Time with Tony - 8/16

 

As we begin a new school year, I am filled with gratitude for the energy, trust, and sense of possibility that define the Friends School community. Whether you are returning to familiar classrooms and friendships or joining us for the first time, you are an essential part of a school community rooted in curiosity, kindness, integrity, and the belief that every person has inherent worth.

We are especially pleased to begin the year alongside 59 new students, including seven siblings of current students, and to welcome 48 new families into the Friends School community. Our enrollment grew 8% from last year. This growth brings new voices, experiences, and connections that will enrich our shared learning and community life throughout the year.

This is a consequential moment in our wider world. Public life can often feel divided, hurried, and shaped by voices that reward certainty over listening and disagreement over understanding. The enduring power of a Quaker education is its invitation to practice another way. At Friends School, we create space for students to listen deeply, speak thoughtfully, ask hard questions, recognize the humanity of others, and act with courage when something is not right.

Our Quaker values are not abstractions reserved for Meeting for Worship or special occasions. They shape how we teach, learn, resolve conflict, welcome differences, and care for one another each day. They remind us that peace is more than the absence of conflict; it is the active work of building relationships grounded in respect. They call us to pursue justice, practice simplicity and stewardship, and seek truth with both humility and conviction.

In the year ahead, our students will develop important academic skills, but they will also practice the habits our communities and democracy need: attentive listening, civil dialogue, empathy, discernment, responsibility, and moral imagination. They will learn that their voices matter, and that using one’s voice well includes making room for the voices of others.

Thank you for entrusting us with your children and for helping sustain this remarkable community. I look forward to the learning, laughter, challenge, service, and shared growth ahead. Together, we will help our students become thoughtful learners, compassionate friends, and engaged citizens prepared to contribute meaningfully to the world.