10.9.20

As is the custom at FCS, each year the faculty and staff explore one of the five Quaker Testimonies, otherwise known as the SPICES. The Quaker Life Committee, a subcommittee of the Board of Trustees, engages us in a worship experience and this year we focused on the Testimony of Simplicity.
 
The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary
so the necessary can speak. —Hans Hofman
This testimony encourages us to focus inward as opposed to looking outward. In this disruptive year, we find ourselves asking, “What matters most? Is this the moment we reassess our lives—the things we speak and think about, the material goods we accumulate, or the relationships which challenge and strengthen us?”
 
This month, we will provide children and adults spaces for reflection and growth. In addition to our weekly Meeting for Worship, our students will begin connecting with their Meeting Partners. Meeting Partners are the pairing of a Middle School class with a Lower School class. It is a time to reinforce community and fellowship and develop leadership and mentoring skills. The time allotted for Meeting Partners allows for deeper exploration of Quaker practices and beliefs and the Testimony of Simplicity.
 
On Tuesday, October 20 FCS founders and Quakers, Betty Ansin Smallwood and June Confer will share their wisdom and knowledge about Quakerism, Quaker education, and FCS with parents. This program is designed for parents to further their understanding of Quaker practices and beliefs. 
 
At the end of the month the Diversity Committee of the Board of Trustees will offer Meeting for Worship experiences entitled “Unity in our Community.” This silent worship will take place on Wednesday, October 28 and November 3 from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM and provides families with a time for meditation and contemplation on peace and unity for our nation and community. 
 
In Peace and Partnership, 
 
Angela
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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.
Friends Community School
5901 Westchester Park Drive
College Park, Maryland 20740
301-441-2100