Sandy Spring Friends School (SSFS) is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded a generous $500,000 grant from an anonymous foundation to support renovations to the Lower School. These improvements will enhance the learning environment for the School’s youngest students, ensuring that SSFS continues to provide the highest-quality education while securing a bright and sustainable future for the entire community.
The funds will be used to modernize Lower School facilities, addressing a key area of our 140-acre campus that has not received significant updates.
Planned Lower School renovations include:
- replacing and resurfacing flooring;
- reconfiguring classroom spaces to better support both collaborative and individualized learning;
- purchasing new pedagogically-appropriate furniture; and
- constructing an outdoor mud kitchen play area that will enhance students’ hands-on, outdoor learning experiences.
A portion of the grant will also be allocated as matching funds for SSFS’s upcoming Day of Giving campaign, further inspiring community support on December 3, 2024, for the school’s annual fund, the “Springers Fund.”
“We are incredibly grateful for this transformative investment in our school,” said Christine Lewis, Interim Head of School. “These renovations will have a profound impact on our Lower School, enhancing the daily experience for our students and positioning us for long-term success. With this generous support, we can ensure that our campus and facilities reflect the quality of our educational programs and the values of the SSFS community.”
With SSFS’s new Upper School building, Pen Y Bryn, completed in 2020, this grant is well-timed to help SSFS build an even stronger financial foundation for the future of our School, providing modern, adaptable spaces that reflect the values and programmatic needs of the Lower School community. By addressing these needs, SSFS is not only improving the current student experience but also securing the School’s ability to retain and attract new families, supporting the School’s long-term sustainability.
In addition to the physical improvements, the creation of flexible learning spaces and outdoor play areas will align with SSFS’s mission of fostering creativity, collaboration, and a connection to the natural world. These enhancements will help students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally, ensuring they develop the skills they need to succeed in the future.
“This is about more than just updating classrooms,” said Savannah Renehan, Director of Advancement. “It’s about investing in the future of our school and our students. These changes will enable us to provide the best possible education to every child who walks through our doors and will help us build a strong, vibrant community for years to come.”
The renovation project will begin in the coming months (especially over the School’s winter break), with completion expected before the start of the 2025-2026 academic year.