At Sandy Spring Friends School, we have a profound sense of hope in the individual's ability to create positive change within the world, and we foster the values that create change: simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality and stewardship. These values are sometimes referred to by their acronym, the Quaker SPICES.
Our Distinctions
Our school’s culture—rooted in the idea that collaboration engenders achievement—can be traced to our Quaker heritage and abiding belief in Quaker values. Our teachers strive to identify and cultivate each child’s intellectual, extracurricular, and social passions. We call it recognizing “the Light within.” In doing so, we help shape students whose actions speak volumes and whose lives become exemplars—not only among their peers and families today but also in their personal, educational, and professional communities in college and beyond.
Six Key Distinctions
We asked students, faculty, alumni, and families about distinguishing characteristics they thought made SSFS stand out. Here are six of the characteristics that rose to the top, each one shining a light on our culture, our people, and our educational philosophy.