Quaker Schools & Spirituality

I am fortunate enough to be at Pendle Hill with about 50 other heads of Friends Schools for our annual gathering. I have been coming to this event for close to 20 years and I always find it rejuvenating. I am always amazed at, though our schools vary in size, history, location, etc, we have so much in common.

During this trip I have been a part of conversations across almost all areas of administration. We have talked about making our education affordable, especially for our younger families in our preschools and kindergartens. We have talked about ways to have our older students and younger students be in the same places on our campuses and benefit from one another. We have talked about, no matter how elite each or our schools may be perceived to be, we don't get enough kids into the "right" colleges. And we talked about working diligently with colleges and students and families to get our kids into the RIGHT college for each of our students. We discussed what positions we need to add to our staff and which ones we need to let go. We discussed what education is going to look like in the next 5, 10 , 50 years regardless of what our economy does.

Most importantly, we discussed that when we are in the position to have these difficult conversations and we then proceed to make the best decisions our schools can make; we greatly benefit by bringing our sense of Quaker spirituality to the decision. It doesn't make these decisions easy, but we can then make them with more confidence and calm. It is a gift that we have as educators in Quaker schools. We beleive that listening to that still small voice within is worthwhile. Our students can use this, our teachers, our staff, parents and trustees. Again it is a gift and we must always be mindful of this.

A Day (& more) of Peace at NGFS

Last night we had our annual Community-wide Peace Picnic at our Pleasant Ridge campus. This has become a tradition at NGFS. It allows us to "lift up" for one day what we live throughout the year at our school. That is that resolutions, small and big, come best through peaceful methods. We stress throughout each day, and each year and our history the importance of thoughtful listening and reflection to work out solutions together, not by physical strength or majority rule.

We say in our Statement of Quaker Beliefs, about Peace: Friends are committed to settling differences in all human relationships in a peaceful manner.

So we do as a school community live this each day. Coming to non-violent resolution is not the easy way often, but we are convinced it is the right way. Therefore, we celebrate this Day of Peace as one component of the bigger picture at NGFS. We do encourage all in our community to take a moment next Tuesday, September 21 (the official International Day of Peace) to think about how you can create more peace in your life, in the life of your family and community.

Roots & Connections

Three events in the recent history of the school lead me to write this blog: a workshop I co-led at our staff retreat looking at the history of the school to help us build the curricular future, my first class with the upper division Quaker seminar students about the history of NGFS, and the work of the Diversity Action Group of the Board to connect with our first home, Persimmon Grove AME Church on Dolley Madison Avenue.

There are so many incredible people and places involved in the history of New Garden Friends School, but I would like to highlight the congregation of Persimmon Grove AME Church today. Back in 1971 when NGFS was just an idea, with many people trying to make it a reality, the congregation of Persimmon Grove AME Church opened its arms and its doors to provide NGFS with an initial home. Without this gift, who knows whether our school could have ever found its feet - to get to the place now where our students are able to soar.

What trust and faith the Persimmon Grove community had to welcome a new school into its facility and into its collective heart and conscience. NGFS was only there for a brief period, wanting at that time to be more centrally located in downtown Greensboro. But what a great start this provided the school.

Now, almost 40 years later, both communities are working to reconnect. On September 14th we will welcome friends from Persimmon Grove for a visit to our Guilford and Pleasant Ridge campuses and to have lunch with a group of our students. We are excited about this event. We hope to do more with the congregation in late October as a part of their "Friends & Family" celebration.

I want to thank the Persimmon Grove community for giving NGFS its start. Those roots are so vital now to our ongoing growth. I hope that our reconnection will be one that is long lasting, and that this part of our history will become a part of our future.

Gratitude and Grandparents

Today is our celebration of grandparents and grandfriends at NGFS. This is a tradition that goes back a dozen years or so at the school; I guess fairly new as traditions go. I have come to see this as one of the most special days in our school calendar.

Why? There are many reasons.

Every year, on this day, our campuses are so full of joy and appreciation for each individual: students, staff, parents, volunteers and our cherished grandparents and grandfriends. This year we had over 100 grandfriends spend the morning with us.

In American culture, where we seem to separate elderly adults from children, we have lost much of what can be given from a lifetime of wisdom. This day at our school symbolizes the importance of each day being a day lived intergenerationally -when you blog you get to make up new words =). There is so much to be learned from our grandparents and grandfriends. There is so much rejuvenation to be given from our students.

Mostly, though, is the value simply of the relationship itself between grandchild and grandparent. There is no other relationship quite like this one throughout one's life. It is one based singularly on unconditional love, incredible joy on just time spent together, with very little reason for stress and tension to ever enter the relationship. Well maybe that is too utopian, but that's how I remember my grandparents and it is the hope I have for our current students as they get to live their relationships with their grandparents.

Thanks to our community, all the volunteers and the students who led worship and the teachers who created special schedules and to our grandfriends for an exceptional day!

Where Has the Year Gone

I can't believe that it is already spring break. When we come back to school it will be April. Trips will begin, then graduation and Camp Carefee Day and Magic Penny and another school year will be complete.

However, what a school year it has been for us so far. From my perspective curriculum and vertical continuity have never been stronger. Our teachers are finding ways to balance the age old lessons of being a community member (citizenry) with the newest of skills needed for todays's world, ie, analyzing data, agility and adaptability, initiative, imagination, collaboration, etc.

Our community events have been outstanding, from the pancake breakfast and workday, to the Peace Potluck, Fall Unity Festival, Fiesta de los Ninos and the Lyndon Street Art and Music Exhibit. We are all looking forward to Many Friends, Many Voices on April 25th-this concert will be a new and exciting way for NGFS to provide the arts to our greater community.

We have a group of students and adults who are travelling to Cuba over Spring Break to do service work in that community. How many schools can offer that for its students! Many thanks to Robb for all the hard work involved in making this trip possible.

I could ramble on much longer, but in a nut shell that is where we have been and where we are going. With a quarter of the year remaining our enrollment is strong and the immediate future for the school looks great. Thanks to all of you: parents, staff, trustees, students and friends of the school for making NGFS the incredible learning community that it is.

I hope everyone has an opportunity to relax and rejuvenate over break, and hope everyone comes back energized so that we have a strong finish to the 09-10 school year. Safe travels to all of you on the road or in the air over break!

Celebrating and Honoring Diversity

Wow!, what a program that was put together for our annual Diversity Day celebration. Thanks so much to the staff and parents that worked so hard to put this together. This is such an important event for our school community. It is one outward manifestation of our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive community.

This year the committee chose the topic, "Movement of Change-Overcoming and Moving Beyond Segregation in Our Society." In part, this was to honor the 50th anniversary of the Woolworth "Sit-ins" in Greensboro.

The committee even outlined goals for the day:
Students will understand difficulties other people in their own community might have experienced or are currently experiencing based on race, religion, gender, economic situation, disability, etc.
Students will have the opportunity to listen, discuss, ask questions and become involved in a workshop dealing with a specific topic related to the theme.
Students will be able to identify something they can do (at their own level) to make a difference in helping the lives of others.

We began this morning with the entire community coming together for meeting for worship. Logie Meachum, a dynamic storyteller and singer and also a long time friend of NGFS, shared stories and wisdoms around the theme of "A Long Walk in the Night."

After meeting for worship there were a series of age-appropriate workshops conducted for students either at New Garden Friends Meeting, our Guilford campus or our Pleasant Ridge campus.

I didn't, and couldn't, get to every workshop. But I did get to hear a few of them. One from the Horizon age group, one from Rainbow and two for upper division students. Each was incredibly powerful. One at the upper division was a presentation by a Tuskegee Airman. There are only a handful of these airmen still alive. His story was so moving, his drive to accomplish the goal of being a pilot was unweilding. I think all of us who heard him were moved.

The entire day was such a strong statement of the so many good things about our community. Again thanks to those who made today possible: the volunteers, the presenters, and our students who were so attentive throughout the day.

Celebrations & Special Occasions

I have been at NGFS for a long time, 25 years to be exact. It is true what they say, whoever they are, time flies when you are having fun. I have gotten to do a lot at NGFS, I've taught some class to kids of every age at some point in my time here. I have loved being a head of school with Marty and now flying solo. And four years ago, the one thing that I had always said NGFS hadn't afforded me the opportunity to do, I finally got the opportunity to do; coach girls basketball.

When NGFS began its upper division program, varsity athletics came into existence; and I became a first year coach. (My 3rd, or 4th, or 5th-I lose count-dream job I've had at NGFS.) Our first year we truly began from scratch. I had kids who wanted to play basketball, who hadn't had a lot of experience. I was a coach who had always wanted to coach but never had. We only had the SAC for practices. We wouldn't have been described as very good, but the girls worked hard, learned and learned and learned, never gave up, had a great time and finally won a game late in the season.

The second year came and we improved and won 4 games. The third year came and we improved and won 6 games and learned to be competitive against almost everyone. We are now in our 4th year and we are good. We have experience and we could win 20 games. We are even hosting our own invitational tournament next week. Most importantly, we play-win or lose-with sportsmanship and class. Other teams compliment our girls after almost every game. They tell us we are not like most other teams they play and wish other teams were like us.

Throughout these four year two girls, Erin and Grace, have been there since day one. They have been leaders, captains, and starters from the beginning. They have established the foundation of a program NGFS can know honors the mission of the school. Tonight at 4 oclock they will play their last regular season home game. I celebrate their efforts and can say I am honored that they were willing to put up with me as an inexperienced coach and help me grow as they grew and as they helped the program grow. Thanks is not enough and yet I think it mostly simply and thoroughly captures my gratitude to these two incredible NGFS student-athletes. They will be missed but all they have done will only be built onto in the future. A coach, a program, a school could not ask for two better, strong founders of a program. Again thanks to each of you and thanks to both of you.

On February 24 NGFS will be co-sponsoring a concert by Quaker folksinger Carrie Newcomer. Carrie has performed in Greensboro before and came to NGFS to work with our students one other time in the 1990's. We are thrilled to be a part of bringing her back to Greensboro. Her concert will be at 7:30 in the meeting room at New Garden Friends Meeting. The concert is free but donations will be accepted to support NGFS and Friends Center at Guilford College. Come out and bring the kids, you will be thrilled you came. Any of us who have ever seen her in concert once, go back again and again.

To read more about Carrie and her latest release go to http://carrienewcomer.com/#Celebrated-Singer-Songwriter-Carrie-Newcomer-Releases-New-Album-Before-And-After-On-Rounder-Records-February-23-2010.html

On April 25th from 3 to 5 at the Carolina Theater NGFS and Replacements Ltd will present "Many Friends, Many Voices 2010; a celebration of the music of Greensboro. We hope this will become the first of a series that will promote the diverse and vibrant arts community of Greensboro. Many local artists will share their music this afternoon. We are also honord to have Joan Garry as our keynote speaker. She is a current leader in ongoing civil rights causes and has a special affinity for NGFS and the innovative education we provide.

More information will be coming very soon. We hope you will be able to come to this incredible event, the entire family will have a great time.