Q: When was SSFS founded?
A: In 1961 by S. Brook Moore

Q: How many students attend SSFS?
A: 558 total: 257 boys and 301 girls

Q: How many students are in each division?
A: Lower - 158, Middle - 142, Upper - 258

Q: What is the racial and ethnic diversity of the student body?
A: European American - 60%, African American - 13%, Multiracial - 11%, Foreign Nationals - 8%, Asian American - 6%, and Latino - 2%

Q: How many boarding students do you have?
A: 59 students (26 are 5-day residents and 33 are 7-day residents)

Q: How many students are in your International Student program and what foreign countries are represented?
A: 42 students, representing Bhutan, China (23), Ethiopia, Iraq, Korea (13), Sierra Leone, Taiwan (2), and Vietnam (2)

Q: What is the religious diversity of your student body?
A: Over a dozen different religions and denominations are represented in the student body. Quakers number 61 or 11% of our students.

Q: What is the average class size?
A: 15

Q: How many teaching faculty does SSFS have?
A: 61 full-time and 7 part-time teachers

Q: How many openings do you anticipate in each grade for next year?
A: We tend to enroll some new students at every grade level each year due to the transient nature of the Washington metropolitan area. The largest numbers of available spaces are in the following expansion grades: PK-14, K-18, 6th-16, and 9th-25.

Q: What is the school's retention rate?
A: 89% of last year's students re-enrolled this year, a percentage better than the national average for schools of our type (primarily day with a boarding component).

Q: What percentage of your graduates go on to college?
A: 100% of our students apply and are accepted to college. Occasionally, a student will defer enrollment or choose to pursue another option following graduation. (See College Guidance)

Q: What percent of your student body receives financial aid?
A: 30% of the students receive some amount of financial aid, a percentage greater than the national average for independent schools.

Q: What athletic teams does Sandy Spring Friends School offer?
A: SSFS is a member of the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference and our teams compete in the following interscholastic sports: soccer, cross country, volleyball, basketball, lacrosse, baseball, softball, track and field, and tennis. Students also have non-competitive fitness options, such as athletic conditioning, modern dance, yoga, and weight training.

Q: Do you offer a transportation option?
A: Yes, our school buses pick up students from Montgomery, Howard, and Prince George's Counties. Routes are point-to-point, not house-to-house. Collection points are designed to accommodate as many families as possible. Routes and schedules are adjusted each year according to changes in ridership. (See Bus Schedule)

Q: Do you have optional before and after school care program?
A: Yes, we offer an extended day program for Lower School students. Before school care is from 7:30 to 8:00 a.m. Aftercare is from the end of the school day until 6 p.m. In Middle School, we offer an after school Homework Club until 6:00 p.m. (See Tuition and Fees for information on the costs for these programs.)