dear friends a letter from our head of school

Dear Friends,

This summer, as I settled into my new life and role in San Francisco and at Friends, my top priority was getting to know this community. I took as deep a dive as I could, connecting with current families, pioneer parents and founding trustees, former administrators, and my new colleagues, and everyone— down to the person—was incredibly generous with their time and their stories of SFFS. I had no idea that I would become transformed by these stories—precious pieces of history and love— myself. But with these memories and anecdotes, I have forged an early and strong connection to this place, and I’m eager to share one of these stories with you here, now.

One of our founding trustees, who was involved with the school starting in the Diamond Street days, helped to find the former Levi Strauss factory, now the site of among friends: winter 2023 our beloved San Francisco Friends School campus. He told me that the first time the construction team examined the ground under the building, they observed—to their surprise and shock—that there was a full stream of water running beneath. The foundation was severely weathered and filled with sand and crumbling brick. Honestly, he told me, he could hardly believe that the building was even standing! The team had to work hard and think fast to pivot direction, to pour a new foundation, to make tough choices about building and time and resources and in his words, “to get through each day and this epic project together.” And so they did.

The foundation is now, I am assured, (and I know in my own bones) is SOLID. It has been reinforced, each year, by our collective dedication, our shared learning and work. Metaphorically, to me, this foundation is all of us, who inhabit and enliven the beautiful, historic campus at 250 Valencia Street each and every day.

The spirit of Friends is derived from and sustained by our daily work, interactions with and between our students, the dedication of our faculty and administrative staff, Meetings for Worship, our place in this neighborhood, and an unquestioned love for the school. I feel so privileged to be here, with all of you.

In Community,

Pankti Sevak Head of School

ON MY BOOKSHELF:

We’ve started a tradition in Among Friends of our Head of School sharing what they are reading—or hope to start reading soon!—with their introductory letter of each issue.

• Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

• Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

• A More Just Future by Dolly Chugh

• Leading with Dignity by Donna Hicks

• Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor

• Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri

• Urban Trails: San Francisco: Coastal Bluffs, The Presidio, Hilltop Parks, & Stairways by Alexandra Kenin