FCS Upper School New Family Guide 2022-2023

Monday, August 22

Preseason Athletics begins (water polo begins on August 29)

Thursday, September 1, 9 am

Welcome Day for all new students & all grade 9 students

Tuesday September 6, 8:30 am Orientation for all US students

Parent & caregiver drop-in for coffee on the Main Building patio starting at 8:15 am

Wednesday, September 7, 8:30 am First full day of classes

Picture days: September 6 & 7

Tuesday, September 13, 7 pm Grades 9 & 10 Curriculum Night

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

Tuesday, September 20, 7 pm Grades 11 & 12 Curriculum Night

Saturday, September 10, 1 pm Ice Cream Social hosted by Parents of Students of Color (PSOC)

Friday, November 4

Parent/Caregiver-Teacher Conferences (No Classes)

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, JtF, and Veracross.

DEAR NEW UPPER SCHOOL FAMILIES,

On behalf of everyone in the Upper School, I am excited to welcome you to Friends’ Central. Like you, I am new to this community, but I feel right at home, as you will in the months ahead. I know you will find this to be a warm and friendly place, filled with people who are ready to help. As a start to getting to know this vibrant, Quaker school community, this guide book contains useful information on everything from Meeting for Worship to extracurricular activities. I encourage you to read it and keep it handy. Additionally, I encourage you to be in touch about any other questions you may have as you begin your Friends’ Central experience.

Upper School Principal

Lee Payton

Upper School Principal lpayton@friendscentral.org 610.645.4496

Bill Kennedy Interim Upper School Assistant Principal wkennedy@friendscentral.org 610.645.5101

Alex McDonnell

Upper School Dean of Students amcdonnell@friendscentral.org 610.645.5110

Tom MacFarlane

Upper School Dean for Community and Leadership tmacfarlane@friendscentral.org

610.645.5080

Maryclaire D’Orazio

Upper School Administrative Assistant mdorazio@friendscentral.org 610.645.5075

GRADE DEANS

Frank Fisher

Grade 9 Dean ffisher@friendscentral.org

Jeanette Kelleher Grade 10 Dean jkelleher@friendscentral.org

Laurie Novo Grade 11 Dean lnovo@friendscentral.org

Jacob Fogel Grade 12 Dean jfogel@friendscentral.org

Lee Payton

w Myfcs.org is the link to access the Veracross Parent Portal

The school day begins at 8:30 am in first block

Homeroom/Advisory is from 10:05-10:15 am w Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday classes end at 3:10 pm

Friday classes end at 2:25 pm

Homework is posted by 4 pm on Canvas, our student class management system

Weekly School e-newsletter Just the FaCtS is emailed on Fridays

Call the Upper School Attendance Line at 610.645.5136 or email usattend@friendscentral.org if your child will be staying home.

Snow closing information will be texted and emailed to

Bus pick-up is from 3:15-3:30 pm

WELCOMING DAY

To make the transition into the school year as smooth as possible, we welcome all new students, including all grade 9 students, to the Welcome Day Program on Thursday, September 1. For the detailed schedule, please check the Back-to-School page on Veracross, our parent portal. New students will connect with classmates, peer mentors, and a variety of Upper School students, advisors, and administrators. They will spend the time learning about the school culture, technology platforms, academic offerings, athletics and art opportunities, and what to expect in the first few weeks of school.

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, your child’s schedule, attendance records, and report cards as well as

schedule your conference in November. Veracross also keeps a log of the emails that have been sent to you by the School and has helpful links to the School Directory, the Magnus Health portal, and tech help. There is also a button on your Veracross home screen that enables you to access Canvas, our student workflow and class management program.

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. 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)

Every Friday, Just the FaCtS (JTF), our electronic newsletter about events and news, is sent to all households. It is critical that you read JTF every week since it has the most current information and may have important messages from the Principal and the Head of School. JTF also has links to the monthly calendar and the Important Dates Calendar. Important information and invitations will also be shared with you via email from the FCS Communications Office. In the event of a weather-related closing or other urgent communication, you will be notified via text and email.

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.

The Friends’ Central website, friendscentral.org, is another source of information on the life of the School. There, you will find School news and events, the calendar, photo galleries, athletics updates, and other helpful information.

ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE PROCEDURES

ARRIVAL

The first class of the day begins promptly at 8:30 am, and attendance will be taken then. Students may have clubs or other activities that meet at 8:00 am. The dining hall opens at 7:30 am. We suggest students arrive at school in time to attend their clubs, meetings, and, of course, prepare for

the day. If you plan to drive your student to school, the car line travels around the curve of the City Avenue driveway. Parents/caregivers – pull over to the curb, let students out, and then continue along the driveway.

LATE ARRIVAL

Students who arrive late must sign in at the kiosk in the Upper School Office before attending any classes or activities.

DEPARTURE

w On Mondays through Thursdays, classes end at 3:10 pm. On Fridays, classes end at 2:25 pm. At the end of the day, the parking lot is reserved for buses from 2:45 until 3:30 pm.

w We realize that parents and caregivers want to pick up their children, but we ask that you wait until at least 3:30 pm to arrive in your car. This is both safer and more efficient, since it eliminates the need for students to cross through bus traffic to get to parked cars.

w If you do arrive before 3:30 pm, a staff member will direct you to form lines in the parking lot until the buses are clear.

EARLY DISMISSAL

A parent/caregiver must call the attendance line at 610.645.5136 or email Maryclaire D’Orazio in the Upper School Office at usattend@friendscentral.org with the

details of early dismissal. When it is time to leave, your child must sign out at the kiosk in the US Office. Students may not leave campus early without permission from a parent/caregiver.

ILLNESS OR UNPLANNED ABSENCES

A parent/caregiver must call the Attendance Line at 610.645.5136 or email usattend@friendscentral.org on the day of an absence. If a student is ill for more than one day, a parent/caregiver must call Maryclaire D’Orazio in the US Office at 610.645.5075 each day to inform the School of the student’s absence. The School may require a doctor’s note in order for the student to return to school.

TRANSPORTATION

Friends’ Central students get to school in many different ways, including private vehicles, school district buses, and SEPTA. There is an inter-campus shuttle service that runs in the morning and afternoon between the two campuses, and a shuttle service to the Overbrook train station. These services vary based on location. If you have any questions, please contact JB Bowie, Transportation Manager, at 610.247.3520 or jbbowie@friendscentral.org. For more detailed transportation information, see the FCS website at friendscentral.org/transportation.

CONTACTS & RESOURCES

w Absentee Line: 610.645.5136 usattend@friendscentral.org

w Transportation: JB Bowie, jbbowie@friendscentral.org, 610.247.3520

w Upper School Office: Maryclaire D’Orazio, mdorazio@friendscentral.org, 610.645.5075

w Main Number/Front Desk: 610.649.7440 Day Yohannes, dyohannes@friendscentral.org

a guide for choosing courses for the following academic year. Students should keep in mind the anticipated path of study through senior year, as well as prerequisite and graduation requirements. The curriculum planner, which includes detailed course descriptions, can be found on the website at bit.ly/USplanner2022-2023.

ADD/DROP POLICY

Students can add courses until 15 full school days into the semester without a penalty. See the Curriculum Planner for a more detailed description of the policy.

ADVISORY

DINING SERVICES

The Dining Hall at Friends’ Central School provides students with high quality, nutritious, and flexible options. We partner with SAGE Dining Services. Via MyKidsSpending, you will be able to conveniently add funds to your child’s account for use in the City Avenue dining hall. Please visit friendscentral.org/ aux_programs for more information about dining services.

ACADEMICS

Friends’ Central’s Upper School curriculum provides an exceptional college-preparatory program in an atmosphere that sets the highest of academic and personal standards. Classrooms promote independent thought, the courage to voice individual opinions, and the expectation that students will listen to and value one another’s ideas. Cooperative discussions, one-on-one conferences with faculty, and individual work encourage students to think and perform independently and to solve problems in innovative ways.

SCHEDULE & CLASSES

The Upper School academic year is divided into two semesters. The students have a six-day class schedule – A Day through F Day – that rotates across the days of the week. The letter days appear on the Veracross Calendar and on the Monthly Calendar shared via Just the FaCtS.

CURRICULUM

Students, in collaboration with their parents/caregivers and advisors, should use the Upper School Curriculum Planner as

When students enter the Upper School, their homeroom teachers serve as their advisors. These advisors typically continue with the same homerooms through their four years of Upper School. The advisors monitor student progress, provide counsel when necessary, help with course selection, and communicate with parents/caregivers on a regular basis. If there is a non-academic issue that parents and caregivers would like to discuss, your child’s advisor is the person to contact. Advisory meets everyday from 10:05-10:10 am and some days until 10:20 am.

STUDY HALLS & FREE BLOCKS

Grade 9 and 10 students are assigned to study hall; any remaining unscheduled time such as community blocks are free for students to manage on their own unless there are required activities, assemblies, or programs at those times. Students are expected to work and/or study quietly during study hall. Grade 11 and 12 students are not assigned a study hall, so students in good standing may elect to meet and work independently at various locations on campus.

HOMEWORK

Most teachers create weekly (or longer) assignment schedules to help students anticipate and manage academic expectations within the larger framework of their lives. Teachers use Canvas to manage student workflow. Homework assignments and class resources are posted to Canvas, which is also where most written work is submitted and, after being graded, returned. All homework assignments must be posted on Canvas before 4:00 pm. Parents can see student homework assignments using their Parent Canvas Portal.

TESTS AND QUIZZES

The Upper School uses a rotating system of testing days to schedule tests and due dates for major assignments to help keep a balanced workload for students. Quizzes may be given on any day.

WORK MANAGEMENT

All students have their own Friends’ Central email address, Canvas account, and Veracross account to manage their academic responsibilities.

w Canvas: Canvas is our classroom management and workflow program used by teachers and students. Parents/ caregivers also have their own Canvas account where they can view their students’ assignments and access other community resources and information. If you are having trouble with Canvas, please view our helpful blogs under IT Help on the Parent Page of the website.

w FCS Email: Students should check email daily for any timely messages from teachers. Each student’s email account will be through Gmail, but the address itself will be an @friendscentral.org address that is managed by our Technology department.

w Google Drive: Google Drive is the place where students produce much of their work. It allows students to create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more. This work is stored in the cloud, so students can access it from any device connected to the internet.

GRADES & REPORT CARDS

We are on a semester schedule, so families receive report cards in late January and at the end of the school year in June. Letter grades and narrative comments are given on the Upper School report cards. Students are given letter grades, A-F, for tests and homework performance. They are also graded on participation, work habits, and citizenship with an O/S/U scale. Halfway through each semester, parents/ caregivers will receive a written report, including a comment, an evaluative chart, and a grade to date about each of their student’s classes. These reports are quite helpful in tracking a student’s progress.

Every fall, we have face-to-face parent/caregiver-advisor conferences to enable advisors to share observations about the beginning of the school year and to allow parents/ caregivers to help us know your student better. Conference Day for 2022 is scheduled for Friday, November 4. You will be able to sign up electronically on Veracross for your conference a few weeks before the conference day.

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

COUNSELING

The Support Services Team supports students and teachers in a comprehensive and thoughtful way. There are a variety of supports in place for students’ learning, social, and emotional needs. The Upper School shares two clinical counselors, Frederick Pratt (fpratt@friendscentral.org) and Heather Tomes (htomes@friendscentral.org) with the Middle School. Frederick and Heather provide short-term, solution-focused counseling and participate in Advisor Team meetings designed to highlight student needs. This year, Brett Blackiston will be joining the counseling team as a Post-Graduate Counseling & Wellness Fellow working with student-athletes, teams, and coaches. Interns join our counseling team every year from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education as an integral part of their training towards becoming licensed professional counselors. All of the counselors work collaboratively with faculty members to help identify strategies which will enhance a student’s experience. If you have any questions about mental health, wellness, social/emotional learning, psychological/neuropsychological, or educational testing, please contact Frederick Pratt, LPC at fpratt@friendscentral.org.

ACADEMIC SUPPORT

Our Learning Specialists are available to meet both with individual students and with small groups based on specific learning needs. International students are supported by the Coordinator of International Student Education and Programs, Katy Oh (koh@friendscentral.org).

HEALTH SERVICES

The City Avenue campus has a full-time registered nurse, Josh Van Dyke, overseeing the health of our student body. Students and parents are encouraged to contact the nurse at healthservices@friendscentral.org with questions about managing illnesses, allergies, or medications at school. All necessary and required health information is found on 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.

For all the details about required medical information, consent forms, medication procedures, emergency health care plans, allergies, and immunizations, please visit the Health Services page of our website. For information around COVID-19 protocols, see the Health Services page of our website. If you have any questions about health information or COVID-19, please email healthservices@friendscentral.org.

Due to the health risks to themselves and others, we strongly encourage students who are ill to stay home for the entire day. To maintain the healthiest environment possible, the School asks that students with a fever or strong symptoms not come on campus during the time of their illness.

CONTACTS & RESOURCES

w Director of Support Services and Clinical Counselor: Frederick Pratt, fpratt@friendscentral.org, 610.645.5134

w Clinical Counselor: Heather Tomes, htomes@friendscentral.org, 610.645.5102

w Learning Specialist: Jill MacDougall, jmacdougall@friendscentral.org, 610.645.5088

w Coordinator of International Student Education & Programs: Katy Oh, koh@friendscentral.org, 610.658.5659

w School Nurse: Joshua Van Dyke, healthservices@friendscentral.org, 610.645.5084

COLLEGE COUNSELING

Friends’ Central School provides highly personalized, expert college admission counseling to students and their families. Our three counselors, Grant Calder, Andrea Pien, and Sonja Bhan, have extensive experience working in independent school college counseling and selective college admissions.

Our emphasis is on counseling rather than placement –educating and advocating throughout the process, with a focus on each student’s talents, interests, and needs. The goal of this student-centered approach is for each member of the class to have the best possible college search experience and for students to find schools where they will continue to flourish beyond their years at Friends’ Central. Each student is placed with one of the three college counselors in December of the 11th-grade year, and the official counseling process begins in January as soon as the juniors return from winter break. Periodic introductory sessions are offered to students and their families in the preceding years. Students at any grade level are always welcome to contact the college counseling office with specific questions or concerns.

TECHNOLOGY

New students in grades 9 through 12 will be issued Chromebooks, the cost of which will be spread across FACTS payments. Returning students in grades 10 through 12 should bring their school-issued chromebooks to school with them in the fall.

CELL PHONE USE

Being mindful of Community and in an effort to focus on a “be here now” culture, students may not speak on their cell phones without the express permission of a teacher. Outside of class and meetings, students may use their phones to text. Phones must be turned off and put away during Meeting for Worship and other gatherings. Students’ phones may be collected at the start of classes and study halls in order to improve the learning process. Students are encouraged to use their devices wisely and safely while on campus.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES & SERVICE LEARNING

A fundamental principle of Quaker pedagogy is educating the whole child. To that end, Friends’ Central offers many opportunities for students to expand and deepen their education beyond the classroom. We encourage students to involve themselves in these activities which offer wonderful opportunities to make friends, discover and develop talents, encourage leadership skills, and serve the FCS community and others. Students will hear more about specific clubs and opportunities early in the school year.

CLUBS

Clubs are a large part of the dynamic culture of the Upper School, and students are strongly encouraged to participate during their four years at FCS. At the beginning of the school year, Student Council will organize a club fair so that clubs may promote their activities and solicit membership. Interested students can contact any of the club sponsors to find out meeting times and other information. Students can form a new club at any time with the participation of a staff advisor and the approval of the Dean of Students. For the full list of clubs, please visit the website. If you have any questions, please contact Alex McDonnell, Dean of Students, at amcdonnell@friendscentral.org.

SERVICE

Community service at Friends’ Central is part of the School’s identity, culture, and tradition. We believe that caring for our school, local, and global communities serves the guiding testimonies of stewardship, community, peace, and integrity. The program teaches a real world understanding of issues of social justice. As we educate students who will face the environmental and social challenges of the 21st century, it is important that we cultivate an understanding of real-world problems so they will be able to effect social change. Service work creates strong individual and institutional relationships, which in turn strengthen our community and each student’s sense of self-worth. The Upper School program includes a required community service component with Upper School students and faculty spending time at agencies and organizations throughout the greater Philadelphia region. If you have questions about the Upper School service program, please contact Deb Skapik at dskapik@friendscentral.org.

OUR QUAKER CULTURE

At Friends’ Central, school life is steeped in Quaker values. At every level, we promote a commitment to learning through inquiry, reflection, action, and discovery – an approach that stems from two foundational beliefs of the Religious Society of Friends, that there is that of the Spirit in every one and that Truth is continually revealed. Our foundational beliefs thus call Quaker educators and students to a life of ongoing, joyfilled, Spirit-led discovery with one another. The daily impact of this philosophical grounding cannot be overstated. We intentionally build an inclusive atmosphere that fosters the development of curiosity, openness, empathy, and respect for ideas and for one another. It informs the shape of curriculum, and more importantly, the way curriculum is delivered by faculty and embraced by students.

QUAKERISM COURSEWORK

To ensure that students have a shared understanding of Quakerism and its importance in daily school life, students in grade 9 take a Quakerism course. This rotation course informs students about the foundations of the Quaker faith and practice. The grade 9 class explores silent worship, mindfulness, identity, and education through the lens of Quaker testimonies, principles, and practices.

MEETING FOR WORSHIP (MFW)

Foundational for Friends, or Quakers, is the belief that the Light of the Divine resides in each and every person. Meeting for Worship is a time when we gather together, still our bodies and minds, and open our hearts so that we might connect with the guiding Light within. We make every effort to ensure that students understand why we take part in Meeting for Worship and how the silence and stillness can help them in other aspects of their lives. The Upper School has Meeting for Worship every Wednesday at 10:20 am. Some Meetings are

held with the entire student body while others are held with smaller groups, such as grades or advisories.

MEETING FOR BUSINESS

On occasion, the Upper School will meet in a different format known as Meeting for Business to discuss issues of importance to the community. Such meetings are clerked by students with the guidance of their teachers.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, BELONGING, 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, trustees, and alumni/ae – to join us.

At Friends’ Central, 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 (nyates@friendscentral.org), our Director of Diversity, Equity, Belonging, and Inclusivity, leads these efforts through her inclusion, belonging, and equity work with students, faculty, and parents. She is central to the coordination and implementation of our Plan 175 (strategic plan) diversity goals. She provides training and support to colleagues with respect to curriculum and programming, and she offers education and support to all of our parents/caregivers and families through workshops and affinity and alliance group work. Nefetaria works with our Upper School students in their affinity groups and supports student clubs that center on equity issues. She is a trusted mentor and guide for our oldest students as they do their own learning around equity, belonging, and inclusivity.

ARTS

The Friends’ Central Arts Department provides diverse courses and extracurricular activities encompassing visual and performing arts. Classes explore different approaches to artmaking as well as an assortment of mediums and styles. Visual arts offerings range from applied arts to fine arts. Music offerings provide opportunities for students to listen to, create, and/or perform music depending on their personal interests. Our drama program includes both modern and classical instruction, and all students are invited to participate either onstage or behind the scenes in any of the three plays produced each year.

VISUAL ARTS PROGRAM

Visual arts students are offered a variety of curricular courses that explore different approaches to artmaking in an array of mediums and styles. In all courses, students are encouraged to discover their individual artistic voice, further the acquisition of skills, and hone critical thinking during the process of creation. The Student Art Gallery in Shallcross Hall offers a continuous, regularly changing exhibition of student work. Contact Hilary Takiff Weiss, Art Department Chair, with any questions at htakiffweiss@friendscentral.org.

DRAMA PROGRAM

The Friends’ Central Upper School drama program is dedicated to bringing a variety of theatrical offerings to our students and to the community at large. On our “main stage,” two productions are offered each year, alternating between musical theater productions and plays. An additional play, open to grade 9 and 10 actors, is produced each May. FCS is honored to offer all theatre and concert performances free of charge in hopes the entire community will benefit from the talent and creativity of our students. Contact Megan Schumacher at mschumacher@friendscentral.org with any questions.

MUSIC PROGRAM

Performance opportunities abound in Upper School. The music department’s instrumental concerts in the winter and spring range from full orchestra to chamber ensembles and a jazz band. Selections incorporate a cross-section of musical styles, genres, and periods. If you would like more information about our instrumental music program, please contact Carl Bradley at cbradley@friendscentral.org.

Open to all students in grades 9-12, the Upper School Chorus performs in two concerts annually, plus additional school assemblies and events. Chorus members learn the basics of healthy vocal production, music reading skills, and working

together as an ensemble. Students are encouraged to consider how their unique personalities and musical gifts enhance the ensemble as a community. The Upper School Chorus sings repertoire from a variety of genres and languages, enabling students to experience a broad range of musical styles. Students may also audition to join the Grace Notes (open to all sopranos and altos in Upper School Chorus) and Foxtones (tenors and basses in Upper School Chorus) vocal groups. If you have any questions, please contact Michele Zuckman at mzuckman@friendscentral.org.

CONTACTS & RESOURCES

Vocal Music: Michele Zuckman, mzuckman@friendscentral.org

ATHLETICS & WELLNESS

Friends’ Central student-athletes are guided by the mission of the School and its Quaker values. Athletics at every level promotes community and a shared responsibility for both the growth of the individual and the development of the team. Each student-athlete understands, in practices and in games, that how you lead matters, and sportsmanship is held in high regard. If you have any questions about Athletics and Wellness, please contact Michelle Crowley, Director of Athletics and Wellness, at mcrowley@friendscentral.org

Students are required to participate on an athletic team or in the dramatic arts (plays, musicals, and stage design) during six (out of a total of 12 possible) seasons while in the Upper School. During the seasons when students are not participating in athletics or the dramatic arts, they will be required to take a wellness credit or apply for athletic exemption through an Independent Athletic Credit (IAC). The wellness credit will require a student to complete a minimum of two hours of activity, Monday through Friday (or on the weekend, if they choose). These credits may also be completed off campus. The Independent Athletic Credit is offered for students who play sports that are not offered at Friends’ Central or if the sport is offered at Friends’ Central, then participation would be commensurate with a Varsity schedule, and it is understood that it would be during the off-season and the student will play that sport for Friends’ Central. Please note: for students in the Upper School in the last two years, all credits were waived for 2020-2021 and the spring of 2020; students now in grades 11-12 have

automatically received two (2) credits towards the required six (6)

CONTACTS & RESOURCES

Director of Athletics & Wellness Michelle Crowley, mcrowley@friendscentral.org

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

THE HOME & SCHOOL ASSOCIATION (HSA)

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 families and the School. If you are new to FCS or new to the Upper School, please feel free to reach out to your HSA division co-chairs, Sabrina Brooks and Ryan Dunne, with any questions you may have. Sabrina and Ryan are experienced parent volunteers who are here to help as you transition to the Friends’ Central Upper School.

You can play an important role as a volunteer helping in many ways, from being a class rep or a committee chair to helping at All-School events such as the Community Celebration or Blue/Gray Day. 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, 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/caregiver 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 Co-Clerks, Ily Houston and Simone Knight.

Mark Your Calendar!

w Sunday, September 10 at 1 pm, City Avenue campus: Ice Cream Social sponsored by Parents of Students of Color

w Monday, October 17 at 7 pm: First PSOC meeting of the year!

OTHER HELPFUL INFO

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 services.

PERMISSION FORMS

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

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 School. There is a strong tradition of giving at FCS, and the continued 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 inclusivity 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 at mdinofia@friendscentral.org or call 610.645.5420.

HELPFUL RESOURCES

HELPFUL LINKS

FCS LINGO & FUN FACTS

We Go Further