Germantown Friends School
Grade Level: Preschool, Elementary, Middle School, High School/College Prep School
Type:
Day
Gender:
Coed
About
Rooted in a neighborhood that represents Philadelphia’s history and its hope for tomorrow, guided by rich, freshly relevant Quaker values, Germantown Friends School offers an education that stands for grit and grace, ingenuity and integrity, collaborative muscle and the quest for justice. We awaken to the world. We work with our neighborhood—a community of activists and artists, families and shopkeepers, students and entrepreneurs—to advance the common good and take pleasure in simple human acts of kindness and celebration.
We honor silence and reflection; we relish inquiry and analysis; we open ourselves to the brilliant diversity of the world. We try to see that of God in everyone. These values lead us to welcome new voices, pursue new ideas, and advocate for a humane, equitable future.
We give students an exhilarating sense of freedom and a deep sense of responsibility, for their own actions and for the health of their community. Our faculty apply the best research and their brightest ideas in and out of the classroom. The result is an experience that is both grounded and buoyant. Together, we find the courage to ask; we possess the conscience to act; and we heed the call to lead an awakened life.
What is your teaching or educational philosophy?
Learning is for life. This idea is at the heart of Germantown Friends School. We view the years from early childhood through twelfth grade as just one chapter in a long adventure—a learning adventure that is one of the great foundations of life. Our sense of the power and value of education defines our daily work. We teach our students that the world is theirs to experience, to understand, to create—and to change. It’s a lesson they take to heart.
At GFS, our philosophy of education and our mission go hand-in-hand.
We believe that each individual has that of God within and that the search for and celebration of each student’s Inner Light extends well beyond our campus—and long after graduation. We view the arts, community involvement, social justice, the life of the mind, the care of the body and the inclusion of distinct voices and perspectives as integral to our mission.
What is your mission statement?
Germantown Friends School is dedicated to reaching that of God in every person. Our mission is to seek truth, challenge the intellect, honor differences, embrace the city, and nurture each student’s mind, body and spirit.
Enrollment
1133