Beautiful job by 1A, who presented their play The Greatest Treasure today!

Lower School News

Message from Kelly Bird Pierre

It was wonderful to meet so many of our Pre-K-grade 2 grandparents/special friends on Wednesday. With over 60 students hosting guests, it was our largest turnout ever! It is so thrilling to get to know our students betters by having a chance to connect with and learn about their extended families.

It is with great sadness that I share that Jessica is moving at the end of the year. I have included a note from her at the bottom of this message. Jessica has contributed so much to our Lower School community in a very short period of time. Her small student groups, whole class lessons, faculty professional development, parent workshops, and day-to-day care of all of us makes it hard for me to believe that we ever existed before her and even harder to imagine life at the Lower School without her. We have been very pleased with the caliber of resumes that we have received for the position of Lower School Counselor and have already had two strong finalists visit campus.

Lower School Admission Update

We've had an exciting year in Lower School Admissions. We had a record number of applicants this year with more applications arriving every day. Open Houses have been well-attended, and we continue to host lots of new friends. Ask your child about their classroom visitors!

Click here to read Kelly's full message, including a letter from Jessica Corsaro and info about the grades 4/5 concert, the 1A Play, and our annual Ice Cream Social for current and new families. 

Grade 4/5 Concert Video

Students in grades 4 and 5, led by Dawn Ovalle and Galen Guindon, performed a beautiful spring concert yesterday. Check out a video of the performance here.

Looking for something to do tomorrow afternoon? 

Check out the Phila. School Ballet (the group that performed The Nutcracker for LS students this year) as they perform The Enchanted Toyshop at Rosemont College's McShain Performing Arts Center at 12 pm & 4 pm tomorrow, Sat., April 28.This child-friendly show features Abby Donnenfeld '20 & Emma Gordon '20!

LS Spring Fling - Next Friday, May 4 - 7-9:30 pm, Light Lab

We still need volunteers! We could use extra hands at 5:30 pm to help with setup and a few folks to stay after 9:30 pm to help break it down. Please contact Andrea Nuneviller if you can lend a hand.

Summer Camp Registration is Open for All Camps!
Check out our Mighty Maker Camp for grades K-4 using the Lower School Light Lab. To learn more, contact Kat Clayton in the Summer Programs office at summerprograms@friendscentral.org or 610-645-5132.

Check out FCS Lower Schoolers in upcoming Wolf PAC shows!

Ella Anderson '26, Sadie Kreindler '27, Sasha Groch '25, and Emily Sidlow '25 will perform in Wolf PAC's production of Disney's Alice in Wonderland Jr. from May 18-20 at Rosemont College's Rotwitt Theater (103 Curwen Cir., Bryn Mawr), and Hannah Greenstein '27 and Kaia Borsch '27 will perform in Disney's My Son, Pinocchio Jr. from June 7-9 at St. Joseph's University's Bluett Theater (N 56th St. & Overbrook Ave., Phila.). Click here for ticket purchase info.

LETTUCE FEED YOU 

Menu for the week of April 30-May 4

Monday, April 30: Turkey hoagies w/ lettuce, tomato, onions, tossed salad

Tuesday, May 1: Turkey tacos, fresh raw veggies

Wed., May 2: Pasta w/ peas and parmesan, garlic bread, salad

Thursday, May 3: Cheeseburgers w/ house cut fries, fresh raw veggies

Friday, May 4: Pizza day!

Sixth grade students Emilio Ovalle and Theo Dankoff (pictured above with Jebb Chagan) made it through to the History Bee Nationals in Atlanta! Theo also qualified for the Geography Bee! Congratulations!

Middle School News

Message from Alexa Quinn

Last Friday, we celebrated our All-School Assembly. It is always joyful to have our K students walked in by our seniors, to hear a chorus of students in grades 4-8, to have students honor teachers who are retiring, and more. I want to lift up one aspect of the Middle School's participation in this wonderful event. Caroline Maw-Deis and her Service-Thru-Art students organized an all-school art project where every person in the community was invited to draw on a small white tile. Those tiles were then assembled-almost like a mosaic-to create one large piece. I appreciate the metaphor of this piece and the assembly in general; we each bring our unique gifts and perspectives to this place, and together we make something that is even more than the sum of its parts. We are looking for a permanent home for this art piece in the Middle School building, so my hope is that you will be able to see it for yourself soon. Check out a time lapse video of the tile board here.

This Saturday, we have the majority of our new Middle School students coming to take their placements tests, and we will begin to orient their families to FCS and to the Middle School. We are thrilled to report that we already have 33 new Middle School students enrolled for 2018-2019, including 13 in grade 6, 12 in grade 7, and 8 in grade 8. This is more than double the number of students we had enrolled at this time last year. We were also able to increase the number of students who accepted our offer (73%) while maintaining our selectivity. We continue to have new inquiries and applicants and also know that the months between May and September are often quite busy for MS admissions. Please continue to spread the word about the Middle School and FCS to attract even more fantastic families and students!

Click here to read Alexa's full message, including a reminder about Earth Force Day and our new Dining Hall!

Earth Force Spotlight: Food Donation for Ardmore Food Pantry 

8th Graders Julia Beyer and Krisangi Bhargava are holding a food drive for Ardmore Food Pantry as a part of their Earth Force Project. We would greatly appreciate donations for the drive of the following things:

• Cold Cereal
• Instant Oatmeal (packets)
• Granola Bars
• Saltine Crackers
• Canned Chicken
• Peanut Butter
• Jelly
• Canned Beans (ex. kidney, black, baked)
• Canned Vegetables (regular & low salt)
• Canned Meals (ex. ravioli, spaghettios, chili, stew, hash)
• Canned Soup
• Canned Fruit
• Apple Sauce
• Pasta Sauce
• Pasta
• Mac & Cheese
• Other non-perishable foods. 

The box for donations is located outside the MS Office. Please bring in donations in by Monday, May 7. Thank you!

Grade 7 Parents - Mark Your Calendar!

MS Faculty Appreciation Tea - Thursday, May 10
Grade 7 parents are responsible for providing a lovely afternoon tea for the Middle School teachers to show our appreciation for all they do for our children. We strive to have all families participate by donating food or volunteering time. Click here to SignUp!

MS Lost & Found - Items Remaining on May 2 Will Be Donated 

We shared with students that all lost and found items from the Middle School 1st floor will be gathered and donated this Wednesday, May 2. If your child has left something at school and it may be in the lost and found, make sure they pick it up before Wednesday. Thank you!

Check out MS/US students in upcoming Wolf PAC shows!

Leo Flora '22 and Noah Porter '24 will perform in Godspell from May 3-6 at Wolf Performing Arts Center's Black Box (1240 Montrose Ave., Bryn Mawr), and Audrey Blinman '22 and Lily Forbes '21 will perform in Seussical from June 15-17 at St. Joseph's University's Bluett Theater (N 56th St. & Overbrook Ave., Phila.). Click here for ticket purchase info.

Upper School News

Message from the Upper School Office

We enjoyed a wonderful choral concert this week, featuring a variety of beautiful music and a number of quirky individual touches: unexpected kazoos to accompany Toy Story's You've Got a Friend in Me, a massive French flag, surreptitiously borrowed from Joel Dankoff's classroom, unfurled at the end of a medley from Les Miserables. Most touching was the premier of a piece written by Senior Jacob Lynn-Palevsky's grandfather. It was a fitting send-off to the Seniors in chorus, many of whom have been singing together since the 5th grade! Thanks especially to Michele Zuckman for her leadership and nurturing of these ensembles of FCS singers.

Upper School Admission Update

We are excited to report strong enrollment information for next year's Upper School community. Currently, we have enrolled 46 new students in grades 9-12, including 36 new students in grade 9. Grade 9 is currently full, and very few spaces remain in every other Upper School class. Over half of our newly enrolled students identify as non-caucasion. Enrollment in each class is between 92 and 105 students, and we are expecting six new international students. Thank you for your assistance and your partnership in building this extraordinary Upper School community for the 2018-2019 school year.

Click here for the full message from the Upper School, including upcoming events, this week's National Day of Silence, athletics matchups and highlights, and service days.

New FCS World Press Podcast
Click here to listen to the latest FCS World Press podcast. This podcast focuses on immigration to the United States. As always, the goal of FCS World Press is to inform the community about important political issues and encourage dialogue about them.

US Ensemble Theatre Showcase - Wednesday, May 2
Don't miss the Ensemble Theatre Showcase -- full of improvisations (some comedic!) and choral work -- on Wednesday, May 2 at 6:30 pm in Shallcross Hall. Click here for the poster.

US Instrumental Concert - Thursday, May 3
Join us on Thursday, May 3 at 7 pm in Shallcross Hall for the US Instrumental Concert. Stop by the newly opened School Store, which will be open for business during the concert!

US Spring Service Days Next Week! Gr. 9-11 students - May 3 & 4

Most students will return to agencies where they served in the fall, but some changes are in place due to closures and scheduling conflicts. Please be on the lookout for an electronic permission slip. Students may not park a car at any non-profit agency we serve. If you plan to transport your child or if they will walk to or from their agency, please email Debbie Skapik, Service Coordinator.

FCS Pre-Prom Photo Opportunity - Sat., May 5, 6:30-7:30 pm
Grade 11 & 12 students, guests, and parents are invited to the FCS Pre-Prom Photo Opps on Sat., May 5. These Pre-Proms provide a time for students and families to take pictures on our lovely campuses, so don't forget your camera! Light refreshments provided by HSA.

• Junior Class Pre-Prom: 6:30-7:30 pm, Lower School campus, Bell Circle
• Senior Class Pre-Prom: 6:30-7:30 pm, City Ave, campus, Felsen Common

College Counseling Coffee & Conversation - Tuesday, May 8
Friends' Central School grade 9 parents and guardians are invited to join the Co-Directors of College Counseling Grant Calder and Ryan Keaton for Coffee and Conversation on Tuesday morning, May 8 from 8-9 am in the Language Building lobby to discuss the college admissions process.

Screen on the Green - Saturday, May 19
Student Council will be showing the movie Black Panther at Screen on the Green (outdoor movie for US students) on Saturday, May 19 at 8 pm. 

Thank You Junior Parents!

Thank you, junior parents, for the wonderful Faculty/Staff Appreciation Luncheon! Thanks to everyone for all of their help with food donations, setup and clean up for the Upper School faculty feast. The faculty & staff truly appreciated all of your hard work and dedication to the School. The food was abundant, and the teachers could not have been more thankful. All of the fantastic volunteers are what make FCS the place it is. Thanks again!