Events

Spanish Waiver – Working together with the parents, the DS staff, and the classroom teacher, it may be recommended as early as 2nd Grade that a student withdraw from Spanish in order to use the time for extra academic support. Often this decision is made when a student has a language-based learning difference requiring more time and effort to complete English language assignments and affecting the ease with which a foreign language can be learned. The decision to re-enter Spanish must be made by June before the new school year begins, and the student must complete the same summer preparation for Spanish that students new to SFFS middle school complete. The DS staff will proceed with students continuing to waive Spanish each year unless a teacher, parent, or student requests to re-enter Spanish by June before the start of the new school year. Please reach out to the Developmental Support team with additional questions.

Staff Tutoring and Babysitting – Parents are discouraged from soliciting faculty and staff for tutoring services directly. Our Developmental Support (DS) department is prepared to support families seeking services for their child’s learning needs, and all of those referrals and recommendations can go through our DS department, making the coordination and specialization of these services excellent, equitable, and fair. Contact Stefani Wulkan (swulkan@sffriendsschool.org) in the Lower School and Chris Uskert in the Middle School (cuskert@sffriendsschool.org) if you would like more information about our DS services.

We also discourage parents from soliciting teachers or teaching assistants for babysitting services, specifically for the students in their own classes. We find this can create equity issues among the other children in the teacher’s classes, confusion between teachers and their students, and can complicate the professional relationships between teachers and parents. If you are in need of babysitting services, parents may choose to solicit an after-school teacher, assistant teacher, or another staff member who is not a current teacher of their child. Seeking referrals from other parents, as well as our Parents Association, can be of great support when looking for special care for your child.

PLEASE NOTE: For the 2022–2023 school year, some events will be held over Zoom or in a hybrid mode (partially in-person / partially virtual). We are hard at work planning these special Friends traditions, and will communicate our plans clearly to our families as each event approaches.

Each school year includes a myriad of events, from class-specific gatherings to school-wide functions. Below are a few of our most important events involving parents, but this is by no means an exhaustive list.

Back-to-School Night – Please clear your calendar for this information-filled evening! You’ll have a chance to find out more about the curriculum, spend some time with your child’s teacher(s), view student art and projects, sign up for Parents Association activities, and hear about special plans and programs. Back-to-School Night also marks the launch of our Annual Fund.

Blue Party – Each spring, the Development Office in collaboration with the Parents Association hosts the Blue Party, an all-school party and fundraiser in support of the school’s Adjustable Tuition program. Blue Party volunteers help with the party planning portion of this event. . In the past, the fundraiser has taken the form of an auction or 48 Hours for Friends, our two day “giving days” event. This year we hope to bring back some of our beloved one of a kind SFFS auction items in a smaller format supplementing our giving days. Help of all kinds is welcome; please contact the Development Office to learn more.

Booktopia – Each fall, parents are invited to Booktopia, an evening event at a local bookstore to support our school’s library and Birthday Book program. This event is timed to help you with your holiday shopping.

Crafts Fair – Held on a Saturday each winter, the Crafts Fair is an annual favorite, and features crafts and foods made by talented members of the SFFS community, including community partners, parents, teachers, alumni, and Middle School students. There’s music, a café, and a wonderfully festive vibe.

GrandFriends Day – This beloved SFFS tradition is a time for grandparents and special friends of students to visit our school, learn about school programs and activities, and spend time with students in their classroom. This event is for non-parent relatives and friends.

Presentation Night (Middle School) – See Student Assessment

Portfolio Day (Lower School) – See Student Assessment

Service Opportunities – Service is a great way to build connections with other SFFS families and put our Quaker values into action, and make an impact in our greater community. The Parents Association Service Committee works to organize service days in