About

Welcome to FCS

FCS students are asked big questions about the world around them and given the space, resources, and time to pursue solutions--and even more questions.

Welcome to Friends Community School. Now in our fourth decade, FCS is a thriving school that guides young children through adolescence. At FCS, students are respected, childhood is celebrated, and learning is experiential. On our campus you will see children actively engaging in their studies, happily playing at recess, quietly reflecting in Meeting for Worship, and joyfully creating in the arts. Our students are lifelong learners, courageous risk-takers, and joyful peacemakers who matriculate to rigorous independent, parochial, and public magnet schools in the greater Washington, D.C. area.

FCS was born from the Quaker faith and is sustained by Quaker values. As a Quaker school, we believe that intellectual education and moral education are one. Our core values--simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship--are embedded in our curriculum and student and adult interactions. Quaker schools were founded nearly 300 years ago with a commitment to education for all, regardless of race, class, or gender. FCS holds strongly to this practice. We see “that of God” in all.

As a progressive school, we recognize that children learn best from experience and meaningful relationships with peers and teachers. Through hands-on lessons, a child-centered curriculum, collaborative projects, and intentional reflection, we foster deep learning. FCS students are asked big questions about the world around them and given the space, resources, and time to pursue solutions--and even more questions.

Partnership and community are key to our practice. Students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff, members of Adelphi Friends Meeting, and Trustees work to ensure that our mission is evident and we live up to our name. As you explore our website and visit our campus, you will come to see why “Friends” and “Community” are at the heart of our school.

Angela Garcia
Head of School

FAQ About FCS

List of 10 frequently asked questions.

Q. What is your mission?

Our mission is to nurture lifelong learners, courageous risk-takers, and joyous peacemakers. We encourage young people to discover “that of God” within themselves and others, and to reach their fullest potential as individuals and contributing members of society. Read more about Our Mission...
Q. When was FCS founded?

FCS was founded in 1986 by members of Adelphi Friends Meeting. The tradition of Quaker education dates to 1689, when William Penn envisioned schools fostering intellectual, social, and spiritual growth for all Americans, including Native Americans. Read more on FCS History...
Q. What is unique about FCS?

Visit FCS, and you'll notice how...

Quaker values are woven into life at FCS every day.

Courageous risk-takers thrive at FCS. Trained in progressive pedagogy, teachers help every child stretch--academically, socially, physically, and spiritually.

A caring, diverse community welcomes students, parents, teachers, and friends at FCS. Learn about FCS traditions.
Q. How many students are in the school? How large are the classes?

Approximately 250 students attend FCS. Class sizes range from 12-18 students, depending on age, grade, and subject.
Q. What are your school hours?

Our instructional hours are 8:15 AM to 2:45 PM (Lower School) and 8:15 AM to 3:15 PM (Middle School), Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. On Wednesdays, school is dismissed at 2 PM.
Q. How diverse is the FCS student body?

Approximately 50% of the FCS student body meets the National Association of Independent Schools' definition of "people of color" status. In addition to racial diversity, FCS students share experiences from different faiths, family structures, geographic regions of the D.C.-metro area, and socio-economic backgrounds.
Q. Where do FCS families live?

Located near several major arteries, our school draws from a wide radius that includes Capitol Hill, Takoma Park, Silver Spring, Bowie, Upper Marlboro, Columbia, Laurel, Ft. Washington, Cheverly, and NE and NW DC, as well as nearby Greenbelt, Hyattsville, and University Park.
Q. Can we afford FCS?

Since FCS's founding, accessibility has been a priority. FCS tuition is approximately 30% less than the average tuition at other leading D.C.-area independent schools. Additionally, a large proportion of FCS students--approximately 40%--receive financial aid based on need. To meet the needs of as many families as possible, the maximum grant is 50% of the cost of tuition. Read more about FCS Tuition & Financial Aid.
Q. What credentials do your teachers have?

The average amount of experience for FCS full-time faculty is 11 years. Most of our teachers have master’s degrees or are working toward them. Ongoing professional development in progressive practice and Quaker values ensures teachers' effectiveness at FCS. Read more about our Faculty...
Q. Where do your graduates go to high school?

Our graduates attend leading area high schools, including independent, public magnet, Quaker, and Catholic schools. Read more on After FCS...

Finding joy.
Creating together.
Collaborating across ages and grades.
Making music.
At home in nature.
Engaging in inquiry.
Nurturing ourselves and our environment.
Hands-on learning.
Cultivating literacy.
Exploring our campus.

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Message from the Head

List of 2 news stories.

4.7.23

I am currently reading "The Body Keeps Score" by the psychiatrist and author Bessel van der Kolk. The author studied the effects of trauma over the course of human development. I was encouraged to read this book after a conversation with a friend about the impacts of the COVID lockdown after we collectively endured months of isolation and sense of powerlessness. In the article about trauma like symptoms during the pandemic, Kat Londsdorf defines trauma as “an emotional response to a terrible event. Usually, an event that threatens your life, or the life of someone near you, and results in feelings of significant fear or helplessness.” While there is ongoing debate if we experienced trauma during the pandemic, I tend to think so.

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2.10.23

This week I have been thinking a great deal about healing. My reflection comes from the overwhelming images from Turkey and Syria where the extensive devastation will require healing on a scale that is hard to fathom. It comes from seeing Tyre Nichols’ parents standing at the State of the Union and thinking of their heartbreaking loss. It comes from dear friends who are on their own healing journeys, and from a wound on my arm that I have been trying to heal for several months.

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FCS Strategic Plan

FCS Strategic Plan 18-21

Located in College Park, MD, Friends Community School is a progressive Quaker K-8 day school, founded on the belief that every child is a valued member of our community. We offer a challenging curriculum imbued with strong values of equality, integrity, community, environmental stewardship, simplicity and peaceful conflict resolution, rooted in our Quaker heritage.