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A Letter from Rebecca
Dear Friends, As you will read in this first issue of the new school year, autumn is off to a great start on 16th Street. In this issue, you will read about topics ranging from a new Grade 9 course requirement on Quaker values and practices to the launch of more than 40 clubs in Upper School. The newly appointed Interim Head of School, Rich Nourie, has been given a warm welcome. Rich brings the wisdom of more than 40 years of Quaker educational experience and deep expertise i
A 50th Reunion Celebration Gift Creates Enduring Impact
Front row: Adam Owett, Nancy Hessol, Harrison Weisner, Francesca Bruno, Gilbert Fleitas, Back row: Delice Boltin, Jean Scheinert, Julie Fenster, Sara Johns Griffen Friends Seminary is deeply grateful to the Class of 1975 for their gifts and pledges made to the endowment in 2024-25 in honor of their 50th Reunion Celebration. More than $214,000 has been committed or received, with more than half designated to the  Class of 1975 Fund for Financial Aid . The idea to make a clas
Donors Encouraged to Seek Advice on New Tax Rules
The end of 2025 may offer a unique opportunity to maximize the tax efficiency of your charitable giving before new, less favorable rules take effect in 2026. The recent One Big Beautiful Bill Act  (OBBBA), signed in July 2025, has made several significant changes to charitable deduction rules that will go into effect on January 1, 2026. For many, particularly those who itemize, it may be advantageous to make charitable gifts by December 30, 2025. Given the complexities of tax
Grade 9 Students are off to a Great Start
On Saturday, September 6, Grade 9 students and their families took the ferry to Governor’s Island for a day of service. Now in its 14th year, this milestone Friends event, Making a Difference from Day One, is an opportunity for Grade 9 students and families to get to know one another, to roll up their sleeves, and to put the Friends mission of service and community into action. Partnering with Earth Matter, a non-profit dedicated to reducing organic waste through composting,
PHILANTHROPY AT FRIENDS
Art of Teaching Lecture | October 30, 2025
Please join us for the 2025–2026 Art of Teaching Lecture, featuring Dr. Brian Levels, Middle and Upper School Performing Arts Teacher and recipient of this year’s Teri Hassid Art of Teaching Award.  Dr. Levels’ dynamic teaching brings a powerful blend of passion, professionalism, and purpose to the music program at Friends. In his talk, he will explore how music education extends far beyond the curriculum—cultivating belonging, inspiring creativity, and nurturing a lifelong
Come to the Ballet | November 13, 2025
As a member of the Friends community, you are cordially invited to experience the magic of the Paul Taylor Dance Company  on Thursday, November 13, at 7:00 PM  at Lincoln Center.  There will be an exclusive Friends reception on the Promenade from 6 PM. Click here  to reserve your place or contact Rebecca Holmes . Seating is limited and reservations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The School is grateful to the Polaris Project Manager Elisabeth Robert '91, at
Experience 'Leading' at Sunset | December 18, 2025
Short December days are an ideal time of year to experience Leading , the James Turrell Skyspace at Friends. We are delighted to offer a sunset experience on Thursday, December 18,  from 4:30 to 5:30 PM. Click here  to reserve your place or contact Rebecca Holmes . Seating is limited and reservations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
'An Experience' by Ruth Burlington Georgiou '39
A poem by alumna, An Experience by Ruth Burlington Georgiou '39
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Illuminating the Inner Light: A New Grade 9 Course Anchors Quaker Practice
This fall, Friends Seminary introduced Friends Foundations, a new required course for all ninth graders that places Quaker values at the center of the Upper School experience. Conceived by the Center for Peace, Equity and Justice (CPEJ) and led by Kara Kutner and Kirsti Peters, the class is designed to help students begin their high school years by engaging deeply with the principles and practices that shape life at Friends. Although not a traditional history class, Friends F
Agency at the Center: Where Middle School Learning Comes to Life
Friends Seminary’s Middle School educators are stepping boldly into a two-year professional learning journey focused on interdisciplinary teaching through a Project Based Learning (PBL) lens. Building on the division’s work in differentiated instruction, this initiative supports teachers as they continue to design learning experiences that are rigorous, collaborative, and deeply connected to the world beyond the classroom. PBL empowers students to make choices, pursue their i
Curiosity Meets Literacy
For the past three years, the Lower School has been engaged in a collective effort to refine and reimagine how reading is taught. What began with curiosity about the evolving science of reading—and how best to align instruction with the latest research—has grown into a shared, division-wide approach that reflects both evidence and the School’s child-centered values. Rather than adopting a single model, Friends’ work is informed by current research and responsive to new thinki
Clubs for Every Curiosity: From Mahjong to Medicinal Chemistry
The Upper School Club Fair showed off 40 student-led clubs at Friends. From new options like Mahjong, Ping Pong, Music Production, Girls Rock, Medicinal Chemistry, Fashion Marketing, and Video Game Club to the many groups already part of school life, there’s a club for every interest — arts, culture, science, sports, and more.
From Summer Planning to Classroom Practice: Friends Faculty Shape the Year Ahead
Friends Seminary’s first Anchor Grant & Lighthouse Award gallery walk on Monday, September 29, 2025, showcased a culture of open sharing and sustained innovation across the curriculum. Conceived and launched by K-12 Dean of Studies  Hassan Wilson, the initiative will continue annually, creating a dependable rhythm for faculty to bring summer work into public view and into conversation with colleagues. Over the summer, talented educators researched, designed, and prototyped n
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