Poet, activist, children’s book author, and professor Nikki Giovanni died December 9th. She was 81. Here are some of her memorable quotes: If you don’t understand yourself, you don’t understand anybody else. Nothing is easy to the unwilling. Mistakes are a fact of life: it is the response to the error that counts. You must […]

“In the epilogue of his book, Humankind: A Hopeful History, Rutger Bregman gives advice on how to apply his thesis – that humans are basically good – in a world that embraces the opposite view. “For ages,” he says, “we’ve assumed that people are selfish, that we’re beasts, or worse. For ages, we’ve believed civilization […]

While it is very, very atypical for anyone to take a picture during Meeting for Worship, I was moved in the moment to do so yesterday.  This First Grade girl had shared a simple and powerful message about personal integrity earlier, and here she is seen listening to a teacher speak about community. For me, it captures a […]

I have had the distinct honor of meeting, speaking with, and attending lectures and retreat workshops presented by, Dr. Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot a few times over the years. Dr. Lawrence-Lightfoot is the Emily Hargroves Fisher Professor of Education at Harvard University.  She is a sociologist who examines the culture of schools and the relationship between human […]

After getting WordPress to fix some issues… (thank you, Karen Kemp!), I am excited to relaunch my Head of School’s blog again this year.  From time to time, posts will be created and published and an email will be sent to you with a link so that you can access and read it if you […]

I write to offer a warm welcome to everyone and share a few thoughts as we begin a new school year – our 230th year – at Buckingham Friends School.  The promise of a new school year always excites me, and the resilient and inspiring energy of the children and the teachers during this time […]

Last spring, Emily Cherkin, the “Screentime Consultant” and author of The Screentime Solution, A Judgment-Free Guide to Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family, led a workshop for faculty and presented a talk to parents later that evening. Our Upper School teachers are planning to continue the conversation with Emily this year, to include reviewing when to use […]

Adele Faber, a former high-school teacher who, with co-author Elaine Mazlish, helped countless parents and educators communicate more effectively with young people, died in April at age 96. Inspired by psychologist Haim Ginott, Faber and Mazlish were best known for their 1980 book, How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will […]

SAVE-THE-DATE!!  A SPECIAL EVENING FOR BFS PARENTS & GUARDIANS!! Wednesday evening (Time TBA), April 10, 2024 – In the Library “Becoming a Tech-Intentional Parent: Parenting in the Digital Age” Come hear from Emily Cherkin, a nationally recognized consultant who takes a tech-intentional™ approach to addressing screentime challenges.  Emily spent twelve years teaching middle school in Seattle, WA, […]

Buckingham Friends School benefits from the many talents and contributions of an exemplary staff of educators.  As a Friends school, accredited by the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools, we meet vigorous standards and provide an overall program distinguished by its unmatched breadth and depth, the manner in which students are engaged, and a mission and […]