Happy Memorial Day Weekend, Friends! A few important announcements to highlight right off the bat:

Please remember that there is NO SCHOOL on Monday, May 31st.  Additionally, as we prepare for many end-of-year celebrations, we kindly ask that you park near the volleyball nets on Francisco Field. Do not park on Camellia Lane outside of the school gate. We appreciate your cooperation in keeping these areas clear to ensure the safety and respect for our neighbors. Finally, there are some important changes to drop-off and pick-up procedures next week due to the Peiffer Gate closure. Please be sure to take time to review those changes outlined below. Enjoy this beautiful weekend, and we'll see you again on Tuesday!

Happy last week!

So much fun happening with classroom parties, picnics, and final get-togethers, culminating in our graduation ceremony for the 8th grade class next Friday morning.

Thank you for your understanding with the gates and especially to the changes for drop-off and pick-up routines next week. [More information below].

I hope this weekend is full of fun, friends, and family. I’ll be watching the FA Cup tomorrow and hoping my Reds (Manchester United) can salvage something from this disastrous season, but also intend to spend many hours at the beach. Read more >>>

Drumroll, please...The 2023-2024 yearbook is HERE! Well, the digital version at least. Click on the cover to check it out, and be sure to read more about each cover collage element taken from every Lower School and Middle School class! 

Here's the not-so-fun-making-lemonade-out-of-lemons-news: We heard from our printer this week that the Memorial Day Holiday has slowed production, so physical copies will not arrive by the end of the year. What does this mean?

On Thursday night, at approximately 9:18 PM, a vehicle driving on Peiffer Avenue accidentally collided with our back gate. The driver paused briefly before reversing away from the school and driving off. We want to reassure you that this appears to be an unfortunate accident rather than a deliberate act, and there was absolutely no on-campus activity at any point during the night. [From Tony's earlier email: Read in-full here >>>]

Here is what you can expect for the remainder of the school year:

AM Drop Off

PM Pick Up

To ensure a controlled, safer flow of traffic for all our students, there will be no idling or parking in front of the Preschool or Lower School buildings.

Please note, we are considering flexible arrangements for next Friday’s final day and 8th grade graduation ceremony. We will discuss all available options during our upcoming admin meeting next Tuesday and communicate to families by mid-next week.

We are thrilled to share the exciting news that Meghann Blackman has accepted our offer to join Friends as the 4th Grade Lead Teacher alongside Assistant Teacher Liz Berger this fall! Meghann comes to us with a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies (K-6) and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing with graduate awards received for both her exceptional creative work and her generosity of spirit. As a veteran 4th grade teacher with training in Orton-Gillingham, Mathlites, Sciencelites, and Responsive Classroom, Meghann is also deeply passionate about our environmental education program, as evidenced by her current role as Managing Editor of Ecotone Magazine.

In addition to her tremendous expertise in curricular design and emphasis on student-led learning, she also uplifts whole-child development and the role of education as a collaborative effort that “puts students’ needs first as people—not as statistics.” In her cover letter, she describes the joy of teaching as a “feeling of discovery and enlightenment shared by teachers and their students [and] witnessing students make new connections and grow as members of a learning community.” The hiring committee (and our students) saw firsthand how quickly and intentionally she connected with others in the classroom. She comes highly recommended with multiple nods to her class management, kind demeanor, and unwavering dedication to her students’ individual learning journeys.

These qualities, along with her extensive experience, make her an invaluable addition to our Lower School team and the greater Friends School community, and we are so excited to welcome her to campus in August!

On the sandy shores of the ICW, our 8th grade students set sail in their handmade cardboard vessels as part of the 5th Annual Middle School Boat Regatta. This much-anticipated event comes after spending the fourth quarter studying Archimedes' principle, analyzing density-buoyancy relationships, and calculating mass, volume, and density from scaled-down prototypes. Our 6th and 7th grade classes, along with a few dozen parents, sure made for an amazing cheering section as we watched *almost* all the boats make it to shore in one piece!

Meanwhile, our Kindergarten though 5th grade students gathered at Longleaf Center for a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate our new 3-bin compost system. As a whole, the Lower School diverted almost 400 pounds of compostable materials from our local landfill. (For scale, that's about as much as an adult dolphin or reindeer)! Tremendous gratitude goes to the Polk Family for building our new system and helping us learn more about the composting process.

Well, folks, that's a wrap on PA meetings for the year, but that doesn't mean the calendar is empty! Thanks to Audrey Hammond's efforts in partnering with Good Shepherd Center, we are part of the monthly volunteer schedule, assisting in the kitchen to prepare dinner for up to 118 overnight guests.

Every third Thursday we meet downtown, with Audrey or Tony as Leader + 1 faculty/staff member + 1 member of Wilmington Friends Meeting + 2 FSW parents. There's still 7 opportunities remaining in the 2024 calendar, so sign up below! 

City of Wilmington Text Alerts

"With the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season starting June 1st, New Hanover County Emergency Management is encouraging all area residents to register for a new emergency alert system to stay informed and prepared for all emergencies. Residents can sign up to receive timely and critical alerts by texting READYNHC to 24639. This service will provide subscribers with essential information directly to their mobile devices, including updates on severe weather, hazardous conditions and safety alerts that could impact the area." Read more >>>

Auction Winners, Pick Up Those Goodies!

Auction winners, don't forget to stop by the Garden House to pick up your items. With more than $23,000 raised for our Annual Fund and Fund-A-Need campaign, we're so appreciative of your generosity and hope you enjoy your well-deserved goodies! Please contact Advancement Associate, Allyson Keating, with questions.

2024 Ukrainian Festival

May 25th, 12:00-6:00PM, Waterline Brewery

Looking for a wonderful way to kick off this sunny Memorial Day Weekend? Head over to Waterline Brewery for the 2024 Ukrainian Festival featuring traditional Ukrainian food, music, dance, art, family activities, and much more! Thank you to Middle School Math Assistant, Tatyana Brannon, for spreading the word on this event!

FSW Night at Wilmington Sharks Baseball

May 29th, 7:00PM, Legion Stadium

This year our Middle School participated in the Wilmington Shark’s Read Around the Bases program which challenges students to collectively read 100 grade-level books by May 10th. After knocking it out of the park in less than 2 months, we’re thrilled to report that every Middle School student has won a free ticket to a special "FSW Night" game where we will be recognized as a Read Around the Bases winner! We hope all school families can join us for this fun community gathering by sporting your favorite FSW swag! General admission tickets are just $10, so purchase yours below and come out to celebrate our amazing Middle School readers!

8th Grade Graduation Ceremony

May 31st, 9:00-10:30AM, Longleaf Center

If you can believe it, the long-awaited day is almost here! Our 8th grade class will soon be graduating from FSW and transitioning to HIGH SCHOOL! Families, please refer to Amy's email for all logistical information and follow the link below to RSVP.

"Ivy and Katie, Thank you for instilling a love for learning in my child and for being such positive role models. FSW is so lucky to have you in the classroom guiding our preschool students."

- Anonymous Friend