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

A Season of Giving and Gratitude

Gnu Stories: Highlights from the SSFS Community

SSFS Quiz Bowl Team Continues to Shine in MABL League, and on It's Academic
SSFS Quiz Bowl Team Continues to Shine in MABL League, and on It's Academic

On Sun., Nov. 9, SSFS Quiz Bowl team members Justin C. ’26, Nate M. ‘26, and Ian D. ‘26, accompanied by their fearless coach Eduardo Polon, varsity teammates, and a host of SSFS supporters, won the opening round of WETA's It's Academic for the 11th time in 13 years! SSFS scored 575 points in defeating Whitman High School (495 points) and Landon School (445 points). On the heels of this success, the SSFS Quiz Bowl Team delivered its most commanding performance of the season on Nov. 13, completing a decisive 3–0–0 sweep in Round 3 of the Montgomery Academic Beltway League (MABL) with victories over Wheaton, Gaithersburg, and Sherwood high schools. The results propelled the ‘Beests to an impressive 17–2–0 overall record and 8–1–0 mark in the MABL. See below for details!

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SSFS Upper School "Sources of Strength" Peer Leaders Receive 2025 Intervener Award
SSFS Upper School "Sources of Strength" Peer Leaders Receive 2025 Intervener Award

Sources of Strength Upper School Peer Leaders were recently recognized with a 2025 Intervener Award from the "Don’t Be A Bully Project" for their work in promoting positive messages and outreach in our community. Later this year, one of our peer leaders will speak at their Intervener Training to share their experience of being part of Sources of Strength (SOS), a nationwide wellness initiative that trains middle and upper school peer leaders in supporting their classmates and sponsoring campaigns about resiliency factors. 

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Fall 2025 Athletics Highlights
Fall 2025 Athletics Highlights

Congratulations to all our student athletes and coaches for a fantastic fall season filled with team bonding, skill-building, grit, determination, and championship banners! Thanks also to our amazing community of supporters who came out to cheer on our Middle and Upper School soccer, volleyball, and cross-country student athletes throughout the season. 

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S.O.M.E. Shoebox Holiday Gifts: Sophomore Class Service Project
S.O.M.E. Shoebox Holiday Gifts: Sophomore Class Service Project

As the holidays draw near, this year's junior class has been finding itself getting into the spirit of the season, and they're inviting the whole SSFS community to get involved! Join the Junior class in this annual class tradition of donating new personal items to create S.O.M.E. Shoebox Holiday gifts for homeless adults and children. This tradition supports the non-profit organization So Others Might Eat (S.O.M.E.)—an interfaith organization based in Washington, D.C. that provides meals, clothing, shelter, rehabilitation, counseling, and so much more to those in needed. 

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SSFS Art Department Partners with Sandy Spring Museum to Celebrate Family, Culture, and Identity
SSFS Art Department Partners with Sandy Spring Museum to Celebrate Family, Culture, and Identity

As a complement to the "Inside/Outside" student-led art exhibition at the Sandy Spring Museum, Upper School students led two art workshops for kids: "Little Figures, Big Stories: A Workshop in Clay, Culture & Creativity" and  "Stamped Stories: A Printmaking Workshop." Students developed valuable skills in collaboration, leadership, and creative problem-solving—culminating in an exhibition and workshops that truly reflected the students' vision and voices

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Interview with Felix Clarke, SSFS Technical Director
Interview with Felix Clarke, SSFS Technical Director

SSFS recently welcomed Technical Director Felix Clarke to the community. Ella C. '27, an Upper School student, musical theater enthusiast, and staff member of our student-run online news publication, The Wildezine, sat down with Felix for an interview. Read Ella's article to learn more about how Felix became interested in theater tech and education, as well as their work as part of the Upper School play.

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OIEJB: Celebrating Native American Heritage Month
OIEJB: Celebrating Native American Heritage Month

This November, the SSFS community honors Native American Heritage Month (NAHM). We observe this as a time to celebrate the rich traditions, artistry, and enduring contributions of Indigenous peoples. Across all divisions, students are engaging in learning experiences that deepen understanding of Native cultures and histories while also reflecting on the land that sustains our school community.

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Catching Up with Recent SSFS Grads
Catching Up with Recent SSFS Grads

In August/September 2025, SSFS College Counselor Chris Miller toured several colleges in greater Philadelphia and Columbus, OH, and was excited to catch up with several SSFS alums: Mateo Traini '23, Corrina Wakefield '25, and Christopher Smith '25. All are enjoying their college experiences and doing well: read more here, and see where other recent SSFS grads have been accepted and matriculated in recent years, below. 

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"Quotes, Quirks, and Quakerisms" Web Page
"Quotes, Quirks, and Quakerisms" Web Page

When we ask students, staff, alums, and families to share what makes SSFS unique, they overflow with enthusiastic reflection. In fact, the phrase, “delightfully quirky” comes up regularly! What does “quirky” mean, anyway? One definition is “unusual, especially in an interesting or appealing way.” Sounds like SSFS! We invite you to visit our "Quotes, Quirks, and Quakerisms" web page and see how our identity as a Friends school meaningfully shapes every aspect of school life, giving us shared purpose, a deep sense of belonging, and joy!

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Upcoming Dates: SSFS All-School Events

Nov. 21

LS Grandfriends Day & Early Dismissal

1:10 PM (LS), 1:20 PM (MS/US)

Dec. 17

All-School Holiday Assembly

9:00 AM | PAC

Dec. 19

Early Dismissal for Winter Break

1:10 PM (LS), 1:20 PM (MS/US)

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.