Dear BFS Community: Brooklyn Friends School does exist as a Quaker Independent School to educate children on the building blocks of learning, and yet most importantly, we exist to partner with families in the shaping of human hearts and minds that we believe with all of our might will change the world in critical and […]
Head of School Crissy Cáceres and 57 heads of Friends schools around the country signed an editorial with the Friends Council on Education in the wake of the riots at the Capitol. This powerful message reinforces our schools’ commitment to our Quaker values and our mission to build an equitable and just society. Read […]
Join our Brooklyn Friends and Families association this Thursday, December 3 at 6:30 pm at a virtual workshop for BFS families on Quakerism and Friends Education. Led by Drew Smith and Deborra Sines Pancoe, Director and Associate Director of Friends Council on Education, this event is an opportunity for families to learn about Quaker […]
Hancock Shaker Village in Massachusetts For some Brooklyn Friends School faculty, summer research is a religious experience. Middle School History teacher Amanda Goodwin, now in her second year at the school, received a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant to study Religious Revivals, Utopian Societies and the Shaker Experience in America this past […]
In early May, six fourth grade teachers, led by Head Teacher Bea Bartolotta and 4C Head Teacher Amy Hertz, journeyed with their 66 students to New York State’s oldest house of worship, the Old Quaker Meeting House in Flushing. The structure, built in 1694 is the second oldest house of worship in the […]
The program of our first commencement, from 1910 BFS has always strived to be compassionate for its community, particularly for its students, both while enrolled at our school and forever after. Compassion is often found at the core of the Quaker Testimonies. One of the nicest BFS archival finds remains the “BFS chapter” from the personal […]
Got to thinking about Benjamin R. Burdsall this week as our Upper School faculty has been doing its own thinking about recipients of our annual awards for the Upper School closing ceremony on June 9. Today seems a good day to remember who Mr. Burdsall was for so many at BFS and why BFS gives […]
“Know your history, ask questions and follow your heart.” Garrett Bradley, BFS ’03, Bridge Film Festival alumna It’s Spring Break, but it’s also time to reserve your tickets for the 15th annual Bridge Film Festival on Thursday, April 10 at BFS. The festival was established in 1999 at BFS by Andy Cohen, BFS director of media services, and […]
1940, BFS Principal Douglas Grafflin’s Address to the Trustees of the Schools of New York Monthly Meeting proposing the enrollment of African American students at BFS. Please click to read Grafflin’s entire address This week, I’m unexpectedly switching gears thanks to a courageous conversation focused on the experiences of students of color in independent schools, a conversation […]
Will Walter Jackson Unlike computers or labs or books, defining the heart of Brooklyn Friends School is difficult. That heart is rooted in Quakerism and we do try to explain these “intangibles” which are shared and passed down, and which can be extremely personal to each individual. They make up the very air we breathe […]
