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Building a Better Future for Humankind

At Frankford Friends School, our students are passionate, creative, and concerned citizens who have strong leadership capabilities and are quick to find peaceful solutions to conflict.

We are known for our outstanding academic program and commitment to creativity, collaboration and critical thinking. When visiting our website or campus, you’ll learn first hand how social responsibility, values and inquiry drive our classrooms — and we invite you to explore!

Tuition:

Pre-K - Kindergarten: $12,100
Grades 1-4: $11,300
Grade 5: $11,500
Grades 6-8: $11,700

Application Window Opens:

September 1, 2020

Admissions Process →Apply Now →

A Day at FFS

7:55 am

Good morning!

Our school buses pull up to the gate on Orthodox St, transporting students to our campus from all over the Philadelphia area. Puppet in hand, Mrs. Cook greets each of the Lower School and Early Childhood students as they enter the building.

8:00 am

Morning Meeting

Morning Meetings in the lower school and early childhood classrooms prepare students to start their day. Middle schoolers build community, set meaningful goals, develop study habits, practice constructive communication, and prepare for a successful day each morning in Advisory.

8:30 am

Reading Buddies

Each week, students in 3rd and Kindergarten, 4th and 1st, and 2nd and Pre-K get together to read books aloud with a buddy from their partner class. This program is a school favorite and fosters an excitement for reading while building long-lasting relationships across grade levels.

9:00 am

IDEA Lab

In the IDEA Lab, eighth graders finished building their model bridges and testing their strength. The bridges are part of a full-year unit on water, where they study a local ecosystem while learning about sustainable design solutions, green infrastructure, technological advances, and human impacts on the environment.

9:30 am

Morning Recess

While Teacher Tara and a gaggle of Pre-K students observed a caterpillar eating a leaf, some other friends lined up for a game of “Red Light, Green Light.” Teacher Tuesday also brought out hula hoops and sidewalk chalk which was a huge hit with the other members of the class.

10:00 am

Strings Lesson

Learning a string instrument is one of the rites of passage at FFS. In 4th and 5th grade, students take small group lessons in violin, viola, or cello. In 6th through 8th grade, students can opt to take orchestra or jazz band as an elective. They practice twice weekly to better their individual skills and to experience making music together as a group.

11:00 am

Lunch

Walk through the halls of the lower school during lunch period and, over the din of the talking, you might hear a wacky question like, “does a platypus have toes?” leading to a spirited discussion and google search. After lunch, there’s a collective effort to clean up the classroom to get it back in shape for the afternoon.

11:30 am

Middle School Art

Middle school students in the Drawing and Printmaking elective spend the first half of the school year honing their drawing skills and practicing techniques. They then begin to focus on printmaking processes by starting with simple styrofoam radial block printing to create beautiful mandala inspired pieces.

12:00 pm

Project-Based Learning

Fourth grade has been discussing the UN Sustainable Development Goals and why these goals are so important in their work. After learning about the first five goals, students thought deeply about what the other twelve goals might be by discussing what the world is most in need of to be as equitable and sustainable as possible.

12:30 pm

Afternoon Recess

In The Nest, second graders marvel at the iced over mud kitchen, passing the giant pieces from hand to hand. Other friends joined a group of third graders on the play structure while a few others set up an adapted four square game on a large slab of rock, using the cracks in the rock as the boundaries of the game.

1:00 pm

History

The sixth grade class welcomed Dr. Jason and Virgina Herrmann, archaeologists and FFS parents. By hearing directly from experts and asking questions, students gain important knowledge to supplement their research. All of their findings will later be displayed in the end-of-the-year PBL presentation of their Ancient Civilizations Museum.

1:30 pm

Meeting for Worship

Each week, the divisions gather for Meeting for Worship in the Meeting House. Meeting begins in silence, so that students can settle and practice reflection, and then community members may feel moved to speak, raise an idea, or share an inspiration. The meeting ends when the elders (fourth and eighth graders) initiate a handshake.

2:00 pm

Library

With their library cards hanging on lanyards around their necks, a line of first graders holds hands and heads off to the library. The Frankford Library sits just three blocks from the edge of the FFS campus and serves as a vital link to our classrooms. It’s always a special treat when the librarian reads a story to the class!

2:45 pm

Advisory & Closing Circle

Early Childhood and Lower School students bustle about the classroom, packing their backpacks and making their way to the rug for closing circle. Meanwhile, in middle school, students reconnect with their advisor and wrap up the day through social, emotional, and academic group activities.

2:55 pm

Dismissal

It was another great day at FFS! Each student shakes their teacher’s hand to signal that they’re leaving, before moving to their designated line for bus, pickup, or Extended Day, our after-school care program. Four FFS buses transport students in grades 1-8 to their homes all over the city.

3:05 pm

Office Hours

After school, middle school students can sign-up for one-on-one and small group conferences to review specific skills and work on individualized practice for academic growth. Learning how to ask for help and to advocate for themselves as learners is an important part of the middle school experience at FFS.

6:00 pm

Extended Day

The last few otters listen to a story as they wait for their parents to pick them up at Extended Day. In Extended Day, students are fed a healthy snack and then have plenty of time to play in The Nest before spending time in the IDEA Lab in both teacher- and student-led centers such as arts and crafts, games, construction activities, science, and dramatic play.

2021-2022 Admissions

We warmly welcome students from all faiths and all ethnic, racial, and economic backgrounds to our school, without regard to gender or sexual orientation. Children who love to learn, cheerfully accept challenges, and are at or above grade level are best served by our program.

Application Window Opens
‍Sept 1, 2020

Age Requirements
‍Pre-K (K4): Your child must be 4 by September 1st of the year s/he will start Pre-K.
Kindergarten (K5): Your child must be 5 by September 1st of the year s/he will start kindergarten.
‍
Tuition
‍Frankford Friends School offers a markedly reduced tuition, lower than that of any Quaker school in the Delaware Valley. We believe that a school environment where all socio-economic groups are represented contributes an important element to the diversity of our community, and provides an opportunity for students to develop the necessary skills to create and collaborate with peers from a variety of backgrounds.
‍
Pre-K - Kindergarten: $12,100
Grades 1-4: $11,300
Grade 5: $11,500
Grades 6-8: $11,700
‍
Tuition Assistance
‍Frankford Friends School recognizes and respects the financial investment a family makes when choosing an independent school education for their child. Therefore, we welcome applications for need-based tuition assistance from any new applicant or currently enrolled student. The application process for financial aid is separate from the application for school admission and has no bearing on acceptance to the school program.
‍

More About Tuition Assistance ⇢

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Building a Better Future for Humankind

At Frankford Friends School, our students are passionate, creative, and concerned citizens who have strong leadership capabilities and are quick to find peaceful solutions to conflict.

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fast facts

Thank you for your interest in Frankford Friends School!

Since 1833, we have proudly offered a values-based Quaker education here in the heart of Philadelphia. In the city and of the city, we look forward to welcoming you to campus from one of the 30+ zip codes represented by our students.

Candice Moore

Director of admissions

Learn more about our admissions process, schedule a private tour, or attend a virtual information session.

A Day at FFS

7:55 am

Good morning!

Our school buses pull up to the gate on Orthodox St, transporting students to our campus from all over the Philadelphia area. Puppet in hand, Mrs. Cook greets each of the Lower School and Early Childhood students as they enter the building.

8:00 am

Morning Meeting

Morning Meetings in the lower school and early childhood classrooms prepare students to start their day. Middle schoolers build community, set meaningful goals, develop study habits, practice constructive communication, and prepare for a successful day each morning in Advisory.

8:30 am

Reading Buddies

Each week, students in 3rd and Kindergarten, 4th and 1st, and 2nd and Pre-K get together to read books aloud with a buddy from their partner class. This program is a school favorite and fosters an excitement for reading while building long-lasting relationships across grade levels.

9:00 am

IDEA Lab

9:30 am

Morning Recess

While Teacher Tara and a gaggle of Pre-K students observed a caterpillar eating a leaf, some other friends lined up for a game of “Red Light, Green Light.” Teacher Tuesday also brought out hula hoops and sidewalk chalk which was a huge hit with the other members of the class.

10:00 am

Strings Lesson

11:00 am

Lunch

11:30 am

Middle School Art

12:00 pm

Project-Based Learning

12:30 pm

Afternoon Recess

1:00 pm

History

1:30 pm

Meeting for Worship

2:00 pm

Library

2:45 pm

Advisory & Closing Circle

Early Childhood and Lower School students bustle about the classroom, packing their backpacks and making their way to the rug for closing circle. Meanwhile, in middle school, students reconnect with their advisor and wrap up the day through social, emotional, and academic group activities.

2:55 pm

Dismissal

It was another great day at FFS! Each student shakes their teacher’s hand to signal that they’re leaving, before moving to their designated line for bus, pickup, or Extended Day, our after-school care program. Four FFS buses transport students in grades 1-8 to their homes all over the city.

3:05 pm

Office Hours

6:00 pm

Extended Day

See the Campus→

Start an Application →

—Cana, Class of 2020

Get to Know Our Programs

Early Childhood

Lower School

Middle School

2021-2022 Admissions

We warmly welcome students from all faiths and all ethnic, racial, and economic backgrounds to our school, without regard to gender or sexual orientation. Children who love to learn, cheerfully accept challenges, and are at or above grade level are best served by our program.

Register for an Open House

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