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Legacy of the Land Environmental Stewardship at Carolina Friends School
We & Thee Fall/Winter 2017
3 A Note From the Head of School 4 Teach Your Children Well 6 A Seed to Table Movement 8 Taking the Matter Into Their Own Hands 10 Emerging Curriculum: Linking Science and the Humanities 12 Looking Forward With a Visionary Friend 14 The Lasting Impact of Earth Day 16 Committed Together 17 A Note From the Board 18 An Active Spring For the Quakers 19 Alumni Welcome Class of 2017 20 CFS Welcomes New Staff Members 22 Our New Tuition Program
Belief in the spirituality of life Which implies: effort to instill a sense of awe and reverence for nature; responsible stewardship of all our resources; intentional teaching of a humble interaction with, rather than an arrogant attitude toward, living things; commitment to serve and empower others; celebration of the inner life of persons; respect for the harmony of mind, body, and spirit. — TENET OF THE SCHOOL PHILOSOPHY
We & Thee is published by
Carolina Friends School 4809 Friends School Road Durham, NC 27705 919.383.6602 | www.cfsnc.org
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Karen Cumberbatch, Head of School Katherine Scott, Communications Coordinator Photographers include Carly Chapman, Ruth Gaskin, Katherine Scott, Brian Whittier, Duke Photography, Laura Shmania, Strawbridge Studios
A Note From the Head of School Let me begin with the most obvious — CFS is a beautiful campus. Surrounded by lush greenery, a quiet stream, and a tranquil pond, the setting has caused more than one campus visitor to take a deep, cleansing breath filled with gratitude and peacefulness. There is a feeling of settling that being in the natural environment elicits, a sense of deep connection to the beauty of the earth. With the seemingly ever-increasing pace of daily life, it can be easy to forget to take the time to look around in appreciation. Imagine the potential positive impact of everyone actually taking a few moments to admire and notice what most of us ignore each day. Some of the practices and policies that are currently undermining the livability of our planet would be impossible to continue. In this issue of We & Thee, we explore the many ways in which members of our learning community are practicing and leading in the area of environmental stewardship and activism. We teach our children that it is critical that we protect and live in harmony with our natural environment. The theme of this issue, “Legacy of the Land,” speaks to our approach perfectly. We teach our children that we are all the beneficiaries of an unearned original gift — a magnificent physical world, including plants, animals, and the landscape that has been shaped and at times damaged by man in the name of progress. We help our children to understand that without the exercise of good care and intentionality we will continue to destroy this gift for those who will come after us. Our students grow to understand how they can make their legacy one of restoring and maintaining the beauty and viability
of their natural environment in ways that support contemporary societal needs. It is about right balance. To achieve this right balance we first teach children to understand and show respect for what they see around them. The “observers not disturbers” approach noted in the article about our Early Schoolers is repeated and replicated in every unit. Our students learn about the perils of wanton destruction of the environment and the impact of pollution and other man-made phenomena on climate change. Our Eco-Chicos and Stewardship Committee are two groups leading the work of environmental activism and ecological preservation. In classes in each of the units, we teach that it is possible to use our natural resources in ways that are sustainable and less damaging to the environment and then provide students with experiential opportunities to demonstrate this. We teach our children to be admiring spectators and committed protectors of the environment. In doing so, we help them to construct a legacy of stewardship and activism that will enable future generations to continue to enjoy the beauty of our natural world. I hope you are inspired by the work of our students to take your own steps to help protect the gifts of our planet and contribute to this legacy too.
Karen Cumberbatch, Head of School We & Thee | Fall/Winter 2017
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Environmental Education in the Early Schools
Teach Your Children Well Libby Pittman Pendergrast At Campus Early School, we start every school year with familiar phrases to help guide our children, including “we are observers not disturbers of nature.” We often turn to the wisdom of the Native American cultures to help us teach our children that we are indeed stewards of our earthly home, and this year we read the books Please Don’t Step on Me published by the Cherokee Nation and Brother Eagle and Sister Sky by Susan Jeffers. In the latter, the children heard words attributed in the 1800’s to Chief Seattle of the Pacific Northwest Suquamish tribe: “Will you teach your children what we have taught our children? That the Earth is our Mother, what befalls the earth befalls all the sons/daughters of the earth. This we know: The earth does not belong to humans, humans belong to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.” We want to support our students in making helpful choices through life and in believing that we are all in this together. At CES, we truly believe this foundation is built in the early years. 4
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There are many ways our environmental awareness and stewardship are lived out on a daily basis. We begin every day with our Settling In outdoors while listening to the sounds of nature all around us, feeling the breeze, sunshine or light rain on our skin, whatever the outdoor environment has to offer to us while we sit on tree stumps. The feeling of being a strand in the web of life is nurtured through this daily experience with our classmates, our teachers, and our parents. Some years ago after a four month long investigation of trash, our children were asked “now that we have collected all of this data, visited the Orange County landfill and recycling center, what do we do with the knowledge we have gained to be better environmental stewards?” The consensus from the children was to start composting our leftover food and to adopt a trash free lifestyle. With this goal in mind we started with our morning snack, lunches brought from home, and our events. The children learned being trash free means more labor and the use of different resources. Each year, the children witness environmental volunteerism at its best on our Fall Parent Workday. They work alongside
“We want to support our students in making helpful choices through life and in believing that we are all in this together. At CES, we truly believe this foundation is built in the early years.”
their families taking care of the outdoor environment through planting flowers, protecting the ground against erosion, rebuilding the walking trail behind Campus Early School, and maintaining the Zen Garden in front of the schoolhouse. Our parent labor and commitment is crucial in furthering our Curriculum of Care. Our Upper and Middle School students serve as role models of service for our youngest students every
day, both through observation and collaborative projects. Yes, Chief Seattle, we are teaching our children to be environmental stewards for all the days that their feet walk this beautiful earth.
Right: Upper Schoolers and Campus Early Schoolers work together to build a raised bed “keyhole” garden last spring.
Alumnus Seeks Community Volunteers for Book Project Hi Friends, I’m a 1997 CFS grad working on a book project titled 40/40 Vision that will capture the perspectives and experiences of current and former CFS students. Over the coming months, I’ll be conducting interviews with at least one CFSer from each age up to age 40 to learn about the routine, values, hopes, dreams, fears, joys, and challenges of the very age they are today. Touching upon the core CFS belief in continually seeking truth, I believe this project will reveal truths of the current CFS Community, while taking us on a nostalgic journey back to the truths of our youth. If you are a current or former CFS student and are interested in participating in this project, please let me know. I would love to connect (or reconnect) with you. Mike Iskandar ‘97 mikeiskandar@gmail.com | 919.599.9350
Above: Campus Early School teachers and families came together the first weekend in October for the annual “Parent Work Day,” stewarding the outdoor educational and play spaces.
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Environmental Stewardship in the Lower School
A Seed to Table Movement Katherine Scott On a small patch of land next to the Lower School, you will see a row of shovels hanging, rakes leaning against the chickenwire fence, and a hose winding through four outlined plots of dirt. Inside them, you will see green, lush lettuce. The plots are part of the Lower School garden, a living teaching tool that enables students to learn about the lifecycles and nutritional needs of plants as well as the work it takes for food to arrive on our tables. The garden as we see it today was begun around 2008 as a result of a self-study conducted across the School. In examining stewardship and environmental education in Lower School, it was identified that creating a communal experiment of this sort would help empower students to live more sustainably and responsibly on the planet. The effort was spearheaded by Michael Bonsignore, Tom Shewey, and Ruth Gaskin. Each class in the Lower School has a plot in the garden and each year the students begin with research. “The Lower School garden is an incredibly helpful example of experiential education,” says Lower School Head Lisa Wilson Carboni. “Our students are motivated to learn because they 6
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are doing meaningful work with tangible results.”
salad bar available during certain pizza lunch days.
“We teach a science lesson which involves the children learning about plants and what they need to grow,” says River Class teacher Ruth Gaskin. Resources for this research can include books, online databases, and even time-lapse videos of plants as they mature. Students explore how much light plants need, the length of their growing seasons, and how irrigation and watering make the soil conducive to the growing plants.
“Students help harvest the plants, wash them, and prepare them into a salad ready to share with the class,” Ruth says. In addition, a River Class volunteer will take salad orders, including a choice of two dressings. The enterprise allows students to take part in all of the roles involved in our food supply chains, and to do it together.
In River Class, they start with seeds, which each student places into seed starters. “Once we’ve observed the seedlings’ growth, we take them to Forest Class or the greenhouse where they’re put under special grow lights,” Ruth explains. “When the seedlings have had time to become stronger, we go out into our garden and get our individual garden square ready. We take small groups out to rake, pull weeds, dig holes, plant the seedlings, and then water.” As weeks go by, students check on the progress of the seedlings as well as tend to the plots— weeding, raking, and watering. In addition to providing an ongoing observational experiment, as the lettuce matures, it is then harvested by the students for a
The garden has also become integrated into classroom life in many ways. For instance, Mountain Class students periodically pick a bit of parsley as a special treat for the class guinea pigs. In addition to each class having a plot allotment, Interest Groups have utilized the garden, including service-based projects to organize or cultivate the space as well as cooking groups that harvest its produce. Currently, the Lower School is researching and planning to add a small chicken coop to the garden, thanks to the support of a Piedmont Electric “Bright Ideas” educational grant.
Top: Students harvest lettuce for use in the salad bar. Above: Plots are prepared for seedlings to be transplanted. At right: The lettuce is rinsed and washed thoroughly before it is eaten.
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Environmental Stewardship in the Middle School
Taking the Matter Into Their Own Hands Ida Trisolini We know that students learn more deeply and effectively if they learn by doing. This year, I am leading a group of students to research, design, and create a garden entrance to the Middle School. In addition to reclaiming an unsightly, unused area outside our School, we will also create a beautiful corridor to the new Performing Arts Center footpath. Each trimester, my “Design and Landscape Engineering” class is requiring students to learn and implement different steps of the design and building process. The first trimester elective involved students researching, consulting with experts, brainstorming design elements, and taking trips to local gardens and farms. In addition to our amazing staff and professional consultants, the students sought books, online articles, and how-to videos to address design challenges. These included existing and needed uses for the space, drainage considerations, and ecological considerations such as the use of native or invasive species and the benefits of pollinator and food-bearing plants. Teams of students tackled different research topics and shared their ideas for the space. They measured and calculated using the same processes they were learning in math to figure out dimensions and materials needs. As a group, those students refined their ideas and came to consensus on the elements to implement, creating a master drawing to share with School leadership and the Shop crew. This trimester, students are creating a materials list, finalizing a budget, and working with Shop staff to
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learn the building skills necessary to begin preparing the site and building garden elements. Construction and planting will continue through the third trimester, with a grand opening set for April. This course is designed to allow students to invest fully in the process, giving them agency over the specific direction the class takes as well as the garden’s design and creation. Allowing room for student voice and choice helps build self-esteem and allows them to exercise their creativity. In addition, students who participate in this series of classes will be able to take pride in having made a permanent impact on their school by creating this new beautiful entrance. While other schools build gardens with their students, I don’t know of another school that allows students to have such agency over the project. I am excited about what our students will learn by having to work through every step of the process, just like the adults who do this work in real life. By giving them the freedom to create something from scratch, they are learning that with that freedom comes a tremendous responsibility. They are also learning that even as young people, they have the power to effect change over their surroundings and impact the world around them. I can think of no greater lesson for a Middle Schooler to learn, especially when much of the world sees them as incapable of transformative work. What a great message to give them when the world feels scary and unpredictable much of the time.
Pictured here: the students’ master plan for the garden space, together with calucations and a list used during research for edible plants that could be planted.
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Environmental Stewardship in the Upper School
Emerging Curriculum: Linking Science and the Humanities Bryce Little
In 2013 the Upper School Humanities teachers discussed expanding the long-successful model of the philosophy Senior Seminar, a rigorous class of extensive reading and writing that meets during the fall and winter trimesters.
voting age while inheriting a planet undergoing dramatic and multifaceted climate change, seemed to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to expand the Upper School’s social studies curriculum as well as to broaden my own horizons as a teacher.
Because I have long been passionate about environmental causes, I decided to develop a Senior Seminar focusing on ecological issues called the US Environmental History Seminar. Having taught U.S. History to the junior class for decades at CFS, I had noticed just how little the standard textbooks devoted to the impact of Americans on their natural environment. All this despite our being one of the world’s largest countries and both infamous for our exploitation of resources and famous for the “national park idea.”
When I first began, student engagement was very rewarding, but I struggled with the design. There were no clear-cut choices for textbooks and so many topics to cover in only about 20 weeks of class. And I had to learn many of the topics from scratch and to research where to find the best resources. As a result, I have them read a variety of articles, I make as much use of good videos as I can, and I provide statistics from current news stories. As of last year, the class structure has settled and the course has gained a recognized profile among students.
Designing an elective class for seniors, a group coming to
In the fall term, the focus is on the U.S. (going back to prehis-
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tory, my original specialty). There are a series of units that progress through “Soil,” “Wildlife,” and “Invasive Species” to “Water and Air Pollution.” The structure follows the approximate order in which European settlers exploited and affected this part of North America. In the winter term, we move on to the global level, specifically the climate changes of the last few decades and the way that steady, human-caused warming has impacted every aspect of our physical and biological world. We start with an overview of how scientists came to understand the mechanisms and magnitude of the recent warming and progress from there to more units: “Polar Melting,” “Ocean Changes,” “Weather Changes,” “Effects on Species,” and “Effects on Food and Health.” Students write 7-8 page term papers on topics of their choice. Examples this year include
sea level rise in Norfolk, the Flint water crisis, and red wolf conservation. This year the term paper will be split in two parts: student choice of a particular environmental effect, and then proposed solutions—including their own ideas! In the spring term, our biology teacher Frances Brindle is offering a lab-based extension of the course. She has been regularly observing the class in preparation. In the long run, both of us are hoping that environmental studies will become an important and permanent part of the Upper School curriculum. It has already been very revitalizing for me, as it means that I get to work daily with exceptional young people to understand their world’s future, as well as teaching them about its past.
“Designing a voluntary class for a group coming to voting age while inheriting a planet undergoing dramatic and multifaceted climate change, seemed to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Students Explore Sustainable Farming Last spring, Upper School teacher Randall Williams created a new “Permaculture and Farming Design” class. Permaculture (stemming from “permanent culture”) is a method of designing agricultural environments that more closely simulate natural ecosystems by integrating different components to foster sustainability, better manage resources, and limit consumption. Students in the class took the theories behind the method into practice, creating individual projects using only scavenged materials. Examples included a compost rotator connecting a bicycle and washing machine, a rabbit hutch (the waste for which was used to feed worms in a vermilculture soil producer), an egg incubator, and more. The students presented their finished products, including live animals, as a pop-up farm, where they shared their work with students from the Middle School.
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Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability
Looking Forward with a Visionary Friend John Ladd, interview with Joel Meyer
Joel Meyer is fascinated by mitochondria, the energy engine of cells. As a professor at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment, he researches how pollutants affect mitochondria and thus the health of humans and other species. He feels fortunate to have a job he loves. He’s also the father of two CFS “lifers:” a son, Dani, who graduated in 2013 and a daughter, Elia, in Middle School. I asked Joel what he likes about his work. “My job is future 12
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oriented; it’s about making the world healthier and safer... I have a strong emotional attachment to protecting people’s health and the environment. My teaching is intellectually a lot of fun as well as feeling meaningful in protecting the environment and protecting people. And, I like being involved in projects that apply directly to the real world.” “My son started at CFS in Early School when I was a grad student and we got a lot of tuition
assistance over many years.” That helped inspire Joel to include a gift to CFS in his will. “It’s about paying it forward. I would love to see other kids who don’t have the means to attend CFS have the wonderful experience my children had here. And more broadly, CFS is such a great school; I want it to be available to other children in the future.” In times that can seem tumultuous and unsettling, Joel finds a heartening steadfastness in the CFS commitment to Quaker
is a common thread through my work and my gift. When I think about the legacy of my life, it’s to make the world a better place—just like what CFS teaches our children to do. One way I accomplish that is through my work. Another way is through the gift in my will to support Friends School.”
principles. “The twelve years I spent on the board drove home to me that Friends School is a place of integrity that will maintain a strong focus on our mission and values. People here are committed to keeping that mission and vision alive. So, I am sure that CFS will continue to be the kind of school that my children experienced. That makes me feel especially good about my gift.”
“Making my gift wasn’t complicated at all. I gave the lawyer a sense of what I wanted to do and he turned it into my will. It was pretty easy actually.”
I asked Joel if he saw a parallel between his job and his bequest. “A future orientation
“It certainly feels good to have made my commitment to CFS. It’s really a vote of confidence in the great work that the school does and a way to ensure that CFS will be here for decades to come and that CFS is as accessible as possible for kids in the future. To learn more about including a gift to CFS in your will (or retirement plan or life insurance), please contact John Ladd at jladd@cfsnc.org or at 919.383.6602 x270.
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This Zen Garden was created by a group of students with teacher Dylan Pendergrast ’94 during last year’s Upper School End-of-Year Experience. It is a great example of simplicity and stewardship in action!
A Place for Reflection 1. The paths through the garden use rocks discarded from the old Middle School roof.
3. The fairy garden was created using leftover props from the Middle School musical Peter Pan.
2. This bench was rescued from disposal with new wooden slats using timber milled here on campus.
4. Rocks from around campus frame the sand feature, a space for reflective drawing.
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Environmental Stewardship in Community
The Lasting Impact of Earth Day
We love hearing from our alumni about the ways in which the education and experiences of CFS have shaped their lives beyond campus. Traditions like campus clean-ups as part of advisee service or our annual celebration of Earth Day continue to
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resonate with out alumni community. Last April, Middle and Lower School students began something new. As part of the Earth Day observances, the Eco-Chicos administered a bike-a-thon, raising funds for stewardship efforts on campus.
“We marvel, every time, at the view as we turn onto campus, the trees and the fields. All that green tumbling toward us. This place. It takes our breath away.”
Some of the funds raised by the bike-a-thon went towards a screening of former Vice President Al Gore’s recent documentary An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power. On October 26, CFS invited members of the greater community to a free showing of the film and livestreamed Q&A with Al Gore himself.
CFS is a founding member of the Green Schools Alliance, whose mission is “to connect and empower K-12 schools worldwide to lead the transformation to global sustainability.” Uniquely created by schools for schools, the GSA is a global network of schools working together to solve climate and conservation challenges. This community represents more than 9,000 schools, districts, and organizations from 47 U.S. States and 84 countries.
REBECCA LANNING, ALUM PARENT
First envisioned on World Environment Day, June 5, 2006, the Green Schools Alliance was created in response to New York City’s challenge to municipal agencies to reduce their carbon footprint 30% by 2030. On October 11, 2007, forty-six schools gathered to explore climate change and what schools can do about it. The event was hosted by the Allen-Stevenson School.
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Environmental Stewardship in Community
Committed Together The Carolina Friends School Stewardship Committee is guided by the tenet of our School’s philosophy that affirms a “Belief in the Spirituality of Life.” Co-clerked by teachers Michael Bonsignore and Tommy Johnson, the committee consists of staff and students in partnership with our student organizations such as the Middle School Eco-Chicos and Upper School Environmental Club. Together, they aim to ensure that our School community sustainably stewards our natural resources and environmental habitats. In 2007, they worked with students and staff to craft the “Carolina Friends School Statement on the Environment,” whose introduction reads: The Quaker value of simplicity, enshrined in our school’s statement of philosophy, accords with one of the most pressing issues of our times: the necessity to conserve, if not to restore that of the
Earth that has been passed to us, before it passes away in the face of short-term human needs. To meet that purpose, our school needs to extend its existing mission to active environmental stewardship, including the wise and sustainable management of energy, water, wildlife habitats, and human activity. We feel that only through such long-term and conscious management, can both the School’s spiritual values, and its physical segment of the natural world, be properly maintained. We, the students and the staff at Carolina Friends School, are committed to making our school more “earth friendly,” as we work toward reducing our “carbon footprint.” Recent initiatives of the committee have included helping to establish the Green Schools Alliance and conducting a schoolwide energy audit. The audit
discovered that CFS’s energy expenses per square foot are well below the national average for schools. The committee also advised on the Building Friends capital campaign, looking at issues such as choice of materials, use of natural light, and increasing our photovoltaic solar panels. One result of that work, together with the generous donations of our community, is that geothermal heating systems were installed in the Quaker Dome and Lower School addition as well as for our new Performing Arts Center, set to open next spring. The committee also engages in ongoing work, including organizing the annual Earth Day celebrations, supporting the Lower and Middle School gardens, managing the new greenhouse, and maintaining our nature trails. The committee also offers eco-grants to projects across the School, funded by sales of plants grown as seedlings in the greenhouse.
See you this spring! Fill your garden with plants from our greenhouse during the annual CFS Stewardship Plant Sale. Funds go toward environmental grants for the Lower and Middle Schools. 16
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The Middle School Eco-Chicos, along with the Upper School Environmental Club, represent our student environmental advocates on campus. Recently the Eco-Chicos recorded minutes of engines idling during pick up in preparation for a campaign on air quality awareness. This project is part of OnAir Schools, a new program of the Green Schools Alliance providing a STEMaligned initiative that inspires preK-12 students to take the lead on classroom campaigns and student challenges to reduce traffic and air pollution at their school.
A Note from the Board
The Carolina Friends School Board of Trustees aspires to oversee the development of a comprehensive strategic plan every five years. The School’s last strategic plan was approved by the Board in the fall of 2008 and its full implementation was postponed due to the economic downturn that was unfolding at that time in history. Coincident with the transition to a new Head of School, the Board began the next planning cycle last fall. Data was collected from a community-wide survey, listening sessions, and recommendations arising from staff committee work that has occurred over recent years. The Strategic Planning Committee, composed of Board, staff, and student members of our community, began working with the data collected from the community early in 2017. The Strategic Planning Committee has created five sub-groups, consisting of Board members, staff, parents, and students, to assess forward movement in the following five areas: program, culture, advancement, finance, and facilities. While these topic areas ultimately overlap, it helps the process to consider them initially in isolation and then bring the most compelling recommendations forward to the full committee. This fall, the sub-groups completed their work and recommendations, which the full committee will receive by December 15. The next meeting of the full Strategic Planning Committee will occur in January of 2018. We expect to deliver a set of recommendations to the Board during the spring. We & Thee | Fall/Winter 2017
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Athletics Spotlight
An Active Spring For the Quakers Last spring, the Quakers fielded teams in girls’ soccer, boys’ tennis, co-ed track and field, boys’ ultimate, and a new girls’ ultimate team. Below are some of the achievements of our student athletes. Girls’ Soccer All Conference: Jamie Britt, Nola Kim Mayer Honorable Mention: Rose Fisher Boys’ Ultimate All State: Seth Lee, Liam Searles-Bohs, Nick Tansey, Aaron Wynmor Second Team: Jake Taylor State Championship First Place Girls’ Ultimate All State: Kate Lanier, Clil Phillips Second Team: Nola Kim-Mayer State Championship Second Place
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Community News
Alumni Community Welcomes Class of 2017
Congratulations to our 2017 graduates! Ben Alexander Molly Bahr Ruth Black Tim Bliss Jamie Britt Jackson Cecil Samuel Chilton Juliet Coen Olivia Coen Michael Dupree Soren Emerson Georgia Fabec Maggie Fairey
Selena Faith Emily Fox Amy Hansen Andrew Lane Caroline Larrick Seth Lee Mlana Lore Claire Lutz Ian Marks Maria Meriwether Tyler Patterson Sam Phelps Alex Ross
Noor Shabeg Singh Sandhu Liam Searles-Bohs Shafe Selvidge Shelby Sendlinger Ethan Steere Nick Tansey Naomi Truax Sean Wang Lili Whittier Coco Wofford Aaron Wynmor Natalie Zoltners
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Community News
CFS Welcomes New Staff Members This year, we’ve welcomed a large number of new staff to our community. Read more about this amazing group as well as some of their answers to the question “what does environmental stewardship mean to you?”
Matt Arnold, Upper School English and Humanities
He earned his BA at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 2004. He recently completed a master’s degree at Duke in Liberal Studies and was a recipient of the Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching in 2014.
Rachel Bachenheimer, Chapel Hill Early School
She earned her BA in early childhood at UNC-Wilmington and her master’s in early childhood intervention and family support at UNC-Chapel Hill. She began her career as a teacher at the Durham Early School.
Austin Campion ’02, Upper School Theater Arts He took his BA from Brown in 2006. Since then he has done a tremendous amount of work in theater and improv in Chicago, and recently moved back to NC.
... acting in all possible ways which are sustainable and enriching of the non human world.
Karen Cumberbatch, Head of School
She has a 22-year career in independent school administration, including 20 years in Quaker schools. She has come to CFS from Sandy Spring Friends School. 20
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Jameela Dallis, Upper School Language Arts
She has a BA in English with a minor in Religious Studies and an MA (2010) and PhD (2016) in English from UNC-CH. Jameela taught in higher education for eight years before joining CFS. ... minimizing wasteful consumption and protecting our land and watersheds through restricted and responsible development.
Jennifer Ferraro, Upper School ASL
She continues to build CFS’s American Sign Language program. Jennifer is an active ASL interpreter.
Mary Jo Hackney, Human Resources Representative
MJ earned a BA in History (De Paul University) and a J.D. (Drake University). MJ has worked for the City of Chicago, Health Professionals Limited (CCS), and most recently One Hope United.
Ariel Durrant, Durham Early School Extended Day
Jessica Hudson, Middle School Theater Arts
Michelle Fairholm, Upper School Visual Arts
Nylah Jimerson, Chapel Hill Early School Extended Day
They hold a degree in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic. Ariel has 15 years of experience working as a nanny, environmental educator, and community based artist.
She holds a BA in studio art and anthropology from the University of Notre Dame and has taught visual arts/ceramics at several schools and community centers over the past several years. ... doing my part to make sure that our natural world can continue to thrive for future generations.
She spent most of her adult life in Chicago living, teaching, and making performance work. Jessica is a company member with Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern in Durham.
She graduated from UNC-CH in 2017 with a BA in Psychology. As a Durham native, she began her connection with CHES as a UNC work-study student.
Brad Kershner, Head of Chapel Hill Early School
He comes from Boston, where he worked as a Primary School Director and K-8 Principal. He earned a BA in Philosophy, an MA in Philosophy of Religions, and is completing his PhD in Curriculum and Instruction. ... acting every day in ways that account for our interdependence with our natural environment.
Cheryl Meyer, Middle School/Upper School Librarian
She holds a BA in English and certificate in Early Childhood Education from UNC-CH and a master’s of library science. Cheryl has taught in a Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool and as an ESOL teacher for Peace Corps Micronesia.
Kim O’Neil, Accounting Manager
Kim earned a B.S. in Business/ Aviation management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. She has worked in the forprofit world as well as many years in the nonprofit arena at Duke University, The Hill Center, and The United Way of the Greater Triangle.
Ahmed Selim, Upper School Language Arts
Jess Shell ’97, Upper School Dance
She holds a BA in Dance from Sarah Lawrence College, as well as an MFA in Choreography from UNC Greensboro. Her work has been performed in North Carolina, New York, and Italy. ... recognizing that the earth is a precious resource: reduce, reuse and recycle whenever possible.
Melody Smith, Middle School/Upper School Spanish
She has a BFA from UNC Greensboro and has taught in in Central America and spent significant time in India. She has taught in Waldorf and Montessori schools in the U.S.
Alex Vaeth, Upper School Spanish
He holds a master’s in Spanish from Middlebury College in Spain and Argentina. Alex also has experience in wilderness therapy and a background in philosophy and psychology.
Kelly Yupanqui, Lower School/Middle School Spanish
She is from Perú and has taught different levels of students for 22 years in public and private settings in her native country and in the USA. She earned her B.S. in Elementary Education and her M.Ed. in Educational Administration at Universidad Nacional de Trujillo, Perú.
Shirley Thomas, Admission Assistant
Her previous experience includes Assistant Director of Admissions at Duke School. She has worked for Durham Public Schools and also owned and operated a Licensed Child Care facility. Shirley holds a B.S. in Family and Consumer Science from North Carolina Central University. ... a recognition that we all have a responsibility to care for our fellow man as well as the planet.
He is an Egyptian-American educator and filmmaker. As founder of FiLMS for World Peace, he partners with nonprofits, educational institutions, and social justice activists. ... do no harm; leave it better. We & Thee | Fall/Winter 2017
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Community News
Our New Tuition Program A note from the Board of Trustees At Carolina Friends School, we have a long-standing commitment to the founding belief that every child is equally deserving of an inspiring and inclusive education and that the prospects for that are enhanced when the student body is composed of children from diverse backgrounds, including socioeconomic. Under the current structure at CFS, tuition covers only 84% of the total cost of educating our children. Even at that somewhat discounted rate, the cost of delivering the high quality education that CFS provides limits its affordability and constrains access for many families. In the interest of supporting socioeconomic diversity, since 2012, the Accessibility, Affordability, and Sustainability Committee and the Board of Trustees have led work to develop a tuition program that nurtures the goal of broadening our access in a sustainable way for our School. In October, this new tuition program was shared with our current families. Each unit’s distinct tuition is now presented as a range. Families wanting consideration for a tuition level below the top of the range submit financial information through our existing tuition
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We & Thee | Fall/Winter 2017
management and assistance system, TADS. In the assessment of our families’ needs, the focus no longer will be on what tuition assistance might be awarded, but rather what each family will contribute. The formula for creating the range was based on market research on growth trends, costs of providing a high quality CFS education, and the history of previous tuition increases. In pursuing this new program, we continue our intention to seek revenue streams that support an affordable tuition for all families. One of the revenue streams was a specific one-time increase for the top of the range in 2018-2019. Since the announcement of our new adjusted tuition program and implementation plan, CFS Board members and staff have heard from a wide range of parents and listened to questions, both in group settings and individual conversations. We are heartened to have heard from many who fully support the goals of this program. The support from our community has strengthened our sense that the families in our community are strongly aligned with the mission and values of CFS. We are also encouraged by the many
families who have expressed their hope that this initiative will allow their children to remain at CFS. However, we have also clearly heard that the timing of our announcement created challenges for those needing more time to consider the impact of the new tuition range program on their families’ financial priorities and to become proficient with the TADS system. We apologize for failing to provide our community more time to prepare for the transition. In consideration of this, we will accomplish full implementation of this program over the next two years, with incremental increases at the top of the tuition range. Affordability, accessibility, and sustainability continue to be important values and strategic goals at CFS and we will continue to pursue all available strategies toward meeting these goals. We look forward to working and engaging collaboratively with parents in this and future endeavors as we do the work of supporting the school that we all love.
Your gift today to the Friends of Friends School Annual Campaign will have an immediate impact on classrooms in the new year. The annual campaign is one of the most important ways that families—current and alumni—can show their support for our school. Your participation matters because it indicates a culture of collective responsibility, caring, and commitment to what makes CFS special. It is a sign of strength and solidarity. CFS relies on contributions from parents, grandparents, alumni, and friends to help bridge the gap between tuition and the actual cost of educating our students. This gap currently averages $2,990 per student.
Your tax-deductible gift provides everyday essentials and much more: lab equipment, art supplies, musical instruments, library books, End-of-Year Program and Exploratorium expenses, computers and other learning technology, athletic equipment, tuition support, and staff professional development.
Donate online: www.cfsnc.org/CFSAnnual
We & Thee | Fall/Winter 2017
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Carolina Friends School
NONPROFIT ORG U.S. Postage
4809 Friends School Road Durham, NC 27705 919.383.6602 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
PAID
Durham, NC Permit No. 783
On the Horizon
January 15, 2018
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration
Join the CFS community in the gym at 10:30 am to honor and celebrate the legacy of Dr. King.
February 1-3, 2018
Branch Out! Growing Community through Service and Storytelling
This fall, a group of Chapel Hill Early School five-year olds took on the job to clean out, unclog, and improve the backyard drain system. Their thoughtful teamwork improved the space for everyone!
CFS will host the annual Quaker Youth Leadership Conference. Quaker schools’ student leaders from around the globe will gather for workshops, guest speakers, service projects, and activities.