Frankford Friends School Shapes Minds and Community!

Frankford Friends School, founded in 1833, continues to instill the Quaker values of spirituality, independence and responsibility in its students and acts as a beacon within our community from the top of the hill at Penn and Orthodox Sts. While other schools are consolidating and/or closing, Frankford Friends has been growing. Now serving 143 students in PreK through 8th grade, the school’s motto is “Love, Learning and Peace”. More students who attend the school live in the 19124 zip code than any other. And, of course, “children of all faiths and all ethnic, racial and economic backgrounds are welcomed”.

Continuing their focus on children and how they learn best, Principal Penny Colgan-Davis visited the Frankford Civic Association’s meeting last month to share with us two new efforts that would both benefit their students and the community. Ours is an urban neighborhood with more than its share of eyesores. Following the collapse of the Central United Methodist Church, almost 2 years ago, there is a barren lot where that proud church once stood. Research has shown that when children interact with the natural world, they benefit by the “increased activity, healthy development and overall well-being”. Isn’t that true for all of us? Who can’t wait to get outside on a sunny day? I am personally interested in this as well because living and teaching in an urban area, our children have too little experience with natural spaces. Principal Penny explained to the group that this lot would become a “natural play space, like a garden, where children could explore a wooded area and it would be open to the community”. Hopefully, this project is scheduled for the fall.

With the help of the Frankford Unity and Arch Street Meetings, the parsonage building (next to the lot) would also be acquired and used to house a first floor ArtRoom. The second and third floors would be housing for Quaker volunteers who graduate from college and wish to do volunteer work in the community. Relying on the various Meetings’ funds, there is no definite date for this project to be completed.

There has been a known drug house behind the school on Gillingham Street that the school is planning to transform into a school library and offices.

Principal Penny invited us to visit the school and be sure to attend their Spring Fair being held on Saturday, May 18th, from 10:00 AM until 3:00 PM.

We thank all those connected with Frankford Friends School for their commitment to our children and our community! This is also Teacher Appreciation Week! Have you thanked a teacher yet?