FCS Lower School New Family Guide 2022-2023

U PCOMING EVENTS – MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Getting-to-Know-You Conferences Thursday, Sept. 1 & Tuesday, Sept. 6 Sign-ups will be through the Veracross portal Orientation Day (New students and all Nursery, Pre-K, and K students) Tuesday, September 6, 9 am

• Nursery/Pre-K/K - all students:

Last Name A-K, 9-9:30 am

Last Name L-Z, 9:45 am-10:15 am

• Grade 1-5 - new students: 9-10 am

First Day of School – All Students (Half day for Nursery, Pre-K, and K) Wednesday, September 7, 8:30 am Parent/Caregiver Welcome Coffee during drop-off, starting at 8 am

Community Celebration Sunday, September 18, 2-4 pm City Avenue campus Join us for this fun-filled afternoon of music, bounce houses, games, and ice cream!

Lower School Curriculum Night Thursday, September 22, 7 pm

Before curriculum night, grades N/Pre-K/K parents are invited to come early for a meetand-greet, 6-7 pm

Lower School Picture Day Wednesday, September 28

Pumpkin Fair Sunday, October 23, 12 noon-4 pm

All-School Parent/Caregiver-Teacher Conferences Friday, November 4 (no classes)

LOWER SCHOOL RESOURCES

During the summer, if you have any questions, please email both Rowena Castillo Lesher, Assistant Principal AND Melody Acinapura, Lower School Principal. If you would like to speak with someone, please call the Lower School main number, and your call will be directed to the appropriate person.

Lower School Main Number: 610.642.7575

Melody Acinapura, Lower School Principal melody@friendscentral.org

Rowena Castillo Lesher, Assistant Principal rowena@friendscentral.org

Andrea D. Lubrano, Lower School Admission Director alubrano@friendscentral.org

We’ve listed these fall dates to give you a head start, but don’t let the rest of the year sneak up on you! Once the school year begins, the most up-to-date information will be in the monthly calendar which is shared via our weekly newsletter, JtF, and can always be found on the Veracross parent/caregiver portal. For long-term planning, check out the Important Dates Calendar (also shared in JtF and Veracross).

Dear New Lower School Families,

It’s a true privilege to welcome you to our Lower School community! This booklet was developed to help you learn more about the ins and outs of Lower School, including important dates and details, as well as ways to become involved and connect with a community that is eager to get to know you and your family. As the first day approaches, please know that we are here to support you along the way. Feel free to reach out at any time with your questions or for more information about your child that can help us to ensure their first days, weeks, and months at FCS are a success!

We can’t wait to get to know your child as a learner, as a unique individual, and as a community member who will have an incredible impact on who we are as a school. I am joined by a devoted team of teachers and professionals, as well as our amazing current families, who look forward to welcoming you in person.

Warmly,

Melody Regino Acinapura Lower School Principal

FAST FACTS

w School begins at 8:30 am w Drop-off begins at 8:00 am w School ends at 2:50 pm

w Before Care starts at 7:30 am w Extended Day ends at 5:45 pm

w If your child is sick and staying home, please complete the Student Attendance + Transportation Changes form found on the Veracross parent portal (myfcs.org).

w Back-to-School information is on Veracross (myfcs.org)

FCS LINGO & FUN FACTS

w JTF - Just the FaCtS (weekly newsletter)

w PPU - People Pick-up at the end of the day w MfW - Meeting for Worship

w HSA - Home & School Association, FCS Parent Group

w PSOC - Parents of Students of Color, Affinity Group

w School Mascot - The Phoenix w School Colors - Blue and Gray

New Student and Family Orientation

In late August, look for a Back-to-School email that will provide your child’s teacher assignment and more details about the Orientation Day on Tuesday, September 6. For all Nursery, Pre-K, and Kindergarten students with last names A-K, Orientation Day time is 9:00-9:30 am; for all Nursery, Pre-K, and K students with last names L-Z, the time is 9:45-10:15 am. All new students in grades 1-5 will attend from 9-10 am on September 6.

On Wednesday, September 7, the first full day of school (half day for Nursery, Pre-K, and K), in the morning, stop by the Welcome Tent for coffee with fellow FCS parents and caregivers. Finally, your Home and School Class Representative will reach out by email during the first week of school to introduce themselves to you. Please feel free to ask them any questions as you settle into the school year.

Information & Communication

VERACROSS - ONLINE PORTAL FOR ACADEMIC INFORMATION

For FCS parents and caregivers, the Veracross parent portal is the central online information hub for the School. This is where you can view back-to-school information, indicate if your child is ill and staying home, and change your daily transportation plan. You can also use it to see your child’s schedule, attendance records, and report cards as well as to schedule your conference in November. Veracross also keeps a log of the emails that have been sent to you by the School, and is the link to the Magnus Health portal, and tech help. Veracross contains the School directory and allows you to search for families who live nearby, a helpful tool for finding rideshares and babysitters.

You can continue to use the Veracross credentials you used to sign in to the Admission and Enrollment portals. If you are not new to the School, the credentials you used previously will continue to work. We recommend you visit the Veracross portal, myfcs.org, before the start of the school year to make sure the contact

information we have for your household is correct. If you have forgotten your password, go to the Veracross portal, myfcs.org, and click on the “forgot username or password?” link to receive an email with your username and a link to use to reset your password.

JUST THE FACTS (JTF)

Just the Facts (JTF), the FCS weekly electronic newsletter, is sent out every Friday and is a must-read for all parents/caregivers. It will keep you informed about upcoming events and provide important news about the Lower School and the larger FCS community. It also includes letters from the Head of School and the Principals as well as links to the monthly calendar and the important dates calendar.

OTHER COMMUNICATIONS

Teachers will email parents/caregivers regularly with information regarding their specific classes. Students, with the help of their teachers, maintain Seesaw or Google Classroom accounts where parents/caregivers can view their work. More details will be coming from your classroom teacher.

Specific announcements for upcoming events or important news will be sent as an email from the School. In the event of a weather-related closing or other urgent communication, you will be notified via text and email.

HOME & SCHOOL ASSOCIATION CLASS REPRESENTATIVES

Each class has one to two Home and School Association parent/caregiver volunteers who facilitate communication between the teacher and the families. They will be contacting you about chaperoning field trips, in-class celebrations, and other class events where volunteers may be needed. If you have any questions, please contact Andrea Nuneviller, the Director of Home and School Partnerships, at anuneviller@friendscentral.org.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE WEBSITE

Follow Friends’ Central on social media to see what’s happening on campus, support student/faculty achievements and to stay engaged with the community no matter your location. Take some time to look at the The Friends’ Central website, friendscentral.org. There, you will find lots of interesting articles and information about cool and exciting things happening at FCS.

Arrival & Dismissal Procedures

TRANSPORTATION FORM

In early August, you will be asked to provide the School with your child’s daily arrival and dismissal plan. It will be sent to you as an electronic form and will be due in mid-August. It is very important that the School has your child’s plan before the school year begins. If you plan on using public school district transportation, you must also complete your school district’s transportation request forms found on their website. (This is a new policy this year, and not all districts have their forms online.)

During the school year, if there is a change to your child’s transportation plan for that day, please complete the Student Attendance + Transportation Changes form on Veracross by noon that same day. If you have questions, please email Lower School Administrative Assistant Bethann DiGiovanni at bdigiovanni@friendscentral.org or call 610.642.7575.

ARRIVAL PROCEDURES

Morning Supervision 7:30-8:30 am

From 7:30-8:00 am, children go to the gym for Before Care. Teachers are not supervising the car loop during this time. Children who can get out of the car independently may be dropped off at the curb of the car loop. Please watch as they walk to the gym. If your child cannot exit without assistance,

please park in the main lot and walk them in. There is no parking in the car loop

From 8:00-8:30 am, teachers and administrators are on duty in front of the gym. Grades K-5 families can drive through the car loop, where drop-off is facilitated by adults or park and walk in. Nursery and PK families should park in the lot and walk their child to designated entrances.

Car Loop Guidelines:

w Adults driving the car should not get out of their vehicles.

w Children must be ready to exit when an FCS staff member opens the door. Children should not be eating, their jackets should be on, and their bags should be close by.

w All children exiting should be in the curbside seat or be ready to exit curbside.

w Children should not be let out on the opposite side from the curb.

w Parents/caregivers must wait until the car in front of them has pulled away before moving.

w There is no cell phone use during drop-off or pick-up.

w There is no parking in the car loop.

If you need extended drop-off time or your child needs assistance buckling or unbuckling their car seat, we ask that you park during drop-off and pick-up instead of going through the car loop. This procedure is designed to keep your children safe by ensuring the adult who is transporting them properly secures each child into their individual car seat as it is designed.

w School Begins at 8:30 am

All FCS staff members will leave the car loop at 8:30 am so they can begin their daily responsibilities.

Please note: when there is a two-hour delayed opening, early drop-off begins at 10:00 am. School will not be open before 10 am.

Late Arrivals

From 8:30-8:45 am, FCS security officers will be at the entrance door next to the gym to make sure children get inside the building, but they will NOT be curbside to aid children getting out of the car.

From 8:30-8:45 am, if your child can get out of the car independently, you can drop your child off at the curb of the car loop. If your child cannot exit without assistance, please park in the main parking lot and walk them in.

After 8:45 am, the door next to the gym at the drop-off circle is locked, so all families must park in the main parking lot, walk to the main Lower School Office door, and check in with new Lower School Administrative Assistant Bethann DiGiovanni bdigiovanni@friendscentral.org, in the Lower School Office. The parking spaces closer to the Lower School Office entrance are reserved for FCS staff and Admission visitors only, and we ask parents not to park or drive in this area.

DISMISSAL PROCEDURES

w Dismissal is at 2:50 pm

PPU (People Pick-Up) for grades K-2 starts at 2:50 pm. We ask that families with children in these grades park and walk up to the gym entrance for pick-up. Children in Nursery can be picked up at the Nursery playground and Pre-K children can be picked up at the mural door. We ask that students in grades 3-5 (or families with siblings across grade levels) exclusively use the car loop for pick-up starting at 2:50 pm.

PPU (People Pick-Up) Car Loop Guidelines:

w Please do not exit the car.

w Please ensure that the person picking up your child has the FCS pick-up sign clearly displayed in the car. You will be given two pick-up signs on Orientation Day.

w Electronic device use is strictly prohibited in the car loop.

w Parents/caregivers must wait until the car in front of them has pulled away before moving.

If your child needs assistance buckling or unbuckling their car seat, we ask that you park during drop-off and pick-up instead of going through the car loop. This procedure is designed to keep your children safe by ensuring the adult who is transporting them properly secures each child into their individual car seat as it is designed.

Early Dismissals

If you need your child to leave school early, please indicate this on the Student Attendance + Transportation Changes form on Veracross. Your child will be sent to the main lobby to wait for pick-up.

Late to Dismissal

PPU ends at 3:15 pm, and any remaining children are escorted to Extended Day.

Changes to Afternoon Transportation Plan

If there is a change to your child’s afternoon transportation plan for that day, such as a playdate or you will be late to pick-up, please complete the Student Attendance + Transportation Changes form on Veracross by noon that same day. If you have questions, please email Lower School Administrative Assistant Bethann DiGiovanni, bdigiovanni@friendscentral.org, or call 610.642.7575.

EXTENDED DAY - AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM

The Friends’ Central Lower School Extended Day Program (EDP) seeks to create a settled, supervised environment for Lower School students who need to arrive early or stay on campus beyond the regular school day. Each day, there are planned activities, as well as time for free play and time for homework. There is a fee associated with this program. Registration will be made available later this summer. Please see the FCS Extras/Auxiliary Programs and Services in the Campus Life portion of the website for more information.

LOWER SCHOOL AFTER-SCHOOL CLUBS

The Lower School offers a vibrant After-School Clubs program for students in Kindergarten through grade 5. Featuring various exciting activities such as basketball, dance, painting, and farming, After-School Clubs provide many opportunities to learn a new skill or nurture a budding passion. There is a fee associated with this program. Stay tuned for registration.

School Absences

Parents are expected to keep sick children at home. A child with a cough or cold is usually more comfortable at home, and children who have experienced fevers or vomiting should not return to school until 24 healthy hours have passed.

If you are keeping your child at home, please complete the Student Attendance + Transportation Changes form on Veracross. If for some reason you are unable to access the Veracross form, please call the Lower School Attendance Line at 610.645.5138. School assignments missed during the child’s absence may be obtained by contacting your child’s teacher.

After an absence, a note from the child’s parent or physician should be given to the teacher if a child is not to go outdoors or participate in physical education.

Transportation

Friends’ Central students travel to school by private vehicles, school district buses, and FCS buses. There is also a free shuttle that runs between the two campuses. In mid-August, you will be sent the LS Transportation form to indicate your long-term transportation plans for the morning and afternoon. It is very important you complete this in a timely manner.

For detailed transportation information, see the FCS website at friendscentral.org/transportation. If you have any questions, please contact JB Bowie, Transportation Manager, at 610.247.3520 or jbbowie@friendscentral.org.

Inclement Weather & School Closings

In the event of a closing, a modification of regular school hours, or a school emergency, you will receive an alert by text and email. The School will also post a notification on the homepage of our website, friendscentral.org. Visit the Veracross portal, myfcs.org, to make sure the contact information we have for you is correct. Please check with your local school district regarding weather-related changes in transportation, if your child uses public school bus service. Please note: when there is a two-hour delayed opening, early drop-off begins at 10:00 am. School will not be open before 10 am.

Lower School Attendance Line: 610.645.5138 or LSattend@friendscentral.org

Transportation: JB Bowie • jbbowie@friendscentral.org

Extended Day Program & After School Clubs: Sabrina Johnson • extendedday@friendscentral.org

PA State Clearances for Volunteers and Chaperones: Donovan Moore, dmoore@friendscentral.org

Student Support Services

We believe an intentional and collaborative partnership between home and school is essential for student success. Outside of the expertise of classroom teachers, there is a team of specialists who provide support to students both within learning and social emotional development.

COUNSELING AND LEARNING SUPPORT

Our School Counselor, Jenn Curren, works with all Lower School students to support their emotional growth and help them to thrive socially. There are also times where she meets with students individually or in small groups, and she closely consults with families.

Our new learning support team consists of our Literacy Specialist in grades K-5, Jackie Merchant, who will coordinate efforts in reading and writing. She will be joined by Sue Clough, our Math Specialist, who will work with students in grades 1-5.

Our team is overseen by our Director of Student Services, Frederick Pratt, who works closely with our Lower School Principal and Assistant Principal. If you have any questions or want to know more about how this team can support your child, please contact Lower School Principal Melody Acinapura at melody@friendscentral.org.

HEALTH SERVICES

The Lower School campus has one full-time Registered Nurse, Jennie Nemroff, who can be reached at healthservices@friendscentral.org. Parents are encouraged to contact her with questions about managing illnesses, allergies, or medications at school. All necessary and required health information is found through our secure Magnus Health Portal that you can access through Veracross. Regular email reminders are automatically sent for any outstanding information related to your student. A physical examination is required for every student every year. It is due on the month of your child’s birthday or on the anniversary of your child’s last physical examination. For new students, physical examination information is required before your child may attend the first day of school. For all the details about required medical information, consent forms, medication procedures, emergency health care plans, allergies, immunizations, and information around COVID-19 protocols, please visit the Health Services page of our website.

If there is information you would like to share with Jennie, or if you have questions, please feel free to contact her. Open communication will help give your child the best care possible.

LUNCH

We partner with SAGE Dining Services to provide high quality, nutritious, and flexible lunch options. Via MyKidsSpending, you will be able to conveniently order lunch on the days you would like your child to have food provided by the cafeteria. If you have any questions please contact Amanda Musto, Sage Food Service Director, at amusto@sagedining.com

SNACK TIME

Students should bring a healthy snack to School to be eaten during snack time. You will get more information from your classroom teacher at the start of the school year.

DRESS

The children have busy and active days at school, spending a great deal of time inside and outside. Comfortable clothes and and, most importantly, shoes with closed toes are necessary so they can fully enjoy all daily activities.

On days when there is snow, children are still able to go outside to play. They need to be appropriately clothed with boots, gloves/ mittens, hats/hoods, and snowpants.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

The Back-to-School page on the Veracross parent portal has a list of supplies by grade. During the first week of school, teachers will provide families with a list of any additional supplies needed.

PERMISSION FORMS

Permission forms are completed online using the Informed K12 Document system. Each form will be sent to parents/caregivers as an email with a link to the online document that requires an electronic signature.

PARENT/CAREGIVER -TEACHER CONFERENCES & REPORT CARDS

If you are having concerns about your child either academically or socially, teachers are always available to speak with you and encourage you to schedule a meeting with them. The first conference will be a Getting-to-Know you conference on either September 1 or 6 with your child’s teacher. They look forward to getting to know more about your child and your family, as well as sharing information about what to expect from your child in the first weeks of school. More formal parent/caregiver-teacher conferences will take place on November 4 and, in the spring, on March 24 to

specifically discuss your child’s progress. Conference sign-up information will be sent via email, and parents/caregivers will be able to sign up for a specific time via the Veracross portal. If these dates are not convenient, classroom teachers will provide other dates and times.

Report Cards will be available on Veracross in late January and June. You’ll receive an email notifying you when report cards are posted.

TECHNOLOGY & CELL PHONE POLICY

Friends’ Central School encourages the use of technology to enhance and support student learning. Students need to exercise responsible behavior when using technology and understand that by using any device on campus, they are expected to adhere to the community values. This includes only taking pictures, video, and audio of community members after permission is granted and, for grade 5 students, using school email for school purposes only, checking it daily, and maintaining the privacy of passwords.

Students are permitted to have cell phones and smart watches, but they must remain off and in their backpacks during the school day. This is also true of any kind of earbuds or headphones, which must be put away once a student arrives on campus and remain stored until they leave campus at the end of the day. If you wish to communicate a message to your child during the day, please do so by calling the Lower School Office.

Meeting for Worship at the Lower School

Weekly Meeting for Worship consists of 25 minutes of quiet reflection and truth-seeking that are an essential part of life at the Lower School.

Our School is enriched and strengthened by the weekly Meeting for Worship. The special silence that distinguishes a Quaker service is evident as students and teachers work to still the body and mind and open themselves to the Spirit and to the community.

MORNING MEETING

Quakers believe that one needs to come to Meeting for Worship with “heart and mind prepared” to listen to the “still small voice” of the Spirit within each and every person. Learning to use the time meaningfully in Meeting for Worship involves the development of skills such as centering one’s body and mind, reflecting, and listening. We begin each day with a Morning Meeting period – a time in which we can practice some of the spiritual skills and habits of Meeting for Worship. We read stories, practice yoga, talk about the monthly themes, and write reflections. We are always emphasizing the skill of listening to the voice within and to one another. These experiences in Morning Meeting (and at any time of day when it seems right), help children become familiar with the spiritual principles and basic ideas of Quaker practice.

QUERIES

Queries are reflective questions that prepare our hearts and minds for Meeting for Worship.

CLOSING MEETING FOR WORSHIP

As Meeting comes to a close, we sing a song and then shake hands with those around us. We affirm our connection to one another and the importance of community in our lives at school.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity

Friends’ Central School strives to be a deeply respectful and loving environment rooted in Quaker values and committed to supporting individuals to have what they need to thrive. We recognize that some members of our community may face barriers due to their race and ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, class background, religion, ability, family structure, and other social identities. We are engaged in an ongoing journey to become more aware of these barriers and provide opportunities and programming that foster greater equity and create an increasingly healthy, diverse and inclusive environment for everyone.

Grounded in Quaker tradition and practice, we strive to embody our commitment to justice and equity through our policies, practices and the culture we build together. We call upon all members of our community – faculty, staff, students, administrators, parents/caregivers, trustees, and alumni/ae – to join us.

At Friends’ Central School, the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Justice aims to (1) close opportunity gaps, (2) advance critical conversations and initiatives that promote equity, inclusion, and social justice, and (3) enhance our community’s committment to eliminating harmful bias and discrimination. Nefetaria Yates

VALUES THAT GUIDE OUR MEETING FOR WORSHIP

Quaker Testimonies, key principles that guide Quaker practice and lives, are sometimes grouped into the acronym “SPICES.” This acronym helps children remember them and provides a common vocabulary for all of us at Friends’ Central to use when talking about the shared Quaker values that guide our religious education.

(nyates@friendscentral.org), our Director of Diversity, Equity, Belonging and Inclusivity, leads these efforts through her inclusion, belonging, and equity work. She is central to the coordination and implementation of Plan 175, our strategic plan, Diversity goals. She provides training and support to colleagues with respect to curriculum and programming. She also provides education and support to all of our families through workshops and affinity and alliance group work. At the Lower School, Nefetaria spends time with our youngest students teaching them about fairness, equity, and empathy. She is their cheerleader and guide as she encourages them to find and share their inner voice.

Getting Involved

THE HOME AND SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

The Friends’ Central Home & School Association (HSA) is the vibrant and vital FCS parent/caregiver volunteer organization that works collaboratively with the School to strengthen communication and foster enriching opportunities between parents/caregivers and the School. If you are new to FCS, please feel free to reach out to the HSA division co-chairs,Vince Giamartino, Kate Jiggins, Amy Geary, and Jen Vallieres with any questions you may have. They are parent volunteers who are happy to help you as you transition to FCS.

You can play an important role as a volunteer helping in many ways from being a class rep to a committee chair to helping at all-school events. HSA believes that parents and caregivers are essential for the development and success of our students. We encourage you to find a role or event that’s right for you. If you have any questions, contact Andrea Nuneviller, Director of Home and School Partnerships at anuneviller@friendscentral.org

PARENTS OF STUDENTS OF COLOR (PSOC)

For parents of students of color, our PSOC Affinity Group fosters communication within the school community between administration, faculty, staff, parents/caregivers, and children. PSOC supports efforts to develop greater awareness of the needs and values of children of color and to empower children of color within the FCS community as part of a unified whole. This year, we will build on our ongoing work creating a space for parent leadership development, building capacity, engaging in meaningful partnerships, and working together for our students’ success. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to our PSOC Coclerks, Ily Houston and Simone Knight. Please save the date for our first meeting on Monday, October 17 at 7 pm

Mark your calendar! Saturday, September 10 at 1 pm on the Lower School Campus: Ice Cream Social sponsored by Parents of Students of Color. Want to help out? Contact Andrea Nuneviller at anuneviller@friendscentral.org.

HOME AND SCHOOL ASSOCIATION (HSA) WAYS TO VOLUNTEER:

Class Representatives

Parents/caregivers can volunteer to be a class representative to support their child’s class and teacher. As class reps, volunteers send communications from HSA and their classroom teacher to the parents/caregivers in their class to help keep everyone connected and informed about activities and events. They also help with classroom activities during the year.

HSA Events

These are annual events that need a large number of parent/ caregiver volunteers to help plan and run.

w Community Celebration w Pumpkin Fair - FCS Fall Festival w Lower School Service Committee

v ElderNet Basket Service Project v MLK Day of Service w Lower School Book Fair w Spirit Nights

Get your sitters now! Thursday, September 22, 6 pm: Grades N/Pre-K/K Meet and greet with other parents/ caregivers right before Curriculum Night. We look forward to seeing you there.

PUMPKIN FAIR! - SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23, NOON-4 PM

Pumpkin Fair is our annual fall festival where the entire Lower School comes to join in the family fun. There are arts and crafts, a face painter, jugglers, carnival games and prizes, and the very popular haunted house. And of course pumpkins to purchase for your fall/Halloween needs! It takes the entire community to make this afternoon such a special day. Look for communications in September for ways you can help.

VOLUNTEER CLEARANCE INFORMATION

The state of Pennsylvania requires that all adult volunteers who are responsible for a child’s welfare or have direct volunteer contact with children need to provide clearances to the organization where they are volunteering. At FCS, all parents who will be volunteering – parent representatives, library volunteers, child event coordinators, and field trip chaperones – need to have their clearances. We encourage any parent/caregiver interested in volunteering or going on a field trip with their child to get their clearances before the school year begins. For a link to the documents, please go to the Veracross portal and locate the PA State Clearances for Chaperones and Volunteers button. Once you have your clearance documents, please give copies or email them to Donovan Moore, Lower School Admissions Assistant, at dmoore@friendscentral.org. If you have any questions, please contact Donovan.

FRIENDS’ CENTRAL SCHOOL GIVING

Gifts to the Friends’ Central Fund are an important way for families, alumni/ae, faculty, staff, and friends to demonstrate their commitment to Friends’ Central. There is a strong tradition of giving at FCS, and the ongoing generosity of so many allows the legacy of support to continue year after year. Annually, over 1,500 generous community members contribute to the School’s operating budget.

The School’s operating budget directly impacts the people and programs that make an FCS education extraordinary. Specifically, gifts to the Friends’ Central Fund include tuition assistance for students, faculty and staff support, diversity, equity, and inclusion programming, student-life initiatives such as athletics and the arts, and much more. Participation in the Friends’ Central Fund at any and all levels makes a difference because it affirms belief in our mission and models the way for all members of our community to show support for our school.

Additionally, Annual Fund volunteers are vital to the success of the Annual Giving Campaign. Tasks may include connecting with community members (grade specific) through making phone calls, sending emails or text messages, or connecting through social media. Typically, volunteers are needed for community-wide Giving Days in the fall and the spring. Serving as an Annual Fund volunteer has an immediate impact on the School and our ability to fulfill our mission of excellence at every level. To become an Annual Fund volunteer, contact Melissa DiNofia - Bozzone at mdinofia@friendscentral.org, or call 610-645-5420.

Resources

We are here to help! Feel free to contact us with any questions. To call the Lower School, dial 610.642.7575, and your call will be directed to the appropriate person.

Melody R. Acinapura, Lower School Principal melody@friendscentral.org

Rowena Castillo Lesher, Lower School Assistant Principal rowena@friendscentral.org

Andrea D. Lubrano, Lower School Admission Director alubrano@friendscentral.org

Bethann DiGiovanni, Lower School Administrative Assistant bdigiovanni@friendscentral.org

Frederick Pratt, Director of Support Services fpratt@friendscentral.org

Jenn Curren, Lower School Counselor jcurren@friendscentral.org

Andrea Nuneviller, Home and School Director anuneviller@friendscentral.org, 610.645.5040

Technology Assistance parenthelp@friendscentral.org

JB Bowie, Transportation Coordinator jbowie@friendscentral.org, 610.247.3520

Veracross Parent Portal and Back-to-School Page myfcs.org

Parent Website Page friendscentral.org/parents

Veracross Help

ParentHelp@friendscentral.org

FCS Extras: Auxiliary Programs, Transportation, & After-School Activities friendscentral.org/aux_programs

Jennie Nemroff, Nurse jnemroff@friendscentral.org

Nefetaria Yates, Director of Equity, Belonging, and Inclusivity nyates@friendscentral.org

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