Philosophy

We believe that students learn best in an educational environment that nurtures the whole child, promotes learning through inquiry, cultivates a strong sense of community, emphasizes social justice and peace education, and fosters mindfulness and reflection.

Frankford Friends School Early Childhood Center at Fishtown

Frankford Friends is a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and just learning environment, welcoming students and families from all backgrounds and identities to our school. We best serve children who enthusiastically accept challenges, love to learn, and who positively contribute to the classroom and school community in a variety of ways.

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Get to Know Us

When you enter our preschool, a sense of calm and warmth envelops you. Our classrooms are peaceful and comfortable places that offer both physical and emotional safety— and where children want to learn. The Fishtown Early Childhood Center offers a Reggio Emilia inspired program designed to nurture the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of young children. Our vibrant and nurturing preschool classrooms provide a space where curiosity and creativity are encouraged through purposeful play.

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Request Information or register to attend an admissions event. We look forward to meeting you in person.

Our Guiding Principles
Our Program: Reggio-inspired and Play-based

Children learn best through purpose and play, in a diverse community of teachers and peers where everyone belongs. Grounded in the belief that children are natural, curious learners with boundless potential, our Reggio Emilia-inspired program provides a nurturing and stimulating environment where young minds flourish.

Our curriculum introduces age-appropriate academic, social, and emotional skills through discovery, exploration, and imaginative play. This approach supports each child's individual growth and encourages the development of their independence. In our carefully crafted learning environment, children are empowered to make their own choices. They learn the significance of friendship and respect, ultimately cultivating the qualities of a caring and responsible community member.

Key skills empower children with strategies they need to navigate their social world effectively - active listening, understanding and expressing their feelings, self-regulation, compromise, and collaboration, are taught and actively practiced. We place a strong emphasis on community building, which starts with our daily morning meeting. Through various community-building activities, students learn to take responsibility, encourage learning from one another, and establish relationships that will continue to grow throughout their time at FFS.

Reggio Emilia and Frankford Friends School

Child-Centered Learning: Our curriculum is child-led, with a focus on cultivating each child's unique interests and strengths. Through observation and attentive guidance, our teachers tailor learning experiences to spark curiosity, encourage exploration, and foster a lifelong love of learning.

Project-Based Exploration: In our classrooms, children embark on long-term projects that delve deeply into topics of interest. These projects are collaborative endeavors, where children work together, share ideas, and engage in hands-on exploration. Along the way, children develop critical thinking skills, creativity, and a sense of ownership over their learning journey.

Inspiring Environments: Every corner of our classrooms is designed to stimulate young minds and ignite their imagination. Natural materials, open-ended resources, and flexible learning areas empower children to explore, experiment, and express themselves freely.

Celebrating Growth and Collaboration: We celebrate every child's unique journey of growth and discovery. Through ongoing documentation, we capture and reflect on children's learning experiences, making their progress visible to both families and educators.

Join Our Community! We invite you to discover the transformative power of a Reggio Emilia-inspired and play-based education at Frankford Friends School. Through rich, immersive experiences and a nurturing community of learners, we empower children to become confident, compassionate, and curious individuals ready to embrace the world around them.

Admissions

Age Requirements

Preschool: Children from 2 years to 4 years of age

How to Apply

2024-25 Enrollment:
School year enrollment: September 2024 through June 2025
Full year enrollment: July 2024 through June 2025

  • Submit the application and your application fee
  • Tour
  • Family Visit - Bring your child and meet with the Director or Coordinator of Admissions
  • Receive your welcome letter
  • Sign and return contract (with $800 deposit)

Would you like to apply, but your child is too young?

  • Complete the interest form.
  • We'll contact you when we start accepting applications for the year you indicated on your interest form. Meanwhile, keep in touch through our email list and social media.
  • Submit the application as soon as you hear from us
  • Tour
  • Family Visit - Bring your child to meet with the Director or Coordinator of Admissions
  • Receive your welcome letter
  • Sign and return contract (with $800 deposit)
  • Be ready to join our community!

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.

Our program best serves a child’s academic, social, and emotional development when they are at school full time. Priority is given to students who will attend full days, five days a week.


2024-25 Tuition Rates

School Year: September through June (10 months)
5 full days: $14,800
5 half days: $10,580

Full Year: July through June (12 months)
5 full days: $18,400
5 half days: $13,150

Extended Day:  $10 per day for 4:00pm pickup; $25.00 per day for 6:00pm pickup

Tuition Assistance
Our tuition assistance program serves students in grades PreKindergarten through 8th grade. Discounts are offered to families with 3 or more students enrolled at Frankford Friends. 

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