…she has that rare ability

As the school year nears completion, I would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of Fran Cagle.  She greets all of us each day with a ready smile, eager to process requests and answer many questions, and always willing to support the children.  She helps coordinate and plan events, produce mailings, track attendance, […]

Stereotype Threat

A few years ago, I attended a conference at which Dr. Claude Steele presented an inspiring, informative, and thought-provoking keynote talk, “Stereotype Threat:  How it affects us and what we can do about it.” Dr. Steele is an internationally renowned social scientist and university executive, and his theory of stereotype threat has been the focus […]

Remembering Pete Seeger

Today is Peter Seeger’s birthday, and he would have turned 100.  Pete Seeger is one of my heroes, and it is with sadness that I recall that he passed away six years ago at the age of 94.  An inspiring folk singer and daring activist with a deep love and concern for our world, he […]

If Adults Don’t Talk with Children About Race…

(This summary written by Kim Marshall – The Marshall Memo) In a recent article in Phi Delta Kappan, Margaret Hagerman (Mississippi State University) says many white parents and educators avoid talking about race and racism with elementary-school children because they believe it’s too early to engage with controversial and disturbing topics. The problem with this […]

The aim of a Friends education, BFS’s core values, and why empathetic kids succeed in our all-about-me world

“While each Friends school has its own unique style and personality, they all have a common purpose: not only to provide a rich and challenging education but also to foster the ideals of community, spirituality, responsibility and stewardship. A hallmark of the Quaker school experience is the basic beliefs that we are all teachers and learners and […]