Off Campus Education

Why No Grades – At Friends, we do not use a grading system as we do not wish to reduce a student’s performance to a number or letter on a transcript. While our teachers provide a rich variety of feedback on quizzes, quests, tests, papers, projects, performances, and more, the goal of the robust academic program at Friends is to empower students to be in control of their own learning, and not to be ranked according to grades. Our faculty at SFFS understand that their job is not just to evaluate students’ skills and knowledge, but also to support students in pressing further, digging deeper, and asking more questions.

Grades discourage the kind of risk-taking that real learning requires and diminish curiosity and internal motivation. Real learning is difficult. It’s leaning into confusion, tangling with a skill or concept that is hazy, being unsure. To truly learn, one must risk failing. At Friends, teachers carefully cultivate classroom cultures that value questions as much as answers, and earnest attempts as much as easy successes. Teacher feedback emphasizes the value of process, approach, strategy, and problem-solving.

At Friends, learning, not grades, is at the center of a child’s experience. Teachers consistently assess students’ skills and understanding, provide feedback to help them grow, encourage them to take the risks that real learning requires, support their internal motivation to learn, and report on progress to parents in written reports and conferences. Grades would be a distraction to this authentic learning.

On off-campus education during the 2021–2022 school year: The health and safety of our students and teachers are always a top priority for us. While these trips are important aspects of our program at SFFS, we always consider a variety of factors as to if/when we should embark on them. Weather, accessibility, and transportation are just a few of the variables we evaluate. With regards to COVID-19, we consult with various agencies and organizations and do a thoughtful and thorough risk assessment, focused on the health and safety of our students and staff. While we hope to run off campus education programs this school year, we will continue to monitor and evaluate the ever-changing landscape of the virus, and communicate as often as we can about our thinking and decision-making.

Field Trips – Each grade level takes several field trips each year, including local trips (to museums, cultural events, the library, or various service learning projects) and trips further afield to the beach, the woods, or a farm. We’ll send home permission slips for any excursion that involves parent--driven carpools or a school bus—please be prompt in

returning those forms; we don’t want to have to leave anyone behind. We send home a “blanket” permission slip during the summer for field trips that are within walking distance of school or easily accessible by public transport. Our student/chaperone ratio is between 5:1 and 10:1, depending upon the age of the children, and the nature of the trip and activity. (See Outdoor Education for information about overnight trips.)

In order to drive for a trip, parent drivers must submit a Volunteer Driver Registration Form and a Motor Vehicle Report Consent Form at least five business days prior to departure. All drivers must have a clean driving record and proof of current auto insurance on file. Our Front Desk Clerk submits DMV background checks for all parent drivers and if there are any issues or missing items the parent will not be able to drive.

Outdoor Education and Trips – Our outdoor education programs and overnight trips seek to immerse our students in cultures, people, histories, experiences, and environments that are completely different from their own. These trips challenge students through healthy risk--taking, encouraging them to stretch themselves in ways they cannot at school. We see these learning opportunities as a unique chance for students to develop a strong sense of independence grounded in a deep awareness of our interdependence. Outdoor education and trips are firmly grounded in Friends testimonies and outdoor education and trips are firmly grounded in Friends testimonies and aligned with the academic curriculum.

Outdoor education trips start in kindergarten with hikes and various field trips to experience our natural world. In third grade our children have their first overnight camping trip; the program builds from grade to grade to include elements such as rock climbing, ropes courses, and backpacking. We believe that our 7th and 8th Grade overnight trips have the greatest impact when students understand that travel is a privilege. Therefore, students are asked to fundraise $50/person for each of these trips to support their travels.

NOTE: Trips are a critical part of the SFFS school experience. We work hard to provide safe, challenging programs and encourage all students to take risks and stretch themselves with these new experiences. However, a parent/guardian may choose to not allow their child to participate in a particular trip. If you do not allow your child to attend, he/she will not be allowed to come to school that day and you will be responsible for making alternative arrangements.