School News

Illuminating the Inner Light: A New Grade 9 Course Anchors Quaker Practice

This fall, Friends Seminary introduced Friends Foundations, a new required course for all ninth graders that places Quaker values at the center of the Upper School experience. Conceived by the Center for Peace, Equity and Justice (CPEJ) and led by Kara Kutner and Kirsti Peters, the class is designed to help students begin their high school years by engaging deeply with the principles and practices that shape life at Friends.

Although not a traditional history class, Friends Foundations asks students to consider the intersections of Quakerism, citizenship, service, and identity. They are examining the bold witness of modern Quaker leaders, connecting the Society of Friends’ legacy of activism with contemporary movements for justice, and reflecting on what it means to belong to a school community rooted in equality, peace, and stewardship. Click here to learn more.

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Agency at the Center: Where Middle School Learning Comes to Life

Friends Seminary’s Middle School educators are stepping boldly into a two-year professional learning journey focused on interdisciplinary teaching through a Project Based Learning (PBL) lens. Building on the division’s work in differentiated instruction, this initiative supports teachers as they continue to design learning experiences that are rigorous, collaborative, and deeply connected to the world beyond the classroom.

PBL empowers students to make choices, pursue their intellectual passions, and connect classroom learning to authentic contexts. It pushes educators beyond “covering content” toward helping students uncover ideas through student-driven inquiry. According to PBLWorks, Project Based Learning is “A teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge, and make their work public.”

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Curiosity Meets Literacy

For the past three years, the Lower School has been engaged in a collective effort to refine and reimagine how reading is taught. What began with curiosity about the evolving science of reading—and how best to align instruction with the latest research—has grown into a shared, division-wide approach that reflects both evidence and the School’s child-centered values.

Rather than adopting a single model, Friends’ work is informed by current research and responsive to new thinking about how children become readers. Central to this is Nell Duke’s Active View of Reading, which emphasizes that reading is a complex process involving not only phonics and decoding, but also language, background knowledge, and motivation. This perspective has guided faculty in blending explicit instruction with rich, engaging opportunities for meaning-making.

This initiative is now in its third year, and all Lower School educators are engaged. A literacy consultant was a valued partner in this work, coaching teachers in multisensory, structured language practices that make instruction clear, intentional, and joyful. And over the summer, faculty and staff devoted their collective efforts to revisiting the curriculum already in place and refining it for greater coherence and impact.

The work continues in classrooms through a daily literacy block that balances systematic skill development with small-group practice, read-alouds, and opportunities for inquiry. Consistency across grades ensures that every child experiences a cohesive learning journey, while teachers maintain the flexibility to meet individual needs.

Informed by research and rooted in Quaker values of reflection, care, and stewardship, Friends Seminary’s literacy initiative reflects a shared vision: cultivating readers who are confident, curious, and ready to engage the world through words.

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Clubs for Every Curiosity: From Mahjong to Medicinal Chemistry

The Upper School Club Fair showed off 40 student-led clubs at Friends. From new options like Mahjong, Ping Pong, Music Production, Girls Rock, Medicinal Chemistry, Fashion Marketing, and Video Game Club to the many groups already part of school life, there’s a club for every interest — arts, culture, science, sports, and more.

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From Summer Planning to Classroom Practice: Friends Faculty Shape the Year Ahead

Friends Seminary’s first Anchor Grant & Lighthouse Award gallery walk on Monday, September 29, 2025, showcased a culture of open sharing and sustained innovation across the curriculum. Conceived and launched by K-12 Dean of Studies Hassan Wilson, the initiative will continue annually, creating a dependable rhythm for faculty to bring summer work into public view and into conversation with colleagues. Over the summer, talented educators researched, designed, and prototyped new approaches—then brought that work into the open. The room functioned like a working library: clear goals, practical tools, and candid dialogue about what moves learning forward, with teachers comparing notes, adapting one another’s ideas, and refining plans so students feel the impact this year.

At the heart of the program are two complementary grants. The Anchor Grant advances curriculum aligned with divisional and K–12 priorities by addressing essential curricular needs, developing shared resources, and strengthening coherence across courses and grade levels. The Lighthouse Award recognizes projects that meet a genuine need while introducing innovative, transformative approaches to pedagogy—pilots that test what is next and illuminate paths others can follow. Together, they create time for deep work and spaces where educators learn from one another—openly, generously, and often.

Congratulations to all who shared work at the gallery walk and inspired colleagues across the School. This collective expertise—and the willingness to make practice public—continues to strengthen the program and the community.

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Owl Sports

The Owls have taken flight for the fall season!

For the most up-to-date sports news, follow Friends Athletics at www.instagram.com/friendsathletics for weekly team and senior features! Please enjoy live video from Friends sporting events here: https://fan.hudl.com/usa/ny/new-york/organization/80015/friends-seminary-hig-high-school/video