Our Signature Brooklyn Friends & Families Events
WinterFest
WinterFest is a joyous day of celebration of the season of light. The school fills with the laughter of children sprinting from the face painting booth to carnival games to the magic show to cupcake wars. We are working to transition WinterFest to a virtual platform. For information and to join in the planning, contact the WinterFest Committee.
Black History Month Celebration
Black History Month at BFS is an inclusive month of events promoting the culture, history, and traditions of peoples of the African Diaspora. Parent and colleague volunteers develop a theme and invite guest artists to the school to work with BFS students. The “main event” comprises a community dinner with performances and activities for the entire school. We are working to transition this celebration online. For more information, please contact Chair Josianne Leacock.
Embracing Diversity
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee hosts an annual event aimed at educating families on this important work. The school is responsible for educating our kids, and DEI hosts this event to ensure that parents keep up! Previous events have included: Standing Up for What is Right: Learn How to Be an Upstander, Parenting Past Pink and Blue: Beyond Gender Norms and Stereotypes, and We Are BFS: Family Diversity and Our Children’s School Experience
Colleagues Appreciation Breakfast
Show everyone at BFS how much we appreciate them at a joyful early morning meal. Volunteers serve a delicious catered breakfast and give a small token of appreciation. Volunteers help celebrate our colleagues by planning and participating in this breakfast at the end of the school year. Tasks include designing invitations, working with outside caterers to create a menu, purchasing a special gift for colleagues, and attending the event.
Committees
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The Brooklyn Friends School BFF Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Parents (DEIP) Committee holds regular meetings to discuss relevant topics and is committed to furthering conversations with all families about the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion at BFS. Volunteers work with the BFS colleagues and leadership to support the school’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to help plan an annual March event. All parents are welcome to join.
New Families
This committee aims to assist families as they transition to the school by acting as a resource; fielding questions and checking-in periodically during their first year. The committee hosts the New Families Coffee Hour in the fall. Volunteers also attend Enrollment events to field questions, and generally help the new families feel comfortable. We especially love to have help from recent New Families who can empathize with the experience. Join today to start planning for the spring!
Service Learning and Civic Engagement Committee
This committee raises awareness amongst BFS families about service learning and connects families to service learning opportunities in the BFS and broader community. The aim of the BFF Service Learning and Civic Engagement Committee is to serve as a bridge and involve the parent body of BFS in the school’s commitment to incorporate ethical and social value into the curriculum through service learning. The Committee also collaborates with other BFF Committees to integrate service learning into our school-wide events.
Spirit Committee
The Spirit Committee promotes school spirit at BFS through 1-2 annual Blue Pride days and through the sale of spirit wear. This committee procures BFS logo apparel and other items and sells them at cost to the BFS community.
College and Career Conversations
This committee organizes conversations among BFS family adults designed to inform BFS students about options for their lives after BFS. In the past these have taken the form of a panel discussions, small group chats and 1:1s. Work required includes recruiting parents, tracking potential participants, advertising events and setting up Zoom calls.
Fundraising Committee
The Fundraising Committee works closely with the Advancement Office on the annual giving campaign and other school-wide fundraising efforts. Committee members contact fellow parents directly, connect with class parents and VPs, and work with the Advancement team to send grade-wide emails that encourage contributions to the School. The BFF committee holds four meetings per year. Members are also invited to optional cultivation events such as the Leadership Council Cocktail Party, the New Families Roof Party, the New Parent Welcome Reception and the End of Year Celebration.
Friends at Friends Committee
This Committee works to understand, explain, and practice Quakerism. Through meetings and events, this committee seeks to unite the entire family community through a commitment to Quaker Values and Quaker practice. In addition, the committee practices the Stewardship testimony by organizing the annual Autumn Quaker Raking at the Quaker Cemetery in Prospect Park
Committees we look forward to bringing back after COVID
Friends of Athletics
Friends of Library
Family Folk Dance
Fundraiser Party