Tag: Frankford Friends School

Posted on by

Frankford Friends School Shapes Minds and Community!

Frankford Friends School

Frankford Friends School

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”.

PrincipalPenny

Principal Penny Colgan-Davis

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.

griscom and orthodox (1)

Former Parsonage & Lot Where Central United Methodist Church Stood

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.

Gillingham St House

Gillingham St House

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?

 

 

Posted on by

Frankford Friends Gets the Job Done

Lisa and Ben Handy

Lisa and Ben Handy watched the ribbon cutting at the new building at Frankford Friends School with more than curiosity last Saturday.  They stood holding the hand of their daughter Angelina, a 6 year old student at the school, knowing that the school had taken a giant leap ahead in improving the physical facilities.  It is not that they were dissatisfied, they praised it highly when I talked to them a few days later in their cozy living room in their house on Sellers Street in Frankford.

They moved into that house on the day Angelina was born and as many new parents do, began thinking about schools.  They had not become Quakers at that point and were not really aware that there was a Friends school only blocks away.  Things happen in life and they became aware of the Society of Friends as they were searching for a place of worship.  The Quakers seemed like it might be good fit and they paid a visit and it just felt right.  So when it was time for Angelina to start school they were willing to to what they thought was the best thing for her and aimed at Frankford Friends.

The tuition is a large hurdle for them but they believe it is well worth it.  The philosophy of the school fits in with their beliefs; a form of education which will develop an attitude of courageous indepen­dence, a readiness for responsibility, and a spiritual basis for life.  Ben and Lisa are now looking 8 years ahead and wish that Friends could have a high school running by the time the have to think about that.

The new building does present a contrast to the old.  On the one side is the meeting house, a wood frame clapboard structure.  Only feet away is the new building of glass and steel with a skin of warm toned clapboard style boards.  On the inside, it is big with classrooms in the back away from the street.  On the street side is an open space that could be a gym, auditorium or play space.  The ceiling soars high and the space is filled with light.

See the slide show below:


The building was dedicated in honor of Madge Trickey who was a vital part of the Meeting and school for many years.  You can read about her in this piece by Joe Hohenstein at this link.  Congratulations to Frankford Friends who got this project done the Quaker way.

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Frankford Friends New Building is Amazing

Well they haven’t invited me in yet for a tour but the outside of Frankford Friends new school building really is interesting.  There is a beautiful sunlit vaulted open space that kind of brings the outside in.  The exterior is a warm wood material that really dresses up the block.  It is ironic that we lost one historic classic building on one side of the street and gained a modern classic building on the other.  It does look to be within a few months of opening and I will be there.

Posted on by

Green Building Taking Shape at Frankford Friends

Steel framing rose for the new building at Frankford Friends School last week. The project, the culmination of many years of planning at the school, will allow it to offer high-quality Friends education program to more local families by expanding the space in middle school classrooms. The new building will provide a multipurpose space, a music room, and three more classrooms. The building, which is among several new construction projects now happening in Frankford, was designed by DIGSAU and is being built by CVM Construction.

Energy use at the new building will be reduced through the use of a highly insulated envelope, an efficient HVAC system, exhaust fans, operable windows, natural light, highly-insulated walls, and solar shades that block summer sun while bouncing winter sun more deeply into the rooms. A large north-facing skylight in the multipurpose room minimizes lighting costs. Rain barrels will keep rain water out of the city stormwater system and provide free water for classroom and ornamental gardens. All materials and carpet will are low VOC. Budget allowing, the exterior will be clad in reclaimed red cedar.

The school, which has been on its historic campus since 1833, expects to enroll over 130 students in grades PreK-8th in the coming year. There are still some openings in grades 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7; the others have waiting lists.  For more information, www.frankfordfriendsschool.org