Access and opportunity rise as themes at Lower School Open House

The morning couldn’t have been more picturesque – a hint of autumnal orange peeking through the boughs of the trees that frame Friends Academy’s Quad, as bouquets and towers of red and white balloons gently welcomed an energetic turnout of prospective Lower School families to the first Open House of the Admissions season.

With Upper School student ushers on hand at reception tables and at the entrance of the Kumar Wang Library (KWL), attendees made their way in, as they were greeted by directors in Arts, Athletics, and the Auxiliary Programs of Extended Day and Enrichment.

“The beginning years for students are so important,” opened Director of Enrollment Management and Financial Aid Taisha Thompson. “It’s during this time that they will develop the habits of mind that will take them through high school and beyond,” she added in addressing the audience.

Approaching its sesquicentennial, Friends Academy’s Quaker mission has never seemed so important and relevant, especially to Head of School Paul Stellato. “This is a big moment for all of you as you bring with you the hopes and dreams you have had even before your children were born,” he began. 

“I think a lot about opportunity and access. And I ask a question that many of you may have. ‘Why, when my child is a Kindergartner, would I want to enroll in a school that has a middle and high school?’” Mr. Stellato rhetorically posed of the parents gathered in front of him. “What you will experience at Friends Academy is the robustness and richness of facility and program,” he emphasized. “Underneath us, right now, we are building a state-of-the-art science, research, and engineering hub for Middle and Upper School that is built on a foundation of instruction from the Lower School.”

School-wide access to people, programming, and facilities continued to resonate with Lower and Middle School Principal Rik Dugan, who is also Friends Academy’s incoming Head of School. “Your fourth grader gets to use the same athletic facilities as a soon-to-be Division 1 player; a second grader can perform upon the same Broadway-like theater that houses the Upper School Musical,” he said. “This is the experience that is uniquely a Nursery-Grade 12 school.”

The uniqueness of Friends Academy echoed from presenter to presenter. From the Forest Program that is “equally manicured and full of wild beauty” – a frequent destination for FA’s Early Childhood students to “nurture children’s environmental responsibility and joy” – to an aerial acrobatics program that starts in Kindergarten to biweekly theater programs in Grades 2, 3, and 4, to a PE program that prepares students to compete in organized sports starting in Grade 5; one thing stays constant.

“The best part of being at Friends Academy is that we get to see our students grow during their entire experience,” said Director of Athletics Matt Johnsen. “Some of the seniors I work with, I’ve known since 6th grade; some since they were six years old,” added Director of Arts Andrew Geha, who is in his 25th year at Friends.

At the heart of Friends Academy remains a steadfastness, a firm hold on its Quaker mission that reflects nearly 150 years of values-based pedagogy, rooted in over 350 years of timeless Quaker education. 

“We will celebrate our 150th next year – there are not a lot of schools that have been around for that long,” noted Mr. Stellato. “What we’ve always done and known is something more – that your children are much more than the skills they develop, the grades they earn, the sports they play, the clubs they attend… When we talk about preparing students to lead, it’s very different here because they are grounded in a moral, spiritual and ethical education, which develops the inner life of every child,” he continued. 

Every Tuesday, students in Lower School attend Quaker Meeting for Worship – a form of silent reflection broken by the inner thoughts of children who stand in front of their peers and share aloud. “Imagine your child sitting still,” Mr. Stellato began, as the audience chuckled. “But sitting still for 25-30 minutes and being asked to consider a question – or a query as we call it here – about what can I do in my life to bring peace to the world around me. Who asks that of four-year-olds?” he emphasized as his voice gained in volume. “It’s part of the diet here; it’s what nourishes us.”

“Going to the Meeting House is my favorite thing,” explained second grader and Lower School panelist Anna. “Every time I go, there is a query. I listen to it and it makes me feel good to expand my voice.”

For Early Childhood Director Abby Cook-Gonzalez, this speaks to the core of what faculty care most about. “Our emphasis is on empowering our children through learning empathy and integrity. We learn how to be our best selves; only then, do we move on to the rest of Lower School.”

As presenters and panelists began to close out and prepare for campus-wide tours, a final note of academic excellence deepened by inquiry and inspired by values struck the final tone. “We inspire joyful academic learning,” smiled Mr. Dugan. “When you walk through our hallways in just a few minutes, watch for smiles and listen for the hum. It is here where we will strive to be the best, in our humble Quaker way, and always look for ways to be better.”

Senior Sophia Diaz, who entered Friends Academy in Kindergarten, highlighted what she has come to know (and always known) about her time. “It’s more than just a school; it’s a community. Where the teachers really push students to their best but also give them the support to achieve that. FA has not just prepared me for college, but also for the real world, and I know I can always come home here.” 

To schedule a personal tour of Friends Academy or find out more about our Lower School program, please contact the Admissions Office at 516-393-4244.

Photos by Alvin Caal/Friends Academy