2009 - December 30, 2025 With sadness, we report the passing of Mateo Kauffman Sandler '27. Mateo Kauffman Sandler, age 16, of Maplewood, NJ passed away at home on Tuesday, December 30, 2025. The Funeral will be held on Monday, January 5th at 10:00 AM at St. Georges Church, 550 Ridgewood Rd, Maplewood, NJ 07040. Mateo spent his early years in New York City with his family before moving to Maplewood in 2018. Mateo was an inspiring light. He had the most wonderful spirit and mi

From left to right: Back row: Helen Rhim '93, Patrick Smith '12, Jocelyn Anker '87 and Ronah Harris '95. Bottom Row: Alice Stern '76 and Liz Baer '82. Dear Friends, As we reflect on Friends Seminary’s 240th school year, we are filled with gratitude for the milestone celebrations and events that brought so many alumni and former faculty back to 16th Street. It has been a remarkable year of reconnection, spanning everything from athletics and the arts to professional networking

July 2026 Edition Looking Back with Gratitude, Looking Forward with Purpose At this time of year, I find myself reflecting on the many moments of connection, generosity, and community that have defined this year at Friends. Throughout the year, our team in Advancement and Alumni Relations have welcomed alumni back to campus, gathered with graduates across the country, celebrated class milestones, and heard stories that remind us of the enduring impact of a Friends education.

Reunion 2026 To view more photos from Reunion click here. We’re All Grown Ups Now To view more photos from Reunion click here. Alumni Council Visiting Day On April 8, Friends welcomed members of the Alumni Council back to campus for the annual Alumni Council Visiting Day. The day offered Council members a chance to step into the daily life of current Friends students, visiting classes and gatherings across all three divisions. Guests observed a wide range of moments, from Gra

The Hochman family in 2008. Left to right: Genie, Joel '09, David '74, Daniel '07, Stan and Lee. As an impressionable seven-year-old, David Hochman '74 has vivid memories of entering Friends Seminary for the first time in 1964 as a Grade 3 applicant. A sparkling new Hunter Hall had just opened, but like many good stories, this one began with rejection. There were no openings, so instead his parents enrolled him for Grade 6 at the now-defunct Downtown Community School. They wa

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Friends Seminary? The people. I spent thirteen years at Friends, and what stays with me most are the teachers who left a real mark on how I think, and the friendships that have lasted well beyond graduation. What is a key lesson from Friends that you’ve taken into adulthood? To take a beat. Life moves quickly, and it's easy to feel like everything on your plate is the most important thing. That was true in high scho

What is your fondest memory from your time at Friends Seminary? Some of my favorite memories are the small, routine moments. I loved the time right after Meeting for Announcements and Meeting for Worship—hanging out with friends in the cafeteria or outside if the weather was nice, especially during a Pop-up Café. My friends and I shared a great sense of humor, and those periods spent simply laughing together made our relationships incredibly strong. While I stayed close with

Dear Friends Seminary Alumni, As Senior Upper School Committee Clerks, we are beyond excited to introduce a new initiative launching this fall designed to connect students’ professional aspirations with the incredible expertise of our alumni network! Our goal is to bridge the opportunity gap, ensuring every student has access to professional pathways. To make this program both impactful and secure, this will not simply be a passive list of contacts. Before reaching out, stude

June 25, 1937 - October 14, 2025 With sadness, we report the passing of Jeffrey Davidson ’54, Jeffrey R. Davidson, class of '54, died in New York on October 14, 2025 after a long illness. He had spent most of his adult life living in Italy. After teaching at the Overseas School of Rome he went on to a career first as a journalist, then as a supervisor of foreign versions of American films, mainly for Sony Pictures. Over four decades, he was responsible for overseeing the qual

Class of 1954 We are sad to report the death of Jeffrey Davidson '54 passed away after a long illness on October 14, 2025. Jeffrey R. Davidson, class of '54, died in New York on October 14, 2025 after a long illness. He had spent most of his adult life living in Italy. After teaching at the Overseas School of Rome he went on to a career first as a journalist, then as a supervisor of foreign versions of American films, mainly for Sony Pictures. Over four decades, he was respon

Colonial History, Set to Punk Rock What do you get when you mix Lower School history with punk rock? A Grade 4 project that took colonial history out of the books and onto the stage. In Dot’s classroom, this culminating project grew out of students’ study of the Colonial era and the years leading up to the Revolutionary War. Students explored daily life in the colonies, the taxes and events that led to a war for independence, and the ideas that shaped a new nation. They watch

August 14, 1944 - April 6, 2026 With sadness, we report the passing of Jill Nareff Blauner '62 .