September 2007
Dear Parents,
Welcome to the San Francisco Friends School. I am delighted to share
with you our vision for the school, and encourage you to visit us
in our beautifully refurbished building here on Diamond Street.
It has been a lifelong dream of mine to serve in a Quaker school.
Friends schools are known throughout the United States and the world
for superior academics and thoughtful attention to the spiritual and
emotional growth of the individual child. San Francisco Friends School
draws on the wisdom and experience of many fine Quaker schools; at
the same time, our founding teachers are encouraged to create innovative
curriculum and programs that will distinguish our school and meet
the needs of the Bay Area families who join our community. We hope
you will share our delight in the compelling mission we have outlined
- - a mission that encourages lifelong learning, reflection, service
to others, and peaceful problem-solving.
We are looking for families who are passionate about their children’s
education and who wish to be part of creating for their children a
special place for teaching and learning. We seek a diverse student
body, in keeping with the Quaker values of acceptance and mutual respect.
We hope to build a community unified in purpose and deed.
I hope you will be able to visit our school, and see the children
and teachers at work and play.
We look forward to answering your questions.
Sincerely,
Catherine Hunter
Head of School
September 2007
Dear Parents,
San Francisco Friends School began as a conversation among parents
who care deeply about the education of young people in our city. We
are educators, business people and volunteers who are familiar with
the strength and depth of Quaker schools. Some of us attended Friends
schools; others of us have ties to Friends Meeting and Quaker service
organizations. We all believe in the value of an education that combines
a rigorous academic program with a daily school life that encourages
reflection upon and connection to larger concerns, such as spirituality,
community, and the natural world.
We opened the school in Fall 2002 with
the hard work and support of our teachers, administrative staff, and
parents. Our Founding Head, Catherine Hunter, has led us with extraordinary
wisdom and cheerful spirit. We are grateful for the encouragement
of our peer schools, whose teachers and heads note that by bringing
Friends education to the Bay Area, we will, over time, transform and
strengthen teaching and learning in our community.
As we move forward, we support
our Head of School and staff by thinking strategically about growth,
finance, hiring, site, and development. We have been hard at work,
building a permanent site for our school at 250 Valencia St., where
we will move in the 2008-2009 school year. We are committed to a financial
plan that supports families of varied economic means. We consult with
Friends schools across the country and work with members of the Friends
Meeting community to bring the values embodied in Quakerism into all
of our work for the school. Above all, we keep in mind that the children
and teachers are at the heart of our mission.
Please read our materials and come for
a visit. We would love to answer your questions and talk with you
about our work and vision for San Francisco Friends School. We hope
your family will become part of our shared endeavor.
Sincerely,
Randy Milden
on behalf of the Board of Trustees