Buckingham Friends School: Seedlings Spring 2022

Page 1

BUCKINGHAM FRIENDS SCHOOL

SPRING 2022

building on our strengths


BUCKINGHAM FRIENDS SCHOOL

MISSION

Buckingham Friends School honors the Light within each person, inspires scholarship and spiritual community, and instills the value of caring for others and our world

CORE VALUES

Rooted in the beliefs and traditions of Quakers, our values as a Friends school guide us to engage members of the school community in the shared responsibility of honoring the Light within each person and fostering the growth, individual talents, and passions of every student. 2021-2022 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Michael Godshall, Clerk Laura Kinnel, Assistant Clerk Alison Mitchell ’81, Secretary Lisa Pretecrum, Treasurer Drew Augenblick Andrew Garrett ‘80 Daniel Holton-Roth ‘91 Chris Kerr Lukas Makris Annette Miller ‘73 Alexis Ridge-Simek Robert Roop George Yarnall

ADMINISTRATION Paul Lindenmaier Head of School

EDITOR

Rossana Zapf Associate Head of School

Michael Butler, Michele Levy

Melissa Clayton Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Katelynn Connolly Director of Advancement Karen Kemp, Director of Technology Innovation and Design Chris Searle

Director of Finance and Operations

Katelynn Connolly COPY EDITORS

COVER PHOTO Paul Lindenmaier CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Katelynn Connolly, Paul Lindenmaier, Ozzie Oswald, DeeDee Snyder, Amy McDermott CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Katelynn Connolly, Michele Levy, Paul Lindenmaier, Lukas Makris, Gregory Murphy, Jean Partridge, Nancy Sandberg, Rosanna Zapf DESIGN & PRODUCTION Brad Wilson

Every effort was made to present the information in this edition of Seedlings as accurately as possible, If you notice any errors, omissions, or misrepresentations, please contact Katelynn Connolly at advancement@bfs.org.


Contents FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL MOVING FORWARD: REALIZING THE PROMISE

2

3-5

BUILDING ESSENTIAL STRENGTHS

6

LIGHTS IN ACTION

7

DEIJB Diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging

9

TWO CORNERSTONES

10

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

12

COMMUNITY MEMBER PROFILE

13

REFLECTIONS/MAGIC MOMENTS

14

ALUMNI NEWS IN MEMORIAM GIVING DAY

3

6

15 - 19 20

10

IBC

14

SPRING

|

1


FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL PAUL LINDENMAIER

hope grows! TH E RE IS A G ROWING S E NS E O F HO PE A N D E XCITE M E NT O N CA M PUS TH ES E DAYS. We are beginning to experience the warmth of spring, to see a way forward out of the pandemic, and to recognize the magnitude and impact of our community’s intentional planning and sustained efforts, such as our proposed campus construction.

Just as we have restored the practice of going to the Meetinghouse for our central experience as a Friends school – Meeting for Worship – other important and significant traditions are in the works for this spring. Each class is planning an ensemble performance or presentation, and we anticipate celebrating these uniquely BFS moments when every student has the opportunity to find and share their voice with others. The faculty are deep into planning our signature class trips for Grades 5 - 8, and sports are BACK! It was exciting to see our teams take to the fields after March break, and wonderful to have these opportunities to connect in person with families and other BFS community members. As our Capital Campaign continues during the “quiet phase,” and with gratitude for the strong and early support from the Board and other contributors, the activity in preparation for campus projects has ramped up significantly. Collaborating with faculty and community members, Centerbrook Architects have created exciting plans for a new, detached Science building, a new Gym with a connector (to include a new kitchen and elevator) to the Arts building, and the expansion and renovation of the Middle and Upper schools (learn more about the projects and planning on Page 3).

2

|

SEEDLINGS

This is truly a time to feel proud of BFS. We are the beneficiaries of all that previous generations of BFS community members did to envision, build, and provide for us. We have a unique opportunity to care for this storied place, to provide responsible stewardship, to attend to the needs of the campus, facilities, faculty, and endowments, and to leave the School better than we found it – positioned to live its mission, thrive and flourish today; and strengthened for generations to come. On behalf of our entire faculty and staff, I want to thank every member of our community for your extraordinary trust and support. Even with the challenges we have endured together, we have much to be grateful for. There are many wonderful things to come, and I look forward to sharing them with you all.

Paul Lindenmaier Head of School


Realizing the Promise. PAUL LINDENMAIER

PAUL LINDENMAIER

In just a few months, we will break ground on the first of a series of transformative campus-wide projects. Informed and inspired by our strategic plan, these projects honor the legacies of BFS communities of the past and their caring stewardship of this gem of a campus. Current and former members of the community, and members of Buckingham Monthly Meeting, were engaged in an inclusive planning process - offering ideas, reflections, and feedback to ensure our unified and shared success. Together, they framed a promise to future school communities who will benefit from their vision and efforts. Together, we have answered the call to stewardship and pledged to appreciate and improve this vital asset that is our campus. The individual components of this project will align what we value from the 18th century with the needs of 21st century learners. We have created exciting plans for a new, detached Science building, a new Gym with a connector (to include a new kitchen and elevator) to the Arts building, and the expansion and renovation of the Middle and Upper schools. It’s inspiring, it’s what our values call us to do, and it’s a powerful example that our students will carry in their minds and hearts long after they depart. The images on these pages provide a glimpse of the wonderful things ahead for this beloved campus!

SPRING

|

3


New Upper School

Science in the Woods

Science Interior

Middle School Workshop Middle School Commons

New Middle School

Kitchen layout housed in the new connector Atrium

4

|

SEEDLINGS


Upper School Commons

Campus View from Meetinghouse Bus Canopy

Faculty Site Planning Workshop

Current Gym Connector Lobby Oculus

New Gym Current gym size in yellow compared to new gym size

SPRING

|

5


KATELYNN CONNOLLY

Building Essential Strengths An Intentional Focus on Social and Emotional Learning in Second Grade Our youngest learners have had the unique experience of entering the world of formal education in the midst of a global pandemic. They have joined an education system under pressure during an emotional period filled with increased stress, anxiety, and grief. However, our students are resilient, and our faculty have worked with care and intention to help them meet the challenges of this exceptional moment. A key focus for these skilled educators has been on Social and Emotional Intelligence (S+EI), a strength fundamental to successful learning and healthy relationships throughout life. With students enjoying expanded access to an in-person classroom experience—some for the first time—this foundation of S+EI has been particularly important. Teachers have worked to meet each student where they are in their S+EI competency and to help them “recharge” as needed. Second grade teacher Melissa Bagley explains the rationale for making S+EI even more of a priority right now: “Over these past two years, many students have not had the opportunity to be socialized in the traditional ways they would have been pre-pandemic.” Each classroom, she states, is a social community with its own blueprint and culture. To create an optimal environment, students need to trust in the adults, as well as in themselves. To nurture this trust, Ms. B. devoted significant time during the first months of the school year to helping her class discover its sense of shared identity and reestablish norms from the previous school year, now with considerations for new friends, new teachers, and a new environment. In second grade, the work of social competency begins with a guide post called “C.H.I.R.P.”—Courage, Humility, Integrity, Respect, and Perseverance. The class spends two weeks focusing in turn on each of these key qualities. Activities include read-alouds in which students explore what each word sounds, looks, and feels like. They

6

|

SEEDLINGS

also search for character examples, individuals through history who embody and exemplify each quality. Finally, they practice kindness shoutouts, celebrating one another’s achievements. To date, the class has reached nearly 1,000 acts of kindness! Ms. B. explains that this foundational work pays off over time. “When someone makes a mistake, it becomes easier to responsibly acknowledge it—to own it and address it in order to move beyond it.” She also sees benefits in conflict resolution. “With C.H.I.R.P. in their tool boxes, students are better equipped to resolve issues independently and peacefully.” Another key component of S+EI focuses on emotional competence, the ability to understand and appropriately express the emotions one is experiencing. That can be difficult, especially if you’re out of practice. Over the past two years, children may not have had the opportunity to feel and share these strong emotions within a peer group. As Ms. B. explains, “Whether isolated at home or physical distancing at school, children haven’t had the same opportunities to practice skills such as sharing and patience.” Ms. B. uses tools such as a feeling thermometer to help students to clearly identify what they are experiencing, and incorporates strategies such as taking deep breaths, having a drink of water, or stepping aside for some quiet time. Ultimately, these simple strategies, like the S+EI curriculum as a whole, support a larger objective—helping each student develop a strong sense of self-identity as a learner, leader, team player, and advocate. As they work toward this goal, Ms. B. and her second graders are not only meeting the challenges that pandemic learning brought their way, but building a foundation for continued success into Middle School, Upper School, and beyond.


BFS Lights in Action

Visit https://fiaria.org/ to learn more about this amazing work and to keep up to date on these BFS Lights in Action!

KATELYNN CONNOLLY

One family’s personal journey inspires them to help others who have opened their homes and their hearts to foster children. Since 2016, current BFS parents Alexis Ridge-Simek and Joe Simek have dedicated themselves to supporting foster families experiencing transitions. They launched the Fiaria Project—an award-winning nonprofit organization based in Bucks County and supported solely by volunteers and private donations—as a way to pursue this mission. The organization grew out of the Ridge-Simek family’s desire to remain a part of the foster system after they adopted their daughter Aria ’26, who entered their lives as a foster child in 2011. According to Fiaria’s website, more than 24,000 children in PA are in foster care. The organization partners with area foster agencies and other organizations to support as many of those children as possible, currently by providing“transition kits,” packed with essential clothing, toiletries, and other basic items foster kids need. As the organization’s website explains, “In many cases, foster care placement happens following a crisis in the home and the transition to a foster home is immediate. Often there is no time to pack and the new foster family may have had little time to prepare for the arrival of their new foster child.” Now in its sixth year, the Fiaria Project is a labor of love for Alexis, Joe, and their daughters Fiona ’22 and Aria ’26—and it has moved forward despite the challenges of a global pandemic. In fact, Fiaria is looking to expand its work with new programs focused on the needs of children aging out of foster care and on the mental and emotional health of foster children and families. BFS celebrates the commitment of the Ridge-Simeks and all the good work being done by Fiaria! If you know a BFS Lights in Action story about someone dedicated to building a better community, please submit their story to advancement@ bfs.org. We would love to share it!

SPRING

|

7


8

|

SEEDLINGS


BFS Continues Its Committed Exploration of DEIJB ROSSANA ZAPF

a

s Buckingham Friends School continues to dive deeply into the meaningful work of

diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging (DEIJB); Our approach combines training, reflection, and support — from experts and from one another. Our goal is to equip all students to recognize unfairness, understand its impacts, and ultimately know how to take action to make the world a more equitable place. Our entire staff began the school year by participating in a transformative workshop with Ali Michael, a national expert in cultural competency and anti-racist education. Over the course of the school year, Ali then met with each division to address DEIJB topics in a developmentally appropriate manner. Not surprisingly, the members of our school community were willing to lean into the discomfort—to engage in tough, candid, caring conversations where we reflected on what we are doing well and identified blind spots.

UPPER SCHOOL In Upper School our focus was on unpacking what it means to have an anti-racist approach to curriculum development and classroom teaching. We discussed the concept of the classroom as a set of “mirrors and windows,” where all students should see themselves reflected in course materials and also have windows into different perspectives and ways of living and being. We also learned about the 1:5 ratio:

one part oppression to 5 parts celebration. In other words, we should spend only about 20 percent of our time learning about the struggles of marginalized people, and 80 percent understanding and honoring their contributions.

MIDDLE SCHOOL With our Middle School and Specials teachers, we explored our unease when introducing young students to complex historical events such as slavery, colonialism, and the civil rights movement. The key take-away was to remember that the practice of anti-racism is just that—practice. It’s not about perfection but about trying and learning.

LOWER SCHOOL

helping them to understand that they did not create the systems of racism, but that they can help change them. As a Quaker institution, BFS already has a strong commitment to social justice. We honor the Light in each person and we deeply believe in fairness, justice, and equity. At BFS we understand that Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Belonging work is a practice that warrants ongoing reflection and refinement. Our recent survey results on Instruction, Classroom Culture, Family Community and Engagement, and Teacher Leadership demonstrate that while we are doing a lot to honor the identities of our students and to become a more intentionally inclusive institution, there is still so much work to be done.

In Lower School Teachers took part in a robust conversation about how to build racial competency through knowledge, self-awareness, skills, and action. We explored the challenge of teaching about racism to young students and the goal of

SPRING

|

9


Two Cornerst BFS Honors and Thanks Two Esteemed

Both Sydney and Hillary are and have been cornerstones of our sch culture we embrace, and they will be missed. They embody everyt thinking about the students first; conducting oneself with integrity community, giving selflessly and with dedication and commitment peace and care and stewardship for our world. Artifacts of their c constructed with students on the Lower School playground; thousa loads of tables, chairs, clocks, and other woodshop projects; and g acquired self-worth and knowledge. –Paul Lindenmaier

“I would like to honor my incredible mentor and dearest friend Sydney with this quote: “What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to a human soul.” Joseph Addison – Kris Sinisi I first came to know Sydney as a beloved teacher at Trinity Day School where my son was a student. Naturally calm and capable, she was a positive and energetic educator of young children— I was delighted when she joined the BFS faculty to take over the woodshop curriculum. Sydney has been an enthusiastic and committed teacher and colleague at BFS ever since. For 30 years, she has always been ready to roll up her sleeves and join in any event or activity. She has also been eager to expand her role at BFS, adding the teaching of health and later mindfulness to her repertoire (in fact helping develop the mindfulness curriculum). Sydney is one of those people who quietly shines, not given to announcing her many talents. In addition to her renowned skills as a woodworker, she is a graceful and fluid skier and surfer and a boat builder. At BFS, she guided classes in building boats that were donated to the annual auction. She has endless energy, often jogging rather than walking across campus—perhaps stopping to mount a ladder and hammer a few roof shingles onto the Lower School playground log cabin along the way. Sydney attended Germantown Friends School, and embodies the Quaker ethos of service to others. She has been a force behind many of Buckingham Friends’ service projects. 10

|

SEEDLINGS

Sydney also helped students understand the importance of healthy life choice and finding a balance in our daily work and play—evidenced in her part in the BFS MIndfulness Program. She has been a devoted supporter of the JEM program—volunteering as a trusted chaperone on several trips—and served as the director of the BFS Summer Arts Camp for 25 years. Sydney’s family is growing, with the addition of five grandchildren in recent years, (including one named for her) I am so pleased that she will have the opportunity to spend more time with them! She is sure to continue to make the most of every day, pursuing her many passions and furthering her own skills and interests. I join the entire School community in thanking Sydney for her countless contributions to the betterment of BFS, and wishing her much happiness! As a kind, thoughtful, caring person Sydney looks for the good in everyone and in all situations. Loving nature, she finds joy in the simple things of life, from a small piece of moss to the moon shining at night. Always positive, Sydney is a loyal friend and a highly skilled and dedicated teacher to all. I wish her much joy and happiness in her new adventures. –Jean Partriidge


stones

NANCY SANDBERG

Teachers as They Prepare to Retire

hool, the community we care for, the thing we value about quality educators: y; forging a regard for and building t; and always striving to promote contributions abound – a new log cabin ands of new books in the library; housegenerations of experiences, memories and

Hillary Spitzer quickly established her place among the faculty of BFS when she arrived 20 years ago. Outgoing, confident, and cheerful, she was deeply dedicated to her work in the library, aware of the vital importance of high quality literature in the lives of children. Hillary has given her all to her role at BFS, scheduling visits with top authors and illustrators, organizing the yearly JEM read-a-thon, and assuring that the library’s holdings contain a wide variety of the best in children’s literature and non-fiction—all while nurturing and expanding students’ interests as individual readers. She has helped countless children navigate the rigors of research and hone skills that enable them to better search out online information safely and wisely. Hillary has been a plucky traveler since she was a teenager, when she would fly on her own to visit her grandmother in England. Karen Seaton chose wisely when she picked Hillary to groom as her successor to direct the JEM program. In leading JEM, Hillary was committed to promoting the environmental focus of the program — both at home among BFS students and while visiting a sister school. She has chaperoned numerous trips, including two to Kenya, where she had to calmly handle unexpected needs, such as negotiating a traffic stop by bribe-seeking police. She excelled in the complex planning needed to make the JEM Earth Summit events held every four years a profoundly positive experience for all.

Hillary is one of the most energetic and game people I know, always up for a new adventure and with many hobbies to show for it, from gardening to skiing and snowboarding. She is enormously creative and artistic. Her custom-painted furniture pieces, featuring characters from beloved children’s books, have become immediate family treasures for my nieces and grandchildren. Hillary has been a trusted and respected colleague and a dear friend, someone I was most eager to get to know from the day she arrived on campus 20 years ago. Buckingham Friends School has been privileged to count her among its faculty. I wish her the best as she moves on to new adventures! Hillary is a very dedicated educator. She always advocates for the value of books and reading, and she is a teacher of research and study skills. She did a great job taking over the reins of the JEM program when Karen Seaton left, and those were big shoes to fill. She has been a most important and effective ambassador for our school on a worldwide scale. Just consider the breadth of that statement! –Steve Bernardini

It has been such a joy to know and work with Hilary. She is bright and competent and brought the JEM program to new heights with her ability to connect with people around the world based on common interests and environmental goals. –Rich Cox

SPRING

|

11


ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Betsy (Cepparulo) Renzo ‘96 Lawyer, Teacher, Leader and more

Like many graduates of Quaker schools, Betsy (Cepparulo) Renzo ‘96 has pursued a strikingly diverse range of interests and professions over the course of her life and career. After graduating from BFS and the George School, Betsy studied child psychology and Italian language at Skidmore College (Ariel Scott ‘96 was her roommate). With intentions of becoming a child advocate, she then attended Temple University’s Beasley School of Law, focusing on public defense and nonprofit law. After practicing law for four years she decided that she wanted to confront issues of social injustice in a more proactive way and turned toward the field of education, earning a Master’s in Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership at Stanford University in 2011. Over the course of her varied career, Betsy has served as a public defender in Philadelphia, a law clerk for a Federal District Court, a law clerk for the island nation of Palau (ask her about this amazing experience sometime), a family law attorney, a teacher, a field hockey coach, a mock trial advisor, a service trip coordinator, and last, but not least, a Zumba instructor at the YMCA!

alumni SP

TLIGHT

“Kids just really want to be heard and seen and any kid that gets individualized attention is going to be able to succeed.” BETSY (Cepparulo) RENZO, WAVE

Leading at The Wave Learning System In 2020, after serving as Peace and Social Justice teacher at Wilmington Friends School Betsy began what she describes as the most challenging and exciting part of her career—becoming the director of an educational nonprofit called the Wave Learning System. Wave is a program offered free of cost by Community Education Building (“CEB”) in downtown Wilmington, Delaware. Home to four schools, CEB follows the tenets of the community schools movement, providing an array of wraparound student and family services on site. These include a food pantry, health care services, housing support, counseling, life coaching, and financial advising for the students and families in CEB schools. The Wave program focuses on social-emotional learning, individualized programming, academic support, enrichment, and trauma-informed care. Its name is intended as a metaphor for a child— just like a wave, each child is unique, with a different past, present, and future. Betsy says that one of her biggest “aha” teaching moments has been to realize the important opportunity many schools miss at the beginning of the school day by not taking time to make sure students are emotionally ready to learn. Wave uses the first 30 minutes of each morning to do one-on-one student check-ins, teach coping strategies, set achievable goals, and to talk about life’s most challenging questions. As Betsy explains, you cannot learn algebra if you are emotionally dealing with trauma, and you cannot separate intellect from emotion. To give space for those emotions is something Quakers have been doing for hundreds of years, and Betsy is trying to bring that practice to the mainstream. A distinctive dimension of Wave is that high school students in the program who live below the poverty line can get paid to participate. The goal is to remove the burden for Delaware’s lowest-income teens of having to choose between work and school. Wave has served over 400 students at nine different schools in the

12

|

SEEDLINGS


COMMUNITY MEMBER PROFILE

Lukas Makris Current BFS Trustee, Current Parent ’22, Co-Chair Capital Campaign Steering Committee last year and a half, and has seen students move from a 6% average in math to being on the honor roll— in a matter of three months! Working closely with students who need support, need to feel heard, and want the opportunity to succeed has been the most rewarding experience in Betsy’s life.

Life-Shaping Influences Betsy describes three primary influences in her own life: her father, her Quaker education, and the work of Bryan Stevenson, Equal Justice Initiative executive director and author of Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption. Betsy’s late father, Judge Albert J. Cepparulo, was as big in personality as he was in heart. He taught her to always ask questions, to love constitutional law (she’s still working on this one), and to believe she could become anything she wanted to be. Her Quaker education at BFS (and later George School) cemented the ideals of equality, nonviolence, and community. To this day, she says, the fundamentals of sixth-grade Developmental Workshop guide the way she works with groups and resolves conflict, even if Mr. B didn’t believe at the time that 12-year-old Betsy was actually listening. Bryan Stevenson—through his writing, advocacy and leadership—has shown Betsy that creating opportunity for those who don’t have it is worth the sleepless nights. His endless advocacy for the wrongfully convicted and condemned, his determination to “get proximate,” and his belief that we are more than the worst thing we’ve ever done, have inspired everything that Betsy is currently doing personally and professionally.

Challenges, Hopes and Dreams The biggest challenge in Betsy’s life over the last few years has been balancing the demands of her work with the desire to be home with her family— a challenge for every working parent.She is deeply grateful for the support of husband John Renzo. Betsy says that it is John and her beautiful step-daughters, Evelyn (12) and Amelia (10) who ground her, motivate her, and “fill her cup” every day. There are many things that Betsy still wants to achieve. Becoming the first female president is still on the list, as is running the fastest 50-yard dash in Track and Field history. Mostly, she wants to become a leader in education policy, rewrite the systems that continue to oppress and segregate, and open doors so that everyone can have the education and experiences she’s been so incredibly fortunate to have in her own life.

Why did you and your wife, Yota, choose BFS for your family? The day we came to visit for Christina’s interview, there was a bit of traffic coming up rte. 202. I could hear the sounds of cheerful chatter and happiness and had no idea where it was coming from until we turned into the entrance of the School and came up the hill. It was recess time and my first impression was the energy that I could feel and hear, even though I could not see it at first from the road. This positive energy was in the air- I still to this day can feel that experience. Coupled with all that BFS has to offer academically- we knew it was right for us. What motivated you to join the BFS Board of Trustees? There was a time when the School was in need of some real help. I could see that it was an emotional time. Decisions needed to be made to support the community and I wanted to commit to being a part of this shift because I believed in this school. I joined the Finance Committee in 2016; improvements began to take shape, and two years ago I was moved to join the School Board, as well, in order to stretch my reach of support and involvement to all aspects of the School. What excites you most about the campus improvement projects? Although we are improving and updating the buildings, we are preserving the spirit and aesthetic of the environment. Providing the students and faculty with state of the art equipment, with ample space to work and collaborate, yet maintaining the environment and feel from the outside, is very important.

PROFESSION: STATISTICAL CONSULTANT EDUCATION: PHD IN STATISTICS RESIDES IN: NEW HOPE

S SPPRRI N I NGG

| |

19 3


REFLECTIONS:

Magic Moments

Sixth Grade parents at Lasagna Dinner Minion style!

– RANDY COX ‘61

As an alumnus of the class of 1961, in spite of having lived in the faroff state of California for the ensuing 60+ years, I regularly encounter real-life reflections of those halcyon days at BFS. A few follow:

Seventh Grade displaying their artifacts at the Medieval Museum

Fourth Grade enjoying the sledding hill

Eighth Grade enjoying friendships while pushing their edges at their outdoor education trip

First Grade taking a meditative walk during Meeting for Worship

* A reverence for forest walks from those scenic ambles to the lower soccer field. * An appreciation for meditative listening from Monday morning assembly in Meetinghouse. * A dedication to finishing tasks, even unpleasant ones, from completing, to Ms. Haines’ satisfaction, the week’s work in my math workbook before leaving school on Fridays. * An identification of the 5 Quaker principles (SPICES) manifest in the poetry of William Stafford and, much earlier, epitomized in the lifestyle of our neighbor, Mr. Peter Barry. These reflections as well as many others resonate with me daily, and they contain principles I have striven to instill in my own children since their earliest days. Thank you, BFS, for such enduring gifts…

12 4

|

SEEDLINGS

Third Grade boiling the sap they collected from the trees in the cemetery for maple syrup

Second graders


Alumni News TO UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION VISIT WWW.BFS.ORG/ALUMNI To keep up to date on all BFS Magic Moments be sure to like us on Facebook; Follow Paul on Instagram at buckinghamfriendsschool or check out his blog at: https://paullindenmaierheadofschoolblog.bfssb.org/

If you do not currently receive emails from BFS, please consider providing us with your email address so that you may receive updates, the electronic alumni newsletter Friends!Connect! and more. To update your information visit www.bfs. org/alumni

1950s Prudence Ingerman ‘54 - Since retiring from teaching ESL at Juniata College in the middle of PA, I have been very busy writing and illustrating books on useful topics like caregiving, rain forest, teaching, knitting, etc. The latest is entitled At Home: 92 Home-based Activities to keep you busy, sane and centered. It is available up on Amazon. I have also knitted 627 (so far) six-inch peacepals which are never for sale. They go to people who are sad, lonesome and who need a companion. I am following my lifelong goal of making the world a better place simply because I am in it.

Fifth graders finishing a signature shop project, building bookcases

Merry McBride Coolidge ’56 - The 50’s reunion was such a delight, seeing old friends, pix, & visiting BFS & the area. I came from FL where we have lived since 1985 & met my sister Bonnie there from St Louis. Approaching octogenarian is shocking but meaningless in the face of all the memories alive & well of our time together as kids. I love the School Song & know it all. I sang all the songs we learned from Helen Schmidt Atkinson to our two sons & 5 grands. How special is that!

s performing their play

Kindergarten celebrating the 100th day of school with their magic capes

John McDaniel III ’56 - After six happy years in Bucks County, BFS, and George School, I had the life changing experience of taking a course in anthropology at Washington and Lee University. I spent a decade in graduate study at the University of Pennsylvania, field work in the Peruvian jungle, and military service. In 1972, with a PhD in anthropology, I began teaching at W&L, and met and fell in love with Nell Word Reeves. Thanks to her brightness, kindness, and courage we have enjoyed a half century together. We have two wonderful daughters and four great grandchildren. My academic career allowed us to spend our summers in the still wild American West. Upon my retirement, we moved to Montana. I now work in my second career of guiding fly anglers on the Henry’s Fork River in Idaho. This summer will be my twenty-third of guiding, in my 81st year of life.

Contact Katelynn Connolly Director of Advancement at 215-794-7491 ext. 121 Email: advancement@bfs.org Send to the School via snail mail: Buckingham Friends School, The Office of Advancement, PO Box 159, Lahaska, PA 18931

Elizabeth Moore-Moriarty ‘56 - Liz moved to Piper Shores in Scarborough, Maine four years ago after many years in Cambridge, Mass. She has three children living in Brooklyn, NY, Syracuse, NY and Milton, MA and five grandchildren. She went to the Museum School at the Museum of Fine Arts and worked for years in metal sculpting and then turned to writing books, publishing An Unseemly Wife and Stones in the Road under the name of E B Moore. And now she is writing poetry. David Teller ‘56 - lives in the Northeast Kingdom in Vermont, near the Canadian border. David went to George School after BFS and then to Goddard College and the University of Michigan. He lived and worked abroad in Laos and the Philippines where he met his wife. They had one son who now lives in NJ. David worked as a State Trooper for 14 years in VT. Peggy Richie Weymouth ‘56 - After BFS I went to Wells College and then lived in Paris for year and a half, returning to Boston where I met my husband. We lived in Cambridge for 4 years and then moved to Hingham MA where we have been for over 50 years in the same house! We had three kids who eventually gave us 8 grandchildren and they all live in the Boston area so we are very lucky to be able to participate in their lives. My husband started a graphic design company in Boston years ago and I worked in that for many years, retiring about 5 years ago. We used to travel all over the world doing photography. I have many interests now and am in denial about my age and play tennis, do yoga, pilates and x-c skiing, etc. Life has been good. “I too still love the songs we learned from Mrs. Atkinson in her little music room near the Meetinghouse.”

1960s Pam Brown Benson ‘63 - I’m living in Stone Ridge, NY, which is a soulful and progressive place to settle after a dozen years on the North Fork of Long Island, where I’d been in the wine industry. I’m now able to focus on ceramics SPRING

|

15


and sculpture (using a 16’ sawmill to make big wooden “prisms”) in the scant hours when I’m not playing with my two kids, Robert (almost 7) and Vanessa (4). We’ve assembled a homeschooling pod with five other families, which has worked wonderfully, and I teach Spanish once a week to the crew. We have two dogs, nine chickens, and access to streams and mountains (just went snowboarding for the first time in 15 years and may not be able to walk tomorrow!). Laurie Coursin Rendall ‘63 - I retired as a Certified Nurse Midwife and left working at Dartmouth Hitchcock/ Cheshire Medical Hospital Keene, NH in 2015. I moved to Putney, Vermont till my son, Owen Coursin ’01 asked me to be closer to him in Florence, Mass where he got married to Aliza Rosenstein 9/12/20 in their backyard ( due to COVID.) I’m enjoying living in Amherst, Mass and have been active in the Northampton Quaker Meeting. February 11, 2022 I had a total left shoulder replacement and am looking forward to holding Owen and Aliza’s first child in late July. I’m enjoying walking in the woods behind my home as a way to cope with the COVID pandemic. I often think of how BFS influenced my life as well as my son, Owen’s, and appreciate especially the remarkable staff and all those that maintain the remarkable school that BFS was in 1963 till today. Ken Miller ‘64 I went to high school at George School (Newtown, PA) and then college at Earlham College (Richmond, IN) and worked at Friends General Conference as Conference Coordinator and then Property and Fiscal Manager for a total 43 years. Now retired, I live in New Britain, PA with my wife Alix, in the house I grew up in, which is now in the Wilma Quinlan Nature Preserve. My daughter Hannah CastleMiller ’03 graduated BFS and went to high school at George School, then college at Delaware Valley University (Doylestown, PA) and now lives in Dublin, PA. My daughter Haley Castle-Miller ‘08 graduated BFS and went to high school at George School, then college at Goucher College (Baltimore, MD), and graduate school at Arcadia University (Glenside, PA) and now lives in Portland, ME. Lee Miller ’65 - I have been happily retired for over 7 years now. My career was spent in the book business; the first half in bookstores, including our own, the second half in sales management in publishing. Retirement – at least pre-pandemic – has given me more time for the things I love: travel, outdoor sports, reading, and time with friends and family, as well as giving back a bit through volunteering. I live in Marlborough MA with my wife Janet. Our daughter Aleya lives in Chicago, so we don’t get to see her nearly as often as we would like. I hold wonderful memories of my 8 years at BFS!

16

|

SEEDLINGS

Janice Miller ’69 - I live in Holliston, Mass and am one year into retirement after spending most of my career in leadership development, first in the global health arena and then in corporate learning. In retirement, I’ve been involved in supporting Afghan evacuees their resettlement and am volunteering in a local climate action group, while also enjoying seeing and reconnecting with friends, now that I have more time. My son, Nathan, recently graduated from college and is now working in biotech in Cambridge Mass. I am still in touch with classmates I met as far back as Kindergarten and would be happy to hear from more

1970s Ashley Garrett ‘72 -I have been married almost 30 years to Alan Jones and we live in New York City. We have two daughters- Megan Jones (28) and Caitlin Jones ( 23). Megan recently married Gregory Russell. She is a lawyer, clerking for a judge in the South District of New York. Caitlin is an artist. My husband is a Senior Managing Partner at ICG and is responsible for direct private investment in North America. I am a professional photographer.

Ben Kirkland ’76 - I’m married with 2 children who have graduated from college and are on their own. I got involved in auto racing back in the 80s. That took me to California and Indy and finally to North Carolina where we’ve been for the last 15 years. Pretty sure I could have made more money doing something else, but I prefer motor racing! Linda O’Connor Evans ‘78 - I am currently a Vice President for a global pharmaceutical consulting company. My husband and I, our two dogs and one cat, live in Bear, DE. I have one daughter, who recently graduated from University of Delaware lives in Philadelphia. I recently traveled to Chincoteague and drove past Wallops Island. Even though over 40 years have passed since our trip to Wallops Island, I still remember many things from it. BFS was and still is an amazing place with so many opportunities to grow and excel.

1980s

Although I have taken photographs for more than 50 years, I did not decide to make it my life’s work until a decade ago. My specialty is people. Put me in a room filled with people and give me the freedom to use my camera; I will make photos of people who not only will like the experience, but who also will be happy with the result. Tim Miller ’74 - I went to Abington Friends for 9th grade and then to Westtown School during which time I got involved in plays and musicals. I followed that interest at Ithaca College where I trained in drama and music as well as sculpture. I got a Master’s Degree in Music with a Specialization in Opera at SUNY Binghamton. My solo career included both opera and musical theater notably with Chautauqua Opera, Greater Miami Opera, and ultimately as a young artist at the Vienna State Opera. While in Europe I also sang Raoul in Phantom of the Opera for over 500 performances, guested at several German theaters and toured with several productions. I returned to America in 1995, got married and had two boys, Evan and Cody, who are now both in high school. I began singing full time in the chorus of the Metropolitan Opera 17 years ago and continue to this day. I have Helen Atkinson, my music teacher at BFS, to thank for always encouraging and supporting my career! Many greetings to all my classmates!

Andrew Garrett ’80 - Hard to believe that I graduated over 40 years ago. Bonnie and I were fortunate to send both of our children through BFS. Alison Mitchell ’81 - has recently been appointed as co-director of New Jersey Conservation Foundation- a private nonprofit based in Far Hills, whose mission is to preserve land and natural resources throughout New Jersey for the benefit of all.

Nancy Keim Comley ‘83 - My husband David and I are keeping up the BFS tradition — daughter Bekah graduated in 2014 and son Nathaniel currently has Mr. B for seventh grade.


Buckingham Friends has been a wonderful school for them both and we are very grateful that our children had the chance to attend. Lexi Lowe-Logan ‘87 - I have lived in Buckingham with my husband Andrew, and our 3 children (Phoenix (19- at SVA in NYC as a Film Major) Fiona (16) and Roman (13) on their Art Farm for the last 15 years. We have a quiet but vibrant art community here with painters, sculptures, a blacksmith and an illustrator. Last year I opened a new business called Brick and Magic, which is a collection of vintage, ephemera, paintings, and unique items. Our mission is to turn the business into a .ORG and be able to reach out to communities and share the magic of making art and how that can positively impact all parts of our world, both personally and globally. Stay tuned for more Magic from the Logans in Buckingham! Corissa Ginsberg Seraydarian ‘87 - My husband Scott and I, with our daughters Bella and Gigi and our dog Asher, all reside at George School (GS) where Scott is the film production teacher as well as a co-teacher for a course in media literacy called “Producing Peace ‘’. I oversee the Yearbook at GS, and assist Scott as a dorm parent. I teach Zumba classes as a hobby in multiple fitness facilities, and am a licensed Real Estate Professional working with the Jay Ginsberg Group (BFS parent to myself ‘87, and Jaime Ginsberg class of ‘91, and Josh Ginsberg) at Addison Wolfe Real Estate in New Hope. I recently accepted a role on the advancement committee at BFS with the hopes to reconnect with the BFS community and contribute to its continued growth and success. Traditionally the “Ginsbergs”, formerly known as, presently known as, and ever growing, vacation somewhere (very large) together each summer. This year we are headed to Sayulita Mexico to spend time in the sun and sand and we can’t wait! Love to all!

1990s Lloyd Moyer ‘92 -My wife Tina and I are proud BFS parents to Penny ’26 in fourth grade and Natalie ’29 in first grade. I live nearby in Doylestown and work as a buyer for a company operating in Peddler’s Village among other places. I love that I still get to see some of my BFS classmates including Melissa Tansarico ‘92 and her awesome daughter Greta, Julie Macintosh Forte ‘92 and her son Charlie and husband Carl, plus fellow BFS parent Christian Duncan Whittenberger ‘92. It’s great being part of the BFS community again! Nora Whittaker Jones ‘92 - I’m a speech language pathologist who specializes in voice and swallowing disorders. I work with UCHealth,

see some private practice clients, lecture on voice and swallowing and am an adjunct graduate school instructor. My family and I currently live in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Anna (Resek) Chung ’95 lives in Rockville MD with her husband and 7-year-old son. Peter Lyng ’95 - My wife (Lynsey) and I are loving being first time parents to Pearson James Lyng born on January 7, 2022 and looking forward to the future. Luke Sorensen ’95 and his wife Emily welcomed a beautiful baby girl, Carly, to the world in the Fall of 2020.

In reality, I have spent almost my entire adult life in the Outdoor Education industry, minus a short stint as a middle school English teacher. I have been with Vail Resorts for 15 years as a ski school supervisor at Breckenridge in the winter and during the summer I am a wilderness guide leading trips in Peru, Thailand, Switzerland and The Rocky Mountains. I spent a year in Alaska working for a bush taxi service dropping climbers and supplies at Denali Basecamp and still return every April to install basecamp on the Kahiltna glacier. Summer of 2021 I ran a wilderness rehabilitation program for adult cancer survivors based out of Golden, CO. Other assorted careers I have tried on include Park Ranger, Whitewater Raft guide and timeshare telemarketer. In my spare time, I enjoy competing in The Moth storytelling events hosted by NPR across the country. I was crowned grand champion of Portland, OR for my piece about training to be a bounty hunter ( yup, did that too). I rarely come east, but would love to see any and all of you if you make it out to CO. I spend lots of time in WY, NM, CA and AK as well so let me know if you ever find yourselves in any of those states, I will come to you and force you to walk up the nearest mountain.

Stephen Cunning Jr. ’96 - I live in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida with my wife Loren, and kids Henry (6) and Lucy (8). I’m a securities trader and my wife manages private art collections. Both of my kids love soccer, school (St. Marks), and art. Jennifer Cervelli ’96 - I attended BFS 1st-5th grade and was a part of the JEM program to Australia with Mrs. Jarvis. I moved to Wyomissing for Jr/Sr High School, where I loved art classes and graduated with high honors. I graduated from the Savannah College of Art & Design where I earned my BFA in Metals & Jewelry, with honors in 2007. Now I live in beautiful Southern California in Hermosa Beach and I own and operate a California Certified Green jewelry business creating whimsical fine jewelry that is 100% handmade by me, using recycled metals and sustainable materials called Jennifer Cervelli Jewelry. Kerry Dietterich ‘96 - After a long career as a Brain Surgeon, I retired in 2016 to pursue a master’s degree in Astrophysics at MIT. I am currently studying how polynutroziodydes affect the production of nanochlorides in zinotrobes to produce a carbon neutral fuel for interstellar vehicular transportation. Let’s be real here, if any of you believed that, your memory of my academic performance is jaded.

Michael Fanjul ‘96 - I am currently living in Scotts Valley, CA near Santa Cruz where I bought a home 3yrs ago. I have a lovely wife of almost 5yrs and we adopted an awesome dog a few years back. I am blacksmithing a lot these days at the nearby historical train village and loving moving metal like clay. Is also try to get out on a paddle board often as I can so if anyone is near the Bay Area, let me know and we’ll go out... might even have a sea lion come up on your board like I did a few years ago! I’ve lived all over (CA, FL, MT, OR, and back to CA) and come East occasionally to visit my brother and his kids in NY up state. Hopefully I’ll get to see one of you sometime. Christine McLendon Juda ‘96 - My husband, Tim, and I live in Northern Virginia and both work for the federal government. I currently work for the Department of Defense as a Workforce Analyst doing future force planning. Prior to working for the Department of Defense, I worked as a recruiter supporting the financial and web services industries. By far the most fulfilling aspect of my life is being a mom to two amazing children. Reade is almost five and Harper is coming up on three. Some of my favorite childhood memories and closest friends are from BFS.

SPRING

|

17


Nick Kerr ‘96 - I live in Philadelphia with my wife and two daughters. We have another kid coming next month. I started a business that I run with my friend Andy from George School. I still keep in touch with Jody, Alex and Betsy. Oh, and I bumped into Danny Ryan ‘99 and Noah Fox ‘99 in December at lunch in Philly. Alex Ryan ‘96 has lived in Italy since 2019 with his wife Valentyna and two girls, Anna (5) and Milana (2). They moved to Italy from Kazakhstan via a year of training in Arlington, Virginia.In Rome he works in the U.S. Embassy’s economic section. Ariel Siebe ‘96 - Hello from Bend, Oregon! My husband, two little girls and I own and operate a regenerative farm called Root Down Acres. We have sheep, chickens, honeybees and lots of seeds to plant for the spring. If any of you come this way, please let us know. We would love to host you!

2000s Simrit Khalsa Lynch ‘03 - This year I returned to BFS as the reading specialist! Beyond excited to be back at this amazing school! Benjamin Weiner ‘03 - I got engaged this past summer, and will be married this summer! I also made the switch from teaching to writing for kids television, and I’m currently writing on two shows for Nickelodeon (not out yet, but should be by next year’s Seedlings!) Evan Boerner ‘05 has a degree in business and is Operations/Finance Manager for Nursing Care Services. Evan bought his first house and is living in Royersford and working in Lansdale. Caleb Savage ‘07 - Last year my partner Drew and I opened up our own camera store and photo lab (called Exposure Therapy) in Brooklyn. Pleased to report business is good and we’re having fun doing what we love! Travis Boerner ’08 graduated from Temple University with a degree in Marketing. Travis works for Nursing Care Services in Marketing, staffing, and customer services. Travis is a chip off the mother block; he is excellent at employee and customer service.

18

|

SEEDLINGS

Aaron Boerner ’09 is finishing up his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Emory & Henry College in VA. His undergrad was Health and Science degree from TU. Aaron is on his second PT residency rotation.

Claire Roche ‘18, Tori Gallagher ‘18, Bill Becker ‘18, Sam Mottershead ‘18, Zane Wasicko ‘18, Owen Yerkes ‘18 and Toshi Amagasu ’18 will all be graduating from George School this June.

2010s

• Claire participated in Field Hockey (4 years) and lacrosse (3 years) and is managing boys lacrosse this year. • Sam was a 4 year swimmer at George School. • Bill and Owen were 4 year soccer participants. • Zane ran track and cross country for 4 years.

Jack Glancey ’11 graduated from American University in 2019. He lives in Washington, DC where he works for a boutique political fundraising firm.

Jonah Helmer ‘13 -I am a senior set to graduate from Cornell University with a BS in Plant Sciences and a minor in Nutritional Sciences. I am the President of the Cornell Hydroponics Club and will be starting a full-time job as an Associate Grower at Campo Caribe, a high-tech controlled environment agriculture (CEA) company growing leafy greens for the island of Puerto Rico.

Zane Wasicko ‘18 - After four years of section hiking the Appalachian Trail, Zane Wasicko ‘18 and his father submitted Mt. Katahdin, ME on 8/8/2021 completing the 2,193.1 miles (give or take) trek from Georgia to Maine.

Will Perkins ‘13 - I graduated from the University of North Carolina in May 2021 with a major in Economics. I am now living in Tampa and enjoying my new job with Bristol Myers Squibb. I will always remember my days at Buckingham Friends fondly and I can’t wait to visit again. Philip Zielke ’13 graduated from Germantown Academy in 2017. He graduated with honors from The Wake Forest University School of Business and he is currently living in New York City and working for Moody’s Investor Services. He has been enjoying travel in his spare time and he often reminisces about his wonderful days at BFS. Chloe Lentchner ’15 transferred to the University of Southern California majoring in communications at the Annenberg school. She’s enjoying the Los Angeles sunshine and spending time exploring the region with her sorority sisters. David Zielke ’16 graduated from Germantown Academy in 2020. He is now attending Wake Forest University full time with plans to major in Finance. David has been honored to be named to the dean’s list all three of his semesters at WFU. He was recently accepted into the Wake Forest School of Business and he plans to study abroad in Barcelona next in Fall, 2022. Bill Becker ‘18 - Three weeks ago, I was admitted to Hamilton College in NY and I will be playing varsity soccer there in the fall.

Olivia Garrett ‘19 - My junior year at George School has been a busy one…with a full academic schedule and starting the college application process and visits. I’m currently in my third year of riding for the varsity equestrian team and showing in IEA horse shows with my team. I qualified for Regionals and Zones in jumping and hope to qualify for Nationals on March 20th. I also love showing my horse Danny in A rated shows and was just out in Ohio at the World Equestrian Center with my trainers and barn family. I look forward to continuing to show Danny and our future together. At home I enjoy relaxing and hanging out with my family, my retired Thoroughbred Fiona and all our pets.


6th grade Earth Day 2022 poem A collaborative poem written by the Class of ‘24 I love the earth… the beaches, the peaches the mother that reaches, for her child Ella DeBari ’19 just won gold key for her artwork, from the Scholastic Art & Writing contest. It will be displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art this spring! Grace Kantra ‘19, a junior at the Pennington School, was the captain of JV Tennis this fall, was part of the winter musical production Cinderella, and she was inducted into the French Honor Society. Julian Lentchner ‘19 has been active at George School where he is a tour guide, junior editor of the yearbook and a member of the boys tennis team. When not at school, he works at Squarehead Industries, a Scandinavian inspired shop selling sustainable products located on Bridge Street in New Hope.

In the vast forest, animals thrive Arboreal sanctuaries And everything that the wind carries Dances through the air Without a thought, without a care

We share this home of ours with so many other creatures

2020s

The grizzly bear…

Andrew Garrett ‘20 I’m happy to be back on the George School campus full time for my sophomore year. I’m enjoying all my classes, especially Advanced Woodworking. I hope to take a new class being offered next year…Marine Biology. I enjoyed playing Varsity football in the fall and Varsity wrestling in the winter. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my family, caring for my pet pigs Nuggie and Tabitha, vegetable gardening and riding my four wheeler.

And the fish, his dinner fresh from the stream

Emma Williams ’20 - is attending New Hope-Solebury and has found many passions within the school. The theater club, Mask & Zany, has been a special activity for them. This fall, they were in the production of Puffs, and this spring, they will be in Mamma Mia and Arsenic and Old Lace. Emma has also joined the Gender-Sexuality Alliance Club and is an editor in the school newspaper. We thank BFS for all that they did to prepare Em for high school.

Birds chirp in the trees Held in wicker nests they have woven The fox passes quietly between the trees While squirrels scurry up and down Ducks float peacefully, and I’m also at peace When I’m in nature, nothing else seems to matter

Ours is a world of quiet and noise, movement and mystery Gusts of wind scatter pink petals And push magnificent clouds across the sky We must be the protectors of our home Or our world will perish Like humans, trees, with help, will regenerate Water will run clean, and soil bring life Peace will sustain, and love bring light

SPRING

|

19


in memoriam We honor the memory of the following Buckingham Friends School community members

Michel Felix Faure, Alumni Parent, Alumni Grandparent Beverly J. Morgan, Alumni Parent, BMM member David B. Koth, Former Head of School Judith Iden, Alumni Parent, Alumni Grandparent

Michel Felix Faure

Beverly J. Morgan

Born in Grenoble, France Michel started cooking professionally at the age of 14. He spent nine years in Paris, working his way through the French apprenticeship system, eventually achieving the coveted rank of Chef de Cuisine.

She married Norman Slamecka in 1951, and gave birth to her eldest, Lynn ‘65. She and Norman divorced, and she married Nathaniel Morgan in 1954. She had three more children: Ward , Tamsen and Bethann ‘77.

- died Friday, July 2, 2021 surrounded by his family.

He came to the United States in 1969 to work for Odette Myrtil at Chez Odette in New Hope, Pa. He ran the kitchen there until 1975. In the following years he also spent time at Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia and served as the Executive Chef at the Hotel DuPont. In the Bucks County area he helmed the kitchens at Colligan’s Stockton Inn and the Carversville Inn before he and his late wife, Barbara, purchased the Golden Pheasant Inn in 1986. Together they operated the hotel and restaurant, until 2011 when their daughters took over the business. He was awarded the rank of Chef Rôtisseur by the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.

- It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Beverly J. Morgan age 91 on October 7, 2021 in Westby Wisconsin.

Beverly embraced the Quaker faith in 1961, and was deeply involved in Quaker activities for her years in Bucks County. She worked for Bucks Quarterly Meeting as the Coordinator and volunteered on many committees at Buckingham Friends Meeting as well as Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Beverly was a Special Education teacher from 1970-1990. She taught at Valley Day School, Delhaas HS, Truman HS, Clara Barton. In 1992 she and George Rowe founded The Quaker School in Horsham.

Jim Dunn Memorial Gathering

He was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara, and is survived by his children Briar Mewbourne ‘81, Reyn Griffin, Brooks Faure ‘85, Brittany Booz ‘90, Blaise Faure ‘92, and Blake Faure ‘95, and his grandchildren Trey, Rhodes ‘12, Morgan, Libby, Pearson, Liam, Evan, Lylah and Olivia.

Saturday, April 30, 2022 at 3:00pm We invite you to celebrate the life and legacy of Jim Dunn, a longtime member of our BFS community. After an outdoor community Meeting for Worship in the grove behind the Lower School, we will gather at the oak tree planted in Jim’s honor located across from the Peace Garden alongside rte. 263 where the original driveway entrance once was, followed by light refreshments at the Jane Jackson House porch. All are welcome.

20

|

SEEDLINGS


B F S ANNUAL GIVING DAY

WEDNESDAY

HONORING OUR ROOTS AS A FRIENDS SCHOOL

18 | 2022

May

300 years ago, in 1720, the Buckingham Monthly Meeting community came together as Friends to sow the seeds of spirituality, community, friendship, simplicity, living one’s life with integrity, and peace. Since then — for 227 years — the Buckingham Monthly Meeting community has stewarded Buckingham Friends School with loving guidance and care.

300 GIFTS IN 24 HOURS AND UNLOCK AN ADDITIONAL $5K On this Giving Day, as we continue to live our mission and experience a period of renewed growth at Buckingham Friends School, please join us in honoring and appreciating our roots and valued connection with Buckingham Monthly Meeting with a gift to the BFS Annual Fund. Participate with a gift of any size to help us reach 300 gifts in 24 hours. By meeting this challenge, we will not only unlock an additional $5,000 gifted by a generous alum—we will honor our history, those before us, and foundation as a Friends school as we look forward to our vibrant future.

Will you help us meet the challenge? Visit www.bfs.org/givingday22 for additional details.


P.O. Box 159

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PA I D Doylestown, PA Permit No. 55

Lahaska, Pennsylvania 18931

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Alumni Volunteers Needed INSPIRING TOMORROW FUTURE FRIDAY GUESTS:

The BFS Fourth grade Class hosts BFS community members throughout the school year for their Future Fridays program. Friends are invited to zoom in or when permissible come into the classroom and share their journey to whatever it is that you are doing today and inspire the next generation of community leaders! It might be your profession, or a hobby that fuels your passion for – well – whatever! We want you to share your inspired stories with today’s BFS youth.

CLASS REPS: Thank you to the following alums who have agreed to continue their roles as Class Rep: Peggy Richie Weymouth ‘56; Ariel Scott Siebe ‘96; Lloyd Moyer’92 In an effort to revitalize the Alumni Outreach Program at BFS class representatives have been invited to work with the Office of Advancement to help keep their classmates connected to the School. This winter’s Seedlings outreach for updates and news was our first effort and we hope to expand this as we rebuild this program.

If you would like to volunteer for your class, please contact Katelynn Connolly at kconnolly@bfs.org Thank you!

BFS ANNUAL GIVING DAY Honoring our Roots as a Friends School

WEDNESDAY

May 18 2022


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.