It is stating the obvious that the 2020 elections are upon us and dominating the news during unprecedented, contentious, and stressful times. As a school, we will observe, teach about, and process the elections – before and after – with an attention to developmental-appropriateness and the importance of discourse, respect for differences and different people and […]
Eight Suggestions for Establishing, Maintaining, and Improving and Parent-Teacher Relations
As we settle into this new year, and one that asks us to re-establish, develop and take care of the relationships that foster a positive and constructive home-school relationship – all in the interest of student success – I offer some thoughts gleaned from a New York Times article that was published several years ago. […]
A Minute of Appreciation from The School Board of Buckingham Friends School
As we celebrate the successful completion of the first ten days of the 2020-2021 school year and prepare for our very first virtual Back-to-School Nights, I am proud to share the Minute that was read at last week’s School Board meeting. This Minute of appreciation recognizes and thanks our faculty and staff, and it will […]
Welcome and thoughts about our shared endeavor – supporting the promise of a new year
I write to offer a warm welcome to everyone and share a few thoughts as we begin a new school year – our 226th year – at Buckingham Friends School. But first, the big news is that 45 new students (and 38 new families) have joined and are already contributing to the quality of our […]
Preparing children for the new school year during COVID-19
I’m very grateful that BFS School Counselor Linda Kamel will be increasing her teaching role in every division to support children and teaching and learning this year. Linda is planning to facilitate parent forums in advance of the school year and during the school year to provide parents with guidance in navigating these before-school conversations […]
Former BFS Parent – Summer Program Director at Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights – Opportunity for students in Grades 6+
The Speak Truth to Power program is a first-ever virtual Youth Summer Series for students interested in human rights, social justice, theater and the arts, community organizing, and creating meaningful change in their communities and in themselves. The series will include two programs: Youth Organizing and the Arts and Human Rights. Sessions are open to […]
“I hope that I carry those lessons with me my entire lifetime” – Graduation 2020
After three months away, members of the Eighth Grade class, their immediate families, and several teachers returned to campus on June 12th – in socially-distanced ways – to celebrate the Eighth Grade class, conclude BFS’s 225th year, and hold graduation on the upper field. A warm yet especially beautiful June day graced everyone’s arrival, and […]
Our final assembly – celebrating the year, our tight-knit community, and beloved departing teachers
As the 2019-2020 school year – a year filled with unforeseeable and unprecedented uncertainty, change, crisis, and strain winds down, we gathered one last time yesterday, albeit virtually, to be together, to celebrate the year, and to recognize and thank the individuals who have done so much to make the past school year meaningful, worthwhile, […]
Should we tell the children? How?
At Buckingham Friends School, our mission guides us to “honor the Light within each person” and “instill the value of caring for others and our world.” During the past week, we have witnessed the protests, anger, and grief – including in Philadelphia and other metropolitan areas – that have been expressed about the killings of […]
We have entered the endurance phase of this pandemic
“Endurance is patience. It is shortening your time horizon so you just have to get through this day. Endurance is living with unpleasantness. In fact, it is finding you can adapt and turn the strangest circumstances into routine. Endurance is fortifying. It is discovering you can get socked in the nose and take it. Above […]