Sandy Spring Friends School

Sandy Spring Friends School is thrilled to share that, thanks to a quick and robust community-wide effort, SSFS expects to remain open as a transformational place of learning for years to come. Find out what makes the SSFS campus and community so special—and how you can become part of our story—by scheduling an admissions tour, joining our community of donors, or speaking with a representative from the admissions office. 

Ready for Revelry? Experience the joy, the mistaken identities, and the irresistible music of Twelfth Night the Musical, conceived by Kwame Kwei-Armah & Shaina Taub, with a vibrant score by Shaina Taub! Performance Dates: May 30-31, 2025. 

Join us on Sun., May 18, from 1:00–4:00 PM for an Empty Bowl gathering. It will be a celebration of the SSFS community and SPICES! This 20+ year tradition, born from the creative heart of our very own Lower School art teacher Kate S., brings us together around the values of creativity, compassion, and community. Admission is free with a canned food donation for the Sharp Street Food Pantry, and every handmade bowl you choose helps support Feeding America in its mission to end hunger. Bowls are available by suggested donation ($15, cash/check preferred), with a special curated selection also available. No need to register—just come! We also need volunteers to help bring this day to life—sign up if you can lend a hand! 

On Sat., May 3, our vibrant SSFS community—faculty and staff, current families, alums, alum parents, trustees, and friends—came together in person and online for our Friends Celebration event to demonstrate resilience, hope, and an unwavering belief in the mission of Sandy Spring Friends School. It was a record-breaking night! Thanks to the incredible generosity and spirited participation of our community, we raised an astounding $419,000 in net revenue to support Financial Aid at SSFS: a 113% increase from last year's event! 

SSFS community members packed the bleachers at the 2025 Sheep and Wool Festival on May 4 to cheer on the five students in Heidi Brown's Weaving and Fibers class who participated in the "Sheep to Shawl" competition. The three competing teams managed to shear a sheep, card and spin the wool into yarn, and then weave it into a shawl in less than three hours—and our team's shawl was the first off the loom! Read more about student and staff participation in the Sheep and Wool Festival, including the Skein and Garment Competition.

The SSFS Performing Arts Center (PAC) re-opened this spring after HVAC work was completed, just in time to host the Upper School Spring Arts Night on May 1 & 2! Incoming Head of School Sean Hamer joined Head of School, Interim Sue Groesbeck to give remarks at the Thursday event performance, and seniors hosted a special Senior Music Showcase on Friday evening. Middle and Upper School visual arts are also featured throughout the PAC lobby, including ceramics, drawing and painting, multimedia, digital art, and weaving. 

When: May 19–23 | 3:30 PM–5:15 PM
Where: The Gazebo at the first intersection on campus. If driving, please pull onto the field to keep traffic moving.
What: Perennials (Columbine and Butterfly Weed), Annuals (Portulacas, Marigolds, Coleus), and Garden Veggies (Kale, Mustard Greens, Swiss Chard, Lettuce)
COST: Prices vary - $3 for a one-pint pot with one flowering annual or vegetable; $6 for a half-gallon pot with one flowering perennial; $20 for a porch-ready planter with 3-4 flowering annuals or vegetables
Why: 11th-grade students have been growing plants since February with the help of Michael Tornabene. Proceeds from the Plant Sale go to support senior year activities as well as the Senior Class Gift.

Save the date of May 28, 6:30–8:45 PM, to watch students culminate their Senior Passion Project experience with a presentation about their chosen topics, sharing reflections about the process and what they learned with the SSFS community. In advance of the May 28 presentations, the SSFS community is also invited to the premiere of the film, Gifts from the Lived: A Documentary About the Music We Inherit, the Grief We Carry, and the Healing We Face, by two of the Senior Passion Project participants, Jalynn Smith and Jiya Taylor. The film premiere will take place on Saturday, May 17, in the PAC, with doors opening at 6:30 PM.

SSFS 5th graders made us laugh and sing while also providing excellent tips for "How to Interact with Human Beings" in their class play on Tue., May 6! Their performance highlighted not only the students' acting and singing talents, but also SSFS's character education and values, as their play demonstrated how to be active listeners, respectful community members, and good friends.