding and practice of Quaker faith in your school is available through the Sue Thomas Turner Quaker Education Fund (STTQEF) of Baltimore Yearly Meeting. Sue Thomas Turner Quaker Education Fund grants are intended for the following: Materials, lectures and consultants, workshops and retreats, programs and activities to be brought into the school which help to explain Quaker faith and practice to members of the school communities Individuals or groups from the school communities to attend workshops, classes or retreats on Quaker faith and practice and Spiritual developmentThe creation and distribution of materials related to these issues by members of the school communities.
Celeste Payne, science faculty at Westtown School and clerk of Friends Council’s National Voice Work Group, has been reappointed to the Teaching Tolerance Advisory Board for a third two-year term. Teaching Tolerance and the Southern Poverty Law Center are on the leading edge of advocacy work in the fields of equity, inclusion, and social justice. Celeste is one of two to three dozen educators from across the country selected to serve on the TT Board.
“Serving on the board has been an honor and a privilege. One of the things that I have learned is that social justice educators can be found in many places, and I now consider myself a social justice educator. I know that I have served as an example to others in my region of someone who is committed to social justice education even though I don't have an official title that is typically associated with equity work,” says Celeste. “ While I am not a humanities classroom teacher, I find that equity, inclusion, and social justice inform much of the work that I do with colleagues both at my own school as well as with educators at other institutions. A focus of mine has been to draw attention to equity with respect to faculty and administrators, something that continues to be a challenge in independent schools.”
Congratulations on your reappointment, Celeste, and thank you for your work and commitment to equity, inclusion and social justice.
Friends Seminary recently celebrated a decade of being the only independent school in New York to offer Arabic in Grades 5-12 — teaching more than 125 current students and alumni to be proficient in the language. During the School's annual Art of Teaching lecture on December 20, 2018, Friends teachers Nadim Bawalsa, Joseph Sills, Belal Joundeya and Anna Swank Bothwell (former faculty) shared their experiences and motivations in helping build the program. The Arabic program at Friends Seminary was born from the desire to build bridges of peace, to explore, appreciate and respect cultural differences, and to teach students to listen with intent and give back in their own ways. The program offers an eclectic curriculum with a focus on real world scenarios that includes poetry, music, games, and past spring break trips to Morocco, Palestine and Israel, marrying rigorous academics with the aesthetic beauty of Arabic culture.
Friends Schools Take a Day On for MLK Day
Numerous Friends Schools across the country take a Day On for MLK Jr Day of Service. The following are just a few stories shared with us by our Friends Council member schools.
New Garden Friends School
Students of all ages participated in various workshops about the civil rights movement throughout the day that combined art, music and history discussions. The school was featured on WFMY News 2. Check out the video to hear NGFS student perspectives King’s legacy, our society and what needs to happen next in our country.
Media Providence Friends School
On Friday, January 18th, students from preschool through 8th grade at Media-Providence Friends School participated in a full day of special programming in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.. With the words and work of Martin Luther King Jr. at the forefront of everyone’s mind on the annual day of service, MPFS parents Stacey Joseph and Amy Francis created a multifaceted activity that had students focus on the words of Dr. King. Each student chose a word or phrase from a curated list of words that appeared in King’s speeches or was relevant to his work to paint on a rock. Students really enjoyed sharing what words they chose to paint and why. “I chose courage because (Martin Luther King) had a lot of courage to stand up for everyone,” said 7th grade student Eric Merlin. “I chose joy because happiness is a big part of your decisions,” said 6th grader Parker Riess. “I chose honor because Martin Luther King had a lot of honor to do what he did,” said 5th grader Ruby Lane. Jeremy Peyton Jones, a 6th grader, chose the word progress because it reminded him of the Dr. King quote, "If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” The rocks will be spread throughout the wider community, in Media and elsewhere, for others to find to help, quite literally, spread the words of Martin Luther King.
Service learning is an integrated part of the curriculum at MPFS and speaks to the Quaker values intentionally taught from preschool through 8th grade. It is important to note that vibrant service projects are in-action year-round at MPFS, and the annual MLK Day of Service is an empowering way to focus those efforts. As part of the service to our community activities, students across grades baked healthy casseroles and milk-free brownies for the Life Center of Delaware County. MPFS Middle school students helped to sort and pack hygiene kits, with hundreds of personal items donated from the MPFS community, to be donated to and distributed by Media Fellowship House. 6th, 7th, and 8th graders also worked on completing a service project started earlier in the year, making extra-soft, knotted fleece blankets to be donated to those in need. It was our middle school students who suggested hand-delivering blankets at the 69th Street Terminal -- a wonderful act of kindness during the coldest winter months. Additional blankets will be delivered that same day to the Life Center of Delaware County.
The Teaching Black Boys workshop held at Friends Center in mid-November attracted over 175 educators from over 50 public and independent schools from Philadelphia and beyond.
The workshop was organized and sponsored by Friends Council on Education, Friends Select School, The Philadelphia School and the Race Institute K-12 Educators. Read more
Friends Council On the Road: Greensboro, North Carolina
Executive director Drew Smith and associate director Deborra Sines Pancoe traveled to North Carolina to facilitate ENTQ – Southern Region and to connect with Friends Council supporters.
The 8th cohort of Friends Council’s Leadership Institute for Engaging Leadership came together in mid-November for their third session in advance of their graduation from the program in April 2019.
Throughout the two-year program, facilitated by Drew Smith, Irene McHenry, and Joseph Marchese, IELFS members strengthen their capacity and skills for the unique role of Friends school leadership and the unique art of sustaining the Quaker value-based ethos of a Friends school.
Ken Burns Invites Students to Submit Films to 20th Anniversary Bridge Film Festival!
Since 2000, the Bridge Film Festival has provided a venue for students of Friends schools and of the Quaker faith to create and share films of social conscience.
This year’s Bridge Film Festival is announced by non-other than master documentary filmmaker, Ken Burns! View Ken’s announcement of Bridge Film Festival here and encourage the young people in your life to participate! The Bridge Film Festival was founded by and is directed by Brooklyn Friends School educator Andy Cohen.
Thank you Friends Council Sponsors!
We would like to acknowledge and thank our sponsors for the 2018-19 school year.
Learn more about each of these companies on our FCE website here.
Friends Council sponsors can sign up on a rolling basis throughout the year. Contact Betsy Torg at Friends Council on Education at 215-241-7245 to inquire.
Stepping up to sponsor Friends Council this year are:
This year's gathering featured Marc Frankel, Senior Consultant and partner in Triangle Associates, who shared his wisdom regarding the significant changes that are ahead for independent schools and the governance and leadership necessary to facilitate that change. Heads also visited Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (@PAFA) to view artist Rina Banerjee's installation in progress, "Make Me A Summary of the World". Banerjee's large-scale sculptures made from materials sourced throughout the world investigate the splintered experiences of identity, tradition and culture. Insightful tours and discussion lead by Monica Zimmerman and Abby King, along with a surprise visit from PAFA President and CEO David R. Brigham and Brooke Davis Anderson, Edna S. Tuttleman Director of the Museum, made for a rich and inspiring afternoon. View our full album of photos from the Fall 2018 Heads Gathering.
Friends Council on Education held our first-ever QuakerMakers Peer Network on November 8th. Organized through by energetic Maker Space educators at Friends’ Central School and Friends Select School, this peer network was centered on the theme “Perception vs Reality of Maker Spaces” and explored the topics of “What is a Quaker Maker?”, "Gender Bias & Equity in MarkerSpaces" and “How do Maker Spaces fit with Friends education?”
At the start of every school year, Friends Council offers a clerking workshop for Friends School heads, trustees, division heads, faculty, committee and task force clerks. Through this workshop, run by Arthur Larrabee, educators explore the attitudes, practices, and skills that can help implement the Quaker decision-making process in Friends schools.
In October Friends Council hosted two ENTQ workshops, one at Sandy Spring Friends School in Maryland and the second at the Pendle Hill Retreat Center in Pennsylvania. Thirty-one educators from 11 Friends schools attended the latter workshop, facilitated by FCE associate director Deborra Sines Pancoe and FCE Board member and Moorestown Friends School educator, Chris Kimberly.
At both workshops, educators learn more about the roots of Quakerism, Quaker practices such as Meeting for Worship and Quaker decision-making, and Quaker processes such as Clearness committees, clerking and more. Through interactive exercises, dialogue, and small group engagement, the group deepened their understanding of Quaker process and practices and will take that learning back to their schools.
In addition to our fall ENTQ at Pendle Hill, Friends Council is expanding our ENTQ offerings across the country:
November 29-30: ENTQ Southern Region at New Garden Friends School, Greensboro, NC
January 10-11, 2019: ENTQ at Westtown School
February 4-5, 2019, ENTQ New York City at Mary McDowell Friends School
Become a Friends Council Sustainer Once enrolled, you will not receive another Annual Fund appeal letter this year. Sending fewer mailings means using less energy and paper! Simply authorizing a periodic deduction from your credit card or checking account on whatever schedule works best for you, which you can stop or change at any time. Learn more about our Sustainer Program here.
GFS and Get out the Vote
In advance of Election Day on Tuesday, November 6th, students at Germantown Friends School (GFS) in Philadelphia organized a postcard writing campaign to Get Out the Vote (GOTV). They spent their free periods hand-writing postcards to registered voters near and far, reminding them about Monday’s election, urging them to exercise their right and voice their opinions at the polls. Asaf Lebovic, a sophomore, one of the organizers of the student campaign, said, “We hope our postcard campaign encourages people to vote and realize how important it is. The handwritten notes show that we care." Asaf adds, “We want to show students how activism is accessible.” Sona Wink, another organizer of the campaign, said “Since we cannot vote yet, this is our way to make a difference and encourage voter turnout.” Read about GFS student efforts here.
West Chester Friends School: Lozowski named Teacher of the Year for environmental appreciation work
Michelle Lozowski, a kindergarten teacher at West Chester Friends School, has been named the 2018 Teacher of the Year by the Brandywine Red Clay Alliance. The annual award recognizes a teacher working in the Brandywine Watershed who dedicates their time to helping students develop an appreciation for the environment and spending time outdoors. Lozowski recently organized a peer gathering for the Friends Council on Education during which early childhood educators presented collaborative ways to integrate nature in their curriculums. A story about Michelle and the award was featured in MyChesCo.com
Start of the year faculty meetings are a tried and true part of kicking off each new school year. This year several Friends schools engaged the talent and expertise of Friends Council on Education as a part of that new school year start.
Friends Council on Education extends a warm welcome to the thirteen new heads of Friends schools for 2018-2019. Whether you are new to Quaker education, returning or simply shifting roles, we’re glad you are here and thank you for taking on a leadership role in Quaker education this year.
Registration is open for Friends Council on Education's professional development workshops, including Educators New to Quakerism workshops at Pendle Hill and the Facilitating Friends Decision-Making in Friends Schools with Arthur Larrabee, and more.
Educators New to Quakerism workshops give teachers and staff new to Friends schools the opportunity to explore the Quaker identity of their schools. Through engaging presentations and discussions with seasoned Friends school educators on topics such as Quaker history, beliefs, testimonies, and meeting for worship, participants gain a deeper understanding of the strong spiritual roots of their schools
How can we use the Quaker decision-making process in Friends schools?
How can we develop a clear understanding of roles, responsibilities, and inclusivity, especially as these relate to decision-making in a Friends school?
Friends Schools teach young people from all walks of life habits of heart and mind so that they may go forth to create a just and more peaceful world. This month Friends Council spotlights two stories about Friends school students actively engaged in efforts to make this world a better place. Students at Sidwell Friends School are tackling issues of literacy and access to educational materials in countries far away. West Chester Friends School young alumni -- Class of 2018! -- are playing a leadership role in environmental sustainability right in their own back year. Read more here.
What did educators in Friends schools read this summer and what are they reading now? Inquiring minds want to know!
Friends Council reached out to educators in Friends schools to ask and here’s just a glimpse of some of the books Quaker school educators are reading and why:
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt.
"Its fascinating and has made me think about every political ad or meme with a new perspective." Karen Carney, Head of School, Chicago Friends School.
Mothers of Feminism by Margaret Hope Bacon.
"Inspired by my trip to 1652 George Fox / Margaret Fell Country, I wanted to remind myself of the important role that women have played in the Religious Society of Friends. Stories of women who travel in the ministry and what that meant to their families. Amazed by the physical hurdles faced by women in the 17th and 18th centuries. We come from strong stock!!!" Deborra Sines Pancoe, Associate Director, Friends Council on Education
Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie. "It's a modern take on Antigone based on being Muslim in the current western world. Beautifully told." Judith Hill,
Access the full list of summer and ongoing reads here.
The 2018 Quaker Pilgrimage, brought Friends school educators, both present and retired, into community with Quakers from across the country in exploring 1652 Fox and Fell Country in the north of England. The group climbed Pendle Hill (in the Lake District) and worshipped in meetinghouses with British Friends, creating a sense of connection with our Quaker ancestors and with each other. View more images of the Pilgrimage here.
Friends Council extends a BIG thank you to all who supported our 2017-2018 Annual Fund and our We Believe Nine Schools Challenge!
We met the challenge & raised $88,676! Thank you for supporting our work supporting Quaker schools.
To show the impact your giving has on Friends schools, educators and Friends school students, check out our 2017-2018 Highlights Video here. Enjoy!
Student-led activism to end gun violence erupted across the country this spring and Friends schools were a part of the national movement. Sparked by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shootings in Parkland, Florida in February, Friends schools and Friends school students were called to stand up for the Quaker values of peace and nonviolence and be part of the call for action to end gun violence in our country. Early actions in February (read story here) have been followed by a host of activities and actions in Friends schools through the spring.
On April 26, 2018 at the Spring Annual Meeting, Friends Council on Education announced the launch of the National Friends Education Fund (NFEF). The National Friends Education Fund supports tuition aid grants for Quaker children to attend Friends schools across the country. The fund brings together two preexisting tuition aid funds into one united effort.
Students at San Francisco Friends School lived into several Quaker testimonies and habits of heart and mind this May by holding their first ever youth summit for 230 middle school students from both private and public schools all over San Francisco. Artists from Youth Speaks launched the day with spoken word pieces. They were followed by a variety of workshops where SFFS students shared what they learned from their yearlong study of homelessness, while other schools presented on issues they have studied, for example climate change, gun control, and immigration to name a few. This summit was Quakerism in action! Community, stewardship, collaboration, collective truth seeking, attending to voices on the margin and respect were all in full play. Learn more about the Summit and SFFS students’ efforts in this video on Missionlocal.org.
2018 has been an incredibly busy spring for Friends Council programming and it isn’t over yet! In this spring programming recap you’ll read about three recent professional development workshops held in April and May and learn about one still to come in June.
Whether it was answering questions about multiple areas of knowledge, focusing on history and finance, or testing their mettle in the visual arts, Friends school students from multiple Friends schools across the country had a presence this spring at multiple regional, national and world competitions. Here’s a sample.
Tandem Friends School in Charlottesville, Virginia is engaging in ongoing conversations about race and institutionalized racism. Part of that has included viewing the film, “I’m not a racist…Am I?”, offering a workshop for parents, teachers and students with Dr. David Campt, creator of the White Ally Toolkit, and engaging in a series of other activities. QuakerEd News invited Upper School Director Peter Gaines to write about the school’s experience and efforts over the past year. Read Peter's essay and learn more in our QuakerVoices blog here.
Eighth grade students at Greene Street Friends School organized the second annual Stay Woke Day, a student run diversity day to talk about race. This year the effort included two additional Friends schools, Abington Friends School and Westtown School, as well as a third school, St. Peter’s School.
The day began with affinity group activities. These groups, differentiated by self-identified racial groupings, gather students together by race to talk about issues with one another. Sometimes students used technology to share their reflections confidentially with other Affinity Groups to spark conversation and dialogue. Mai Spann-Wilson, a local singer and songwriter presented a keynote presentation about his own experience with racism in America. Using two original music videos, “They Say” and “Where I Came From”, Mai challenged students to look for the imagery in each video and civil rights symbolism often found in hip hop music. The day also featured four workshops on the following topics: 1) “Music Culture - Appropriation vs. Appreciation”; 2) “Middle School Experiences & Educational Opportunities with Race”; 3) “A Collision of Race, Sports, and the Media” and 4) "Recognizing Race and Microaggressions”. The day concluded with a presentation from Kellie Graves, a local high school sophomore, presenting “Identifying Intersectionality at the Crossroad of Mental Health and Rap Music.” To learn more about Stay Woke Day and for workshop details, see the full story here.
Olney Friends School in Barnesville, Ohio, was featured in YES! Magazine recently for their farm program. In the article, freelance writer Mary Ann Lieser shares, “During the past decade, Olney has integrated farm work and food production into every aspect of student life, from the barn to the kitchen to the classroom. In 2015, Olney became the nation’s first USDA-certified organic campus.” The article also captures many aspects of the school’s Quaker nature and the link between farming and Quaker values. As Olney Farm Manager Don Guindon explains in the article, “Our goal is well-rounded citizens who are smart consumers with social awareness. The farm is a great place to absorb lessons in the complexity of sustainable systems…” Read the full article here.
Each year Friends Council distributes a series of Ravdin Fund grants to small schools in need of support around development, strategic planning, and board development and training. Richmond Friends School in Richmond, Indiana received Ravdin Fund support over the past two years and recently wrote to report in on what the funding helped them accomplish. The grant enabled the school to hire consultant Ginny Christensen who worked with the school to organize a board retreat focused on governance and long-term financial sustainability. “Our first day was spent reviewing Principles of Good Practice for Friends School Boards & Every Friends School Trustee together. Even though every new board member is given a copy of this FCE publication when they join the board, the pages took on more meaning as we reviewed them together and started to jot down ideas for how our governance could be improved. The next day we focused on the financial side of things and how to plan for a fiscally sound, sustainable future,” writes Head of School, Marcie Roberts. In the six months since the Board Development Retreat with Ginny, the school has accomplished many things, including considering the extension of terms of service for board clerks, instituting monthly meetings with the head of school, hiring a new development officer, retaining a marketing consultant, strengthening our finance committee and moving investments to Friends Fiduciary, among other steps. ““I felt like we desperately needed more and needed expertise that only FCE and folks associated with FCE could provide. I am grateful that our board agreed to support my leading.” The Ravdin Fund was established as a permanently endowed fund of the Friends Council on Education to continue the essential consulting work with small Friends schools in the tradition of Bill Ravdin.
Friends Journal’s fifth annual Student Voices Project brought in writing from 163 middle and high school students representing six U.S. Friends schools. FJ selected 20 honorees whose submissions are featured online here. This year students responded to the prompt:
“Tell us a story about how one of the Quaker testimonies was made real to you in your life. We’re looking for true tales that involve you somehow and illustrate how a testimony went from abstract concept to real-life presence.”
Thank you to Friends Journal for this amazing project lifting up the voices of Quaker children and students in Friends schools! You can read this year's amazing entries here.
The latter half of February has found our nation responding to the recent gun violence and loss of 17 lives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. This mass shooting has given rise to an intense wave of student activism across the country, including student led marches, walk-outs and legislative demands. Friends Council on Education has learned of student-led initiatives at several Friends schools.
Friends Council on Education is facilitating a panel workshop at the 2018 National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, March 7-9, 2018. The workshop features educators from four Friends Council Member Schools and is entitled, “Leading the Way in Supporting Transgender and NonbInary Students in Independent Schools.” The workshop will take place on Thursday, March 7 at 1:15pm.
March 2, 2018 Sanctuary, Immigration, Community Engagement When she was fourteen, Liliana Velásquez fled horrific violence and poverty in her native Guatemala and headed out alone on foot to the US in pursuit of sanctuary. Come hear Liliana's story and engage in conversation about what it means to be a sanctuary city, what role Friends school communities can support those who come to the U.S. in search of freedom and safety and how Friends school communities can find a balance between teaching advocacy for social justice without political partisanship. REGISTER
The implicit bias we carry inside us and the messages we receive about race from multiple outside sources were the focus of a discussion in the latest Community Conversation on Race facilitated by Toni Graves Williamson, AFS Assistant Head of School for Equity and Inclusion; Deborra Sines Pancoe, Associate Director of the Friends Council, and AFS English Department Chair Mary Lynn Ellis.
Each January, The Friends School of Atlanta (FSA) holds the Beloved Community Dialogue to discuss the most pressing civil and human rights issues of our time. In light of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements gathering momentum in the media, the halls of Congress and throughout our society, this year’s panel considered the question: How can we empower the next generation to end sexual harassment?
Active listening. Respect for diverse perspectives.
Questioning cultural assumptions. Peaceful, non-violent resolution to conflict. Collaboration. Reflection. Attending to voices on the margin.
As our country navigates these turbulent times, these are the habits of heart and mind the world needs now more than ever. Friends education instills these habits in our students every day.
Make your gift to Friends Council’s 2017-2018 Annual Fund today. You can enable our work supporting Friends schools as they lead the way in educating moral leaders with the potential to create a more just and peaceful world.
Friday February 9 was Peace and Justice Day at Princeton Friends School.
After starting with John Lewis' March on Washington speech, students engaged in community outreach and social justice workshops.
Small groups learned about a variety of topics including Ruby Bridges, child labor in the USA, race as a social construct, representation of women in media and leadership, LGBTQ history, Martin Luther King Jr., peace, and water & power in Peru.
Friends Council on Education kicked off the new year 2018 by traveling to Friends schools across the country to support their work in several areas, including strategic visioning and planning, and deepening their Quaker nature and practice.
Ken Aldridge, head of Wilmington Friends School and a former Friends Council Board member, was selected to be one of twenty Klingenstein Head of Schools fellows for 2018.
February 2, 2018 Librarians as Social Justice Change Agents
Come together with other librarians in Friends schools to explore how you might best support teachers and students through these tumultuous times and actively serve as social justice change agents within your school. REGISTER
February 15, 2018 Community Conversations - Part 2 - growing out of the screening of the film - "I'm Not Racist, Am I?"
Those connected with Friends education are invited to join with others in the northwestern suburbs of Philadelphia (Cheltenham, Abington, Jenkintown and beyond) to continue dialogue about racism in our society.
At the end of a very successful inaugural "Community Conversation on Race" at Abington Friends School in December, one participant said, "We need to continue this--and make it even bigger."
We hope to spread the meetings around the community, so this one will take place at:
Uptown at the Piazza on the Square 309 Old York Rd. Jenkintown, PA 19046 (Enter from the Leedom Street Town Square side. The Uptown is in the same building as Marzano's Restaurant.)
We need your voices to make this conversation happen. So please come, and please invite someone to join you so we can "make it bigger."
March 2, 2018 Immigration/Immigration/Community Engagement – Service Learning Peer Network
When she was fourteen, Liliana Velásquez fled horrific violence and poverty in her native Guatemala and headed out alone on foot to the US in pursuit of sanctuary. Come hear Liliana's story and engage in conversation about what it means to be a sanctuary city, what role Friends school communities can support those who come to the U.S. in search of freedom and safety and how Friends school communities can find a balance between teaching advocacy for social justice without political partisanship. REGISTER
Are you a longtime loyal supporter who has been giving to Friends Council annually for years? First off, we thank you! Loyal donors like you are critical to funding our programs and services in support of Friends schools. Next, we invite you to become a Friends Council Sustainer. As a sustainer, you sign up to make recurring gifts throughout the year on an automatic pay cycle, freeing yourself from having to remember to make a gift each year. This also provides Friends Council with regular bursts of income throughout the year. Being a sustainer also means you're giving in a more environmentally friendly way! You will no longer receive print appeals in the mail. Signing up is easy. Become a Friends Council Sustainer today.
Friends Journal Student Voices Project – deadline is Feb 12, 2018 This year’s theme is Testimony Stories.
The Fifth Annual Friends Journal Student Voices Project is underway! Middle school and high school students (Quaker and non-Quaker) at Friends schools as well as Quaker students in other educational venues, are invited to submit entries. Find out more information here.
Bridge Film Festival - deadline is March 16, 2018
The Bridge Film Festival is an international festival of student made films from Friends Schools and Meetings worldwide that is dedicated to making films that depict Quaker values in action. Encourage your students to apply. Find out more information here.
Looking to further enhance the understanding and practice of Quaker faith in your school? Funding for this very purpose is available through the Sue Thomas Turner Quaker Education Fund (STTQEF).
Sue Thomas Turner Quaker Education Fund grants are intended for the following:
Materials, lectures and consultants, workshops and retreats, programs and activities to be brought into the school which help to explain Quaker faith and practice to members of the school communities
Individuals or groups from the school communities to attend workshops, classes or retreats on Quaker faith and practice and Spiritual development
The creation and distribution of materials related to these issues by members of the school community
Friends Council member schools have often requested funding for Friends Council related activities. For example, your school could apply for funding to send faculty and staff to an FCE workshop such as Educators New to Quakerism or our Quaker Life in Lower and Middle Schools peer network. You could also apply for funding to bring FCE staff to your school as consultants to run a retreat. Apply today.
Recent collaboration between Friends School Wilmington, NC and Carolina Friends School is the handiwork of Friends school graduate, Kyle Gouchoe-Hanas. Gouchoe-Hanas, an alum of Carolina Friends School, brought students from the two schools together for the first ever Middle School Basketball Invitational. Gouchoe-Hanas is middle school science teacher and coach at Friends School Wilmington. “Along with her stellar coaching and teaching skills, she is bringing the two schools together, sharing traditions (like the game closing Spirit Circle) and celebrating Quaker philosophy and practice in sport,” says head of Friends School Wilmington, Brenda Esch. For the record, FSW won by a basket at the buzzer. Students went on to team up to play coaches and Carolina Friends School alums. Good stuff!
Educators New to Quakerism (ENTQ) is now offered up and down the east coast! This flagship program, which for years was held only in Pennsylvania, is now held in New York, Pennsylvania, the Mid Atlantic Region (Maryland/DC) and the southern region. In November, Drew Smith and Deborra Sines Pancoe took ENTQ on the road to serve our southern schools. Held at Carolina Friends School this year, 28 educators came together from Carolina Friends School (Durham NC), Friends School Wilmington (Wilmington, NC) and High Point Friends School (High Point, NC).
Counselors and mental health professionals serving 13 Friends Council member schools gathered on December 7, 2017. Frederick Pratt of Friends' Central School and Natan Gottesman of Friends Select School, facilitated conversation with school support colleagues. Coming together to share resources, policies, protocols, and insights, this network is poised to support each other especially in times of crisis. Friends school counselors provide care in their schools for administrators, teachers, students, and families. Guest presenter Jen Cort was on hand to provide professional development for creating crisis response processes and being proactive.
In the Midst of History: Embracing the Tension in Uncertain Times - Diversity Peer Network
Engaging students in civil discourse about events like Charlottesville, DACA, #takeaknee, hurricane relief and response, use of the “n” word, etc., may feel particularly risky and politically charged. This workshop will address the following question: In a time of profound polarization and division, how can Friends’ educators safely situate teaching and learning in personal and political contexts, and embrace the plurality of identity in our society? REGISTER
When she was fourteen, Liliana Velásquez fled horrific violence and poverty in her native Guatemala and headed out alone on foot to the US in pursuit of sanctuary. Come hear Liliana's story and engage in conversation about what it means to be a sanctuary city, what role Friends school communities can support those who come to the U.S. in search of freedom and safety and how Friends school communities can find a balance between teaching advocacy for social justice without political partisanship. REGISTER
February 2, 2018
Librarians as Social Justice Change Agents
Come together with other librarians in Friends schools to explore how you might best support teachers and students through these tumultuous times and actively serve as social justice change agents within your school. REGISTER
Friends schools educators and students attended this year’s NAIS People of Color Conference (POCC). A host of schools were present, including Carolina Friends School, Abington Friends School, Brooklyn Friends School, Westtown School and San Francisco Friends School. Shown here at POCC are San Franciso Friends School educators Yvette Bonaparte, Director of Admissions, Guybe Slangen, Director of Community Engagement, Raymond Artis, Middle School teacher and Sunné Clarke, PE teacher. Stay tuned for more reflections on POCC from SFFS in FCE's Quaker Voices blog.
Friends Council was fortunate to hear from Corey Fletcher, Assistant Teacher of Primary Circle at Westtown School, who attended POCC for the first time this year. "My first time attending the People of Color Conference this year created a shift in consciousness, an immediate apperception of a unity among black teachers further than I previously understood, and validation of my agency as a young black educator in a white space," shares Corey. "Also, I became committed to uplifting the stories and voices of children of color in our pre-k and k curriculum, in resident life, and in our faculty meetings by opening up a recording studio on dorm as a therapeutic venue for upper school students of color, donating books about black history from a black perspective, and being verbally and intellectually present in faculty meetings."
Congratulations go out to the two new heads of Friends schools. Friends School Mullica Hill’s Board of Trustees has announced that Matthew Bradley has been appointed the next Head of School. Cambridge Friends School is thrilled to announce David J. Tierney as their selection for the next Head of School.
In this season of giving and year-end reflection, please take a moment to consider the impact of Friends education on your life and the lives of those you love. Please remember Friends Council on Education as you make your year-end contributions.
Friends Council on Education is pleased to introduce "Sustainability Spotlight", a new feature to our Quaker Voices blog brought to you by Friends Initiative to Reach Sustainability Together (FIRST). "Sustainability Spotlight" will highlight important sustainability initiatives at Friends Schools. In keeping with the Quaker testimony of Stewardship, many Friends schools have incorporated environmental sustainability efforts into their curriculums, campus plans, and energy and waste management efforts. In our first post, we highlight sustainability mission and vision statements and school administrative support for sustainable initiatives.
Students participated in a national reading of I Am Jazz in Lower School Community Meeting on December 7th. I Am Jazz was written by HRC Youth Ambassador Jazz Jennings and author Jessica Herthel and is a first-person account about being transgender. Jennings was one of the first trans children to talk publicly about her identity and the challenges she has faced as a trans youth. This groundbreaking book is often used by schools and families to help children understand transgender youth and adults.
Jonathan Flaccus, Oakwood Friends School class of 1958, decided he wanted to do more to support Oakwood’s diverse student body. Inspired by the School’s celebration of Lakota Culture and the activism of rising senior, Shai Black Bird, Jonathan found a way to combine his life-long interest and concern for the rights of indigenous people with support for the Oakwood community by creating the Native American Fund.Income from the fund will provide scholarship for Native American students at Oakwood and support programming about the culture and heritage of indigenous people. Last April, Jonathan joined his friend, Professor John Willis of Marlboro College, for a visit to campus on Earthshare Day where they participated in the raising of an 18’ tipi and discussion of Lakota symbols and cosmology. Professor Willis gave a presentation to the school community about his work as a photographer and the program he founded, The Exposures Cross-Cultural Youth Creative Arts Exchange. Each year, John brings students
and volunteer staff to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota where they collaborate with schools and organizations on the reservation to share photography and life stories.
Ashley Edwards, Moorestown Friends School (MFS) Class of 2008, has been named to the Forbes list of “30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneurs.” Ashley is Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of MindRight. MindRight’s mission is to help at-risk youth recover from trauma and its vision is to leverage technology to make mental health support accessible to every child living in poverty. MindRight provides personalized mental health education over text message to youth who have experienced community violence, abuse, neglect, and poverty-related stressors. “…If I could give one thing freely – it would be the gift of knowing that you’ve changed a life. That is the gift I hope each of you can experience if you have not already,” said Ashley during keynote remarks to students and families at MFS. Congratulations to Ashley on this recognition for her work toward eliminating barriers to educational achievement for inner-city youth.
Fall 2017 brought a series of severe climate events across the global. From Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria to the wild fires in California, earthquake in Mexico and devastation in Puerto Rico, the impact continues to be devastating. Many Friends schools have taken action to attend to the conditions of others impacted by these climate change events. Here is a brief snapshot of what some of our Friends Council member schools are doing. And, within our own network, Friends School of Monteverde’s school community in Costa Rica has been impacted by Tropical Storm Nate (shown above) and is in need of support.
On November 6th, Friends Council on Education kicked off a new effort, what we hope will become series of workshops for senior administrators under the heading “Leading in the Manner of Friends.” This year’s peer network gathering for Division Directors and Associate Heads, with inspiration from retired George School Head Nancy Starmer, talked about Quaker values, practices, processes and the impact on leadership and decision-making.
The planning team, including Drew Smith, Friends Council’s Executive Director, Deborra Sines Pancoe, Friends Council’s Associate Director, and Nancy Starmer, worked with the group in analyzing scenarios to prompt discussion about how Friends schools' Quaker missions shape expectations for balancing behavior and interactions of individuals and the community as a whole. At the end the group engaged in a “Chalk Talk” exercise to share out action steps and needed resources.
March 2, 2018 Immigration, Sanctuary, Community Engagement (Service Learning Peer Network). REGISTER
Liliana Velásquez and Mark Lyons talk about Liliana's journey from Guatemala to the U.S. in search of sanctuary.
The 2017 - 2019 cohort of the Institute for Engaging Leadership in Friends School (IELFS) commenced this month and will engage with one another in the next phase of their journeys as leaders in Quaker education. Led by Irene McHenry and Joe Marchese, with support from Drew Smith, this cohort is the largest ever with 25 students from 22 Friends schools. Friends Council on Education’s IELFS has been underway since 2003. One hundred and seven Friends school educators have already participated in IELFS, graduated, and have gone on to lead in Friends schools in numerous ways. They have also contributed to Quaker pedagogy through their action research projects. Friends Council is eager to see what this next group of leaders in Friends schools does!
In this season of gratitude and giving, Friends Council on Education invites you to express your gratitude for Quaker education and Friends schools. Support Friends Council as we support Friends school educators across the country. Friends schools teach young people from all walks of life habits of heart and mind so that they may go forth and create a more just and peaceful world. As our country navigates these turbulent times, these are the habits of heart and mind the world needs now more than ever. Make your gift today!
Are you curious about best practices in Friends school governance? Or are you looking for up-to-date research on an aspect of Quaker pedagogy? In celebration of the 30th anniversary of Leonard Kenworthy’s Quaker Education: A Sourcebook, Friends Council on Education is excited to support and launch the release of an updated, digital, online second edition that will serve as a comprehensive overview of research on Quaker education. Thanks to the work of Quaker scholar Christen Clougherty, this seminal text on Quaker education and Quaker pedagogy now includes recent research on Quaker education and allows educators to upload their own research.
Friend Council on Education, along with Abington Friends School, The Race Institute and the HiWay Theater, co-sponsored the screening of André Robert Lee’s “I’m not a Racist...Am I?” and a powerful community conversation about race and racism.
The International Friends School (IFS) in Bellevue, Washington (right next to Seattle) is proud to be opening in the fall of 2018 with an early childhood program and then growing one grade after the other until 8th grade.
By Tom Hoopes, Head of Religions Department, George School
On a mid-October Sunday afternoon, another teacher and I accompanied two full vanloads of Black George School students to the Ujima Friends Peace Center. It was a thoroughly energizing event for all involved! For our students, being in the presence of so many people of African descent doing Quaker worship was hugely uplifting. And for the hosts, they were joyous to see our young people. We were welcomed by Dr. Ayesha Imani, George School alumni parent, member of Germantown Meeting, and founder of the Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School in Philadelphia, and by fifteen others, including Nia Imani, a George School graduate from the class of 2011. Our students made powerful connections, and we teachers also made contacts with community activists and peace educators whom we plan to bring onto campus. We foresee the establishment of an ongoing relationship with Ujima.
The Ujima Friends Peace Center is a project of the Fellowship of Friends of African Descent, formed in 1991, articulates their three-fold mission as: “To publish and respond to the concerns of Friends of African descent within the Religious Society of Friends; To provide for the nurture of Friends of African Descent, their families and friends; and To address and respond to issues affecting people of African descent in their communities worldwide.”
As a Quaker of European ancestry who works to see Quakerism and Friends education play a leading role as an active force for justice and peace, I see the Ujima Friends Peace Center as a testament that dreams come true! This synthesis of Black and Quaker culture speaking to young people is evidence of Ujima’s commitment to transform themselves and transform the world. How cool is that?
On November 6th, a class of 8th graders from San Francisco Friends School (SFFS), along with teacher Sara Melman and head of school Mike Hanas, attended a live forum featuring well-known Friends school alumnus Bill Nye the Science Guy. Bill Nye (center) is an alumnus of Sidwell Friends School. Students traveled to the Marine’s Memorial Theater to hear Nye interviewed by SFFS trustee and parent Greg Dalton of Climate One (far right) about the climate crisis. Following the event, students reflected on a series of queries. In response to the query, "in the next 15 years, what can YOU do about climate change?" one student shared, “Like Bill Nye said, something that I can do about climate change is talk about it…It doesn't matter if they believe in climate change or they don't, just talking about it with someone for 5 minutes can help open their eyes to what's happening to our planet, and then maybe they'll talk to someone else about climate change and help change someone else’s mind. When you start helping other people see the issues that need to be seen, that’s when you really open the floodgates of inspiring others to take action.”
On October 11-12, 2017, Moorestown Friends School, in conjunction with Friends Council on Education, welcomed educators from Friends schools across the country to explore the rich intersection between student leadership and Quaker values.
Executive Director Drew Smith continues to maintain Friends Council’s national presence. Drew attended the installation of Alan Price (above right), Earlham College’s 18th president who formerly served as the Associate Director of Management of the Peace Corps. as appointed by former President Obama. Alan and Drew were contemporaries at Earlham. This fall Drew participated in ISANeT’s conference as well as the fall gathering of the Council of American Private Education (CAPE).
Friends schools across the country benefited from Drew's leadership this month. Over 80 educators participated in the new Educators New to Quakerism Mid-Atlantic Region at Sidwell Friends School in Washington,D.C. At Friends School of Atlanta in Georgia, community members attended Quaker Night where Drew spoke on "How to Educate Children in Turbulent Times." Drew conducted several retreats for school Boards, including those at Friends School Minnesota, Cambridge Friends School, and Greene Street Friends School.
As part of Friends Council's focus on social justice and equity, staff member Betsy Torg (far right) served on the keynote panel for Arcadia University’s ”Becoming Equal” symposium about social justice for the transgender community. Betsy shared how Friends Council offers resources in support of Friends schools as they develop policies and practices to support transgender and nonbinary students. Panelists included (from left) Amber Hikes, Director of Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, Graciella Slesaranksy-Poe, Professor at Arcadia University and Joann Carol, Executive Director of TransEquality PA.
Friends Council on Education and several Friends schools took an alternate approach to Columbus Day again this year. Several Philadelphia-area schools attended the UnColumbus Day Workshop hosted by Friends Council on Education and Chicago Friends School took the day as an opportunity to put a Friends Council student project grant in action.
Friends Select School's head of school, Michael Gary (center with bow tie), was honored by A Better Chance, a national organization that provides access to rigorous and prestigious academic opportunities for academically talented students of color in grades 6-12. Michael was celebrated for his contributions to thousands of students he has helped in his role as an educator and for being a long-time champion of equity and excellence in education. Photo credit: Friends Select School.
Sidwell Friends School teachers Anna Tsouhlarakis and Lely Constantinople each received an Artist Fellowship Grant from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. The awards recognizes local artists and support the artistic vitality that they bring to the community. The Arts and Humanities Fellowship Program (AHFP) offers up to $10,000 fellowships to individual artists whose artistic excellence significantly contributes to the District of Columbia as a world class cultural capital. Photo credit: Sidwell Friends School
KC Miller, a senior at Westtown School, is not wasting any time working as an agent for social change. As featured in an October 2online article in Broadly, KC has founded Keystone CASE, a grassroots organization advocating comprehensive, LGBTQ-inclusive, sex education in Pennsylvania schools. He’s also drafted legislation – the Pennsylvania Healthy Youth Act – and plans to take it all the way to the Pennsylvania state legislature.
KC was awarded the Young Heroes Award from the National Liberty Museum in Philadelphia, which honors young people who have made a positive impact on their communities. In his interview with Broadly, KC shared that hearing the raw stories of friends who experienced sexual assault awoke the activist in him and seeing the gaps in sexuality education motivated him to work for change. Quoted in Broadly, KC says, “I want other activists and young people to know the strength we hold in numbers… Partner with as many people as possible. Talk to your family, friends, and neighbors. Change will only come if we work together and collectively strengthen each other's missions because injustice is intersectional and interconnected.” Photo credit: Keystone CASE.
Sarah Dohle, George School Class of '01, is helping Puerto Rico's agriculture community after Hurricane Maria through a Seed Drive. Sarah is an assistant professor of plant science at Delaware Valley University and is part of a small grassroots effort to replenish the land in Puerto Rico devastated by Hurricane Maria. She is one of three agronomists involved in starting a seed relief project for the area. "We want to help jump-start Puerto Rico's agriculture community after such a devastating natural disaster," said Dohle, in a statement. "Seeds are powerful," explained Dohle. "An ounce of lettuce seeds is about 23,000 seeds and that can replant an entire acre. That's a lot of salad from one small package of seeds."
Celeste Payne, faculty member at Westtown School, is now an officially trained member of the Climate Reality Leadership Corps. Celeste applied to and was accepted to Climate Reality Leadership Corps Training in Pittsburgh this month, hosted by the The Climate Reality Project, an organization founded by Al Gore. Celeste and fellow trainees participated in sessions featuring Al Gore, climate research scientists, public policy experts, communication experts, and others to learn about the current evidence supporting the reality of the climate crisis as well as projects and initiatives providing hope about reversing this trend. “I see the climate crisis as a scientific and social justice issue in addition to being an ethical and moral issue," says Celeste. “Now, as a member of the Climate Reality Leadership Corps, I hope to stay engaged, to be a part of the solution, and to help others find ways to become activists in their own communities.
Every year Friends Council asks you to contribute to our Annual Fund. As always, this enhances our support of Friends schools. This year you will notice a change. When you make your gift, you will have the opportunity to select a giving category. Each category has a carefully selected name that reflects Friends Council’s mission, philosophy, practices, and vision. There are giving categories for gifts of all sizes. Which one will you choose?
Your source of monthly news about all things QuakerEd
With this new monthly e-newsletter, Friends Council on Education seeks to provide a wide variety of news and information about what's happening in the world of Friends education. Our hope is to share out stories from our member schools as well as news about Friends Council on Education's own activities. In addition to stories about our schools, we'll spotlight Friends school educators and alumni "letting their lives speak" as peacemakers, agents of change, leaders is social justice and equity, leaders in environmental sustainabilty and more. The theme for this inaugural issue is Educating for Social Justice. We hope you enjoy it and we welcome your feedback. Our next issue wlll be in late October. We welcome submissions of Friends education news to news@friendscouncil.org. To discuss a story idea, call us at Friends Council at 215-241-7245.
It is a turbulent time in our nation and educators are navigating how to teach issues that are increasingly difficult and complex. Friends Council is offering a series of workshops and peer networks on timely topics related to social justice and equity.
Renée Prillaman is a Founding member of Peaceful Schools NC, where she has been working with teachers for 35 years in developing classrooms that model mutual respect, healthy relationships, and peaceful conflict resolution. This fall, Renée will be a keynote speaker at the upcoming School to Peace Pipeline Conference at Duke University on October 28, 2017.
This summer Friends Council on Education issued several statements on national issues, speaking strongly for the values held by Quaker schools and reinforcing the commitment to those values:
Given the emphasis on educating for social justice and equity in Friends schools, it’s no surprise that Friends schools were well represented at The Cheryl Irving Cultural Competency Institute for Educators hosted recently by the MCRC of the Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools (ADVIS).
With the start of the 2017-2018 school year, Friends Council welcomes three new members to the Friends Council Board. FCE also says thank you and farewell to two departing Board members.
Friends Council on Education has a newly revised website! There are a range of new features we think you will enjoy. We spotlight a few here, so read on!