Sandy Spring Friends School

 

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SSFS Weekly and Bi-Weekly Newsletters

Gnu Stories, the SSFS all-school newsletter, is sent bi-weekly on Mondays during the school year, and features stories that provide families with a snapshot of school life at SSFS and connects them to the wider community. 

Learn More: Weekly Division Newsletters

Wildebeest Statue

Welcome to the 2024-2025 School Year!

Gnu Stories: Highlights from the SSFS Community

US Student Leadership Retreat 2024
Upper School Student Leadership Retreat

The Friday before the 2024-2025 school year began, student representatives from Torch (Upper School student government), dorm committee clerks, and OIEJB ambassadors gathered for a full-day leadership workshop. Led by US Dean of Students Candice Ashton, Director of Residential Life Josie Ross, and Director of OIEJB Hayes Davis, the day offered an opportunity for students to understand the principles of servant leadership, learn the basics of clerking a MFW with a Concern for Business, talk about goals and aspirations for the new year, discuss what the Quaker SPICES mean to them, and brainstorm ways to help foster a positive culture of belonging and support among students.

See More about Upper School Student Leadership Retreat
Friends Day 2024
Friends Day 2024

One of SSFS's core values is community, and ours grows each year, with new families joining returning families and friends to build upon traditions and make the School an even more vibrant place to learn, work, play, and support one other. The Parents' Association's Friends Day offers a great opportunity for parents/guardians, students, and faculty/staff to connect, learn, and have fun together. See details below!

See More about Friends Day 2024
Empty Bowl Project
Welcome to the 2024-2025 Empty Bowl Project at SSFS!

SSFS has been involved in the Empty Bowl project's fight against hunger since 2005. Connecting art, community, and service along with education about the worldwide crisis of hunger, Empty Bowl is now found in schools and art centers around the world. At SSFS, the entire community is invited to help others by making simple, complex, large, or small ceramic bowls over the course of numerous weekend sessions. The beautiful pieces are then offered for purchase at a simple fundraising dinner held in early spring. Save the dates of Oct. 6 and 20 for glazing sessions in the Art Barn!

See More about Welcome to the 2024-2025 Empty Bowl Project at SSFS!
David Blake - Spotlight
Get to Know David Blake, LS/MS Division Head

Whether you’ve run into Middle School Head and Interim Lower School Head David Blake P ’23, ’25 chatting about algebra with a Kindergartener, cheering on a middle school runner at a cross country meet, or discussing hip-hop culture with his Upper School son, you might want to know more about this administrator who left the business world behind for education—and never looked back. Learn more about what makes this Springer tick, how he’s approaching his new role, and what he loves about the SSFS community.

See More about Get to Know David Blake, LS/MS Division Head
Spotlight on Christine Lewis, with photo of Christine doing PD
Spotlight: Christine Lewis, Interim Head of School

After a year as Assistant Head, Christine Lewis has been appointed to serve as Interim Head of School at Sandy Spring Friends School for 2024-2025. A seasoned administrator and expert in the science of teaching and learning, she is energized for her new role on campus. Learn more about what experiences have shaped her educational philosophy, why SSFS’s campus and community beckoned her, and why she is so committed to leading and supporting the school during “a terrific school year ahead.”

See More about Spotlight: Christine Lewis, Interim Head of School

Upcoming Dates: SSFS All-School Events

Sep. 23

INTERSECT Info Session
6-7:30 PM | Scott House

Join Hayes Davis, Christine Lewis, and Tiffany Jones to learn more about affinity groups for parents/guardians.

Sep. 28

Parents' Association Friends Day
11AM-2PM | SSFS Campus

Connect with new and returning  families at a festive gathering of food, friends, and fun!

Sep. 28

Empty Bowl Glazing in the Art Bart
1-4 PM | Art Barn

Save the date for an afternoon of fun and creative service with members of the SSFS community.

GnuStories: Previous Articles

Division-Specific Newsletters: The Week Ahead

Division-specific newsletters are emailed to SSFS families each Sunday afternoon during the school year and posted on the division-specific pages of the Parent Portal. These newsletters provide messages from division heads and "must-know" calendar information about upcoming events for the week. 

Parents and guardians must log in to the Parent Portal to access the division-specific pages where the newsletters are posted.

Please Note: Only SSFS parents have access to the links above. SSFS employees may access the division-specific newsletters via the Faculty/Staff Portal.