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 […]
“Let it Shine!” Exceeds Expectations!
“Let it Shine” was a total success! It is with a deep regard for the evidenced spirit and support within the BFS community that I write to express heart-felt gratitude to the scores of current and former community members and friends of BFS that gathered on Friday night for a memorable evening of fun, friendship, […]
each of us can support our community and impact the quality of the educational experience for all students – TODAY!
The culmination of BFS’s Virtual Annual Auction – “Let it Shine!: Celebrating 225 Years of Honoring the Light Within Every Child” – is today and this evening, and it is time to participate! Please join with everyone as we celebrate the creativity and dynamic energy within our tight-knit community and support the goal of building our school’s financial […]
the antidote for uncertainty is gratitude
Yesterday morning, during the first day of Teacher Appreciation Week, every faculty member’s (e)mailbox was graced with an incredible outpouring of gratitude via a 30-page (e)card from many of our parents and students. On behalf of everyone, I write to express our sincere appreciation for this deep expression of kindness and heartfelt appreciation. It really […]