Sandy Spring Friends School

January will be filled with opportunities to experience the arts at SSFS!  From a Tiny Desk Concert on Jan. 15 and a Winter Vocal Music Concert on Jan. 17, to the staging of Our Town Jan. 23-25 and a Winter Dance Concert on Jan. 31-Feb. 1, you can enjoy many opportunities to see our student artists shine.

The Upper School's Quiz Bowl, Speech, and Debate Teams have continued their successes this year, competing against teams from much larger schools and demonstrating that SSFS can stand toe-to-toe with top-rated programs! SSFS's Quiz Bowl Team has maintained an undefeated record (15-0-0) in the Montgomery Academic Beltway League (MABL), defeating much larger teams from MCPS, and five members of the Speech and Debate Team were named finalists, semifinalists, and quarterfinalists at the George Mason Patriot Games Speech & Debate Invitational. Read on for details!

As part of a wonderful tradition that Assistant Head of Lower School Joel Gunzburg brought to life in 2022, the Lower School again hosted a Gratitude Museum in Yarnall Library the week before Winter Break. PK-5th Grade students learned about gratitude in a variety of ways in November and December, investigating how gratitude influences emotions and impacts relationships. Each grade then worked together to design a physical display to demonstrate and celebrate their understanding and the benefits of feeling and practicing gratitude, culminating in a wonderful display of love and thankfulness. 

Sandy Spring Friends School is glowing with purpose and creativity this winter as new Quaker testimony banners grace the campus's light posts. Designed and crafted by Upper School Studio Arts 1 students under the guidance of Shellie Marker and Michelle Puhl-Price, these banners bring Quaker values to life while showcasing our community's artistic dedication and talent.

The theme for this year's All-School Winter Assembly was "Light," and we began our moment of silence with the query: "What does 'light' mean for you?" Community members shared traditions that include light. The assembly also featured performances by the Handbells and Vocal Music classes, and sing-alongs such as "This Little Light of Mine," "The George Fox Song," and the traditional shouting-singing fun of "The 12 Days of Christmas." Students also enjoyed the faculty  "Grinch" skit—featuring Hawkeye (our facility dog) as Max!  

From tagging along with his mother to the independent school where she taught when he was a child, to earning a master’s degree in early childhood teaching and serving as a dynamic second-grade classroom teacher at SSFS, Philip Mallari’s journey as an educator has been one of deep purpose and continual discovery. Philip’s gentle manner and inspired teaching philosophy foster both the academic and emotional development of his students. Read the full article to learn more about his approach and how he incorporates his role in SSFS’s Office of Institutional Equity, Justice, and Belonging to benefit all Lower School students and faculty—and for scripts families can use at home to help kids resolve conflict.

During professional development time on Wed., Dec. 11, The Office of Institutional Equity, Justice, and Belonging (OIEJB) offered "Choice Meeting for Worship" as its latest all-faculty/staff engagement. Modeled after an Upper School initiative to provide different venues for Meeting for Worship during the Performing Arts Center construction, Choice MFW provided six options for participants to pair a time of reflection with a meditative activity.

The SSFS Arts Department is thrilled to announce this year's 2025 Community Play: Twelfth Night—a musical adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, a classic story of love and mistaken identity. 

In keeping with the way this adaptation of Twelfth Night was developed through The Public Theatre’s Public Works project, the principal roles in the play will be cast within the Upper School Musical Theater class. The larger community will help us create the world of Illyria. Auditions for roles will be held in February. This production is appropriate for all ages, and we are looking for a diverse group of actors to help us created a chorus of sailors, officers, shopkeepers, citizens, and more! Stay tuned for more information, including audition dates, songs, rehearsal dates, and the performance schedule. See more info about the play online.

Congratulations to our Upper School academic clubs, Quiz Bowl and Speech Team, for their successes this fall! The Upper School Quiz Bowl team remains undefeated and is in 1st place in the MABL conference, and the SSFS Speech team tied for first place in the recent WACF league's speech and debate competitions.