Happy Friday Friends!
As a Quaker school, one of Virginia Beach Friends School’s main goals is to discuss, promote, and have our students understand the Friends testimonies, S.P.I.C.E.S (Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship), regardless of their age. During the week, teachers in all VBFS classes bring up the testimonies when applicable. Students of all ages are learning about and living the testimonies in all that they do. This is particularly true every Wednesday.
On Wednesdays, the Friends School students and teachers come together for a virtual Zoom Meeting for Worship (MFW). From 10:45 to 11:15, our community members gather in their respective classrooms to quietly (and sometimes not so quietly=) sit in silence and ponder a query question associated with one of the Friends testimonies. This year our 7th and 8th grader student leaders, with the help of Dee Talbert who coordinates the school’s Quaker education program, have been charged with working with VBFS faculty to organize, create, and lead weekly MFW.
This past week, Teacher Dafna’s 3rd/4th-grade class asked the query question, “How do you help create community?” To help promote discussion and the concept of community, Teacher Dafna’s class showed Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea by Meena Harris. It’s a wonderful story of how a young Kamala and Maya bring their apartment complex community to create a much-needed playground. After the video, the students sat in silence until they were moved to share how they could help the Friends community. Below is a list of what they shared.
- “Picking up trash when I see it.”
- “Getting something nice for someone on their birthday.”
- “Being kind to each other.”
- “Help the sick to feel better.”
- “Help those in need.”
- “Helping the elderly cross the street.”
- “Helping friends find things they lose.”
- “Giving out food to the homeless.”
These responses are why families have chosen VBFS. These are the citizens our school and teachers are creating. This happens every Wednesday! Last week we talked about, “What does it mean to have integrity?” I don’t know what’s on tap for this coming week, but whatever testimony we discuss, it’s safe to say, VBFS students are being taught what it means to be incredible people, not only great students!
Have a great weekend! Below is a list of Need-to-Knows!
Mike
Head of School
Need-to-Knows
– VBFS HAS SCHOOL this Monday on Columbus/Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
– BOO-FEST is Saturday October 16th! Register & donate today! We’ve raised $20,510 of our $30,000 event goal for the Annual Fund! Thank you to those who support Friends School! Included with your ticket: dinner & drinks, Boo-Fest shirt, pumpkin carving, Halloween art project, games & surprises, costume contest, movie screening of Transylvania 4, and so much more!
– 7th & 8th graders are setting up a snack store in support of their favorite charity on October 18. More details to follow.
– Make up picture day is October 19.
– On Tuesday, October 26 from 6:00 to 6:30 pm, VBFS will host an information session for VBFS parents wanting to learn more about Quakerism. Jeanne Crawford, Clerk of the VBFS School Committee and former Clerk of the Virginia Beach Friends Meeting, will be talking to interested families about Quakerism and what it means to attend a Quaker School. A Zoom link will be sent to the community closer to the date.
– There will be a Virtual VBFS Open House on Tuesday, November 9 at 10:00 am. Postcards promoting the Open House are coming home with students. The school is challenging each parent to give the postcard to one of their friends who would be interested in learning more about VBFS and attending the open house.
