2006-2007 Annual Report

Dear Friends:
Although it has only been a few short years since we settled into our new home in Westampton, it is never too early to begin planning for the future! And that is just what we have been doing this past year at Friends Academy. Members of the entire school community including parents, faculty, students, and school board members participated in a strategic planning process to help the school move forward into the future.

As a result of this process, we were happy to learn that people were delighted with our teaching staff, academic curriculum, Quaker values program, and small and safe school environment. We were also happy to receive the many constructive suggestions for improvements. Included in these suggestions were ways to improve the music, foreign language, and sports programs, interest in additional after-school offerings, and the provision of more opportunities for intra-school programs such as the popular “Family Fridays” we once hosted. A hot lunch program was also a high priority! Some of these suggestions are already being implemented.

And of course, there was continued interest in construction of the Commons Building as well as interest in doubling the size of the current school and building a high school! Wow!! We have our work ahead of us!

This summer, we are writing our strategic plan, setting priorities, and devising an implementation timetable for achieving our goals. All members of the school community will be provided with a copy of the plan in the upcoming school year.

I would like to thank all of you who contributed your time, ideas, and energy to this very valuable process. I would also like to thank everyone who donated generously to our Annual Giving campaign. Please take a few moments to read the letter from the Clerk of the School Board concerning the importance of parental participation and annual giving in independent schools.

In peace and friendship,
Connie Beetle
Head of School