October 2, 2024 

As the season changes to autumn and we celebrate the first day of Rosh Hashanah, we look forward to busy, meaningful weeks ahead. Our fall calendar is full of opportunities to come together as a community, like our Middle School Soccer team vs. faculty and parent game, State of the School webinar, Book Character Parade, and Trivia Night. Shanah Tovah, Friends!

Hazel Guendner, Mikey Cook, Abby McIntosh, and Corrie Slay ROCKED their presentation at NCCC's Lunch-N-Learn: School Composting Webinar on Monday. They presented a comprehensive overview of FSW's composting program and the many ways we've threaded environmental stewardship across the curriculum. A special thank you to Friends parent Kat Polk, NCCC Executive Director, for organizing this event! Watch the full webinar here.

As we welcome October and autumnal weather, we are mindful of the challenges and celebrations unfolding around us. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by Hurricane Helene's devastation in Western North Carolina and beyond. Many families and communities are facing overwhelming loss and hardship, and we stand with them during this difficult time. We are exploring ways our school can offer meaningful support, and I encourage everyone to consider how we might extend a hand of compassion in the coming days.

At the same time, we also join in celebration with our Jewish families as they observe Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. This is a time of reflection, renewal, and hope, and we wish them peace and joy as they enter this sacred season.

Read more >>>

Supporting Hurricane Helene Relief & Aid

We are all watching with a heavy heart the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. Our thoughts are with all the families who have been impacted by this tragic event, many of whom have lost homes, belongings, and livelihoods. The path to recovery will be long and uncertain for so many.

In difficult times like these, our community’s deep compassion and commitment to service always shine through. We invite you to come together and support those in need by donating to Operation AirDrop's list of urgently needed supplies. If you’d like to contribute any of these items, please bring them to school by Friday, October 4th, and leave them at the Front Office with Susan. Tony will personally deliver them to Raleigh on Saturday to assist with Operation AirDrop’s efforts.

This fall, we are thrilled to launch an exciting new initiative: "The Community Native Tree Nursery." This collaborative project is made possible with funding from the Friends of the Arboretum, the Alliance for Cape Fear Trees, and the North Carolina Cooperative Extension. Led by FSW parent Jennifer Biringer, the project involves gathering tree seeds, preparing them for planting, starting them in wooden nursery boxes, and transplanting them the following fall. Currently, we are collecting seeds from trees on our campus and testing their viability using the sink-or-float method (viable seeds sink!).

We invite you to join us in this effort by collecting seeds from native trees that are fruiting and dropping seeds throughout October and November. Our target species include hickories, oaks, pawpaws, and persimmons. To help you get started, we've included links with helpful information on how to identify these trees, collect viable seeds, and follow best practices during your collection process.

Once you've gathered your seeds, please store them in a container in the fridge and drop them off in one of our designated collection boxes, located in front of the Preschool building, the 2nd-grade classroom, and the Middle School science room.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Jennifer or Karen. Thank you for your support in growing our Community Native Tree Nursery!

What exactly is the Annual Fund? It’s the financial campaign that covers all the "extras" beyond your student’s tuition—the classroom materials, field trips, professional development, enrichment programming, and everything in between. These are the things that make FSW so special and ensure that every child here receives an extraordinary education.

At its core, the Annual Fund bridges the gap between tuition and the actual cost of delivering our educational mission.

Every gift, no matter the size, makes a difference. When we all contribute, we help to sustain the programs and opportunities that make us...well, us. Thank you for contributing to the future of our students and to the legacy of our school. If you would like to donate, you can do so by following the link HERE.

State of the School Webinar

You're invited! We warmly welcome you to join the 2024-2025 "State of the School" webinar, hosted by Head of School Tony McCudden on Tuesday, October 15th, from 6-7PM via Zoom. Tony will share insights on FSW's financial standing, discuss our short- and long-term growth plans, and highlight strategic areas for improvement.

Do you have a question you'd like addressed during the webinar? Please submit it HERE to help us structure the agenda. We look forward to "seeing" you there!

Annual Fund Gratitudes

A tremendous thank you to Mike Thompson, Tony McCudden, Jenni Boyd, Michele Zapple, Angie Brooks, Cathy Anderson, Yasmin Shah, and Liz Berger for your generous contributions to the Annual Fund. We're almost to $6,500 already!

Last Week's FriendsMail (09/25/24)

Lower School Handbook

Middle School Handbook

Technology Guide & All-School Technology Policy

School News

Calendar

Shop the School Store

Support the Annual Fund