Elevation Feature:

Friends Meeting School: Elevation Feature Ep 1

Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Elevation Feature series on the Help One Hundred Schools Podcast, where we shine a spotlight on outstanding private schools. This episode features Friends Meeting School in Southern Maryland, an institution celebrated for its dedication to inspired independent thought, strong leadership direction with a Quaker-based education and community values.

Overview:

  • Featured School Guests: Chris Kimberly (Head of School) and Presley Belmont (Director of Admissions and Outreach) from Friends Meeting School
  • Host: Karl Boehm, Founder of Help One Hundred Schools

“It’s about knowing that your child matters, that they are thriving not just academically but as a person.” – Presley Belmont

In This Episode:

  • The Quaker Education Vision: Discover the foundational vision of Friends Meeting School, established with the aspiration of educating children to foster world betterment through Quaker values.
  • Personalized Learning Environment: Learn about the school’s commitment to small class sizes and personalized attention, ensuring each student is valued both as an individual and as a scholar.
  • Community and Connectivity: Gain insights into the school’s community-centric approach, emphasizing the importance of each student’s sense of belonging and authenticity.
  • Unique Campus Features: Explore the school’s 54-acre campus, which includes undeveloped farmland, a farm, and a trail in the woods, enhancing the experiential learning opportunities for students.
  • Quaker Principles in Action: Understand how Quaker beliefs such as the inner light, respect, and continuous learning are integrated into the school’s ethos and daily activities.
  • Future Vision and Goals: Hear about the aspirations to increase diversity and community engagement, aiming to enrich the educational experience and prepare students to make a positive impact in the world.

“Our founder started from humble beginnings, collecting soda cans for funds, driven by a vision for a better world through education.” – Chris Kimberly

Final Thoughts:

Join us as we continue to explore and support schools like Friends Meeting School, which provide innovative and impactful educational experiences. Remember, by engaging with and sharing our podcast, you help broaden the reach of schools making a genuine difference.

Contact Information:

Chris Kimberly: I’m Chris Kimberly, Head of School at Friends Meeting School.

Presley Belmont: And I’m Presley Belmont, Director of Admissions and Outreach. We are in our 27th year, and we are the brainchild of Annette Rilling. She’s a Quaker and lifelong educator who still lives on campus. Her vision, dating back decades, was to make the world a better place through education.

Chris Kimberly: Given her experience in education, she felt that a Quaker-based educational experience, which teaches important values connected to the faith, would be a great way to graduate students into the world as leaders who could bring about positive change. In the early 90s, she was literally collecting soda cans to turn in for the five-cent refund to begin the fundraising process. She convinced many fellow Quakers to support the project financially, and 1997 was our first year.

Presley Belmont: Most of the families we get here are looking for small class sizes and a strong sense of community. They want to know that their child matters as both a human being and a student. They want their student to know their teacher and for their teacher to know their student, ensuring that the child truly thrives in the classroom, both as a scholar and a person. This sense of community is evident in our classrooms and among our faculty and staff every day.

Chris Kimberly: To build on that, given our location, we have 54 acres, much of it undeveloped former farmland. We have a farm on campus, trails in the woods, and opportunities for outdoor and experiential learning that families are really drawn to.

Presley Belmont: People love our campus.

Chris Kimberly: Outside of our community bubble, people often struggle to connect and listen to each other. When families come to us, they find that our teachers are willing to sit down, listen, and get to know each student as an individual. We invite disagreement and recognize that conflict is part of life. To be a community and work together as a team, we need to take the time to learn where each person is coming from and have respect. Quakers talk about the inner light that everyone possesses, regardless of age or background. Recognizing this invites patience and an open mind to what others have to offer.

Presley Belmont: When I describe Quakerism to people, I always start by saying it is very approachable and accepting. Everyone is deserving of respect. Quakers believe that you’re never fully enlightened and there’s always more to learn. Every day is truly a school day with Quakers and here at Friends. This is a great starting point for families learning about who we are.

Chris Kimberly: What drew me to Quakerism was the emphasis on questions rather than commandments. Quakers ask questions to engage in self-reflection, conscious thought, careful choice, and compassion. These elements undergird much of what we do in our learning program. Our mission connects to these topics: the inner light, belonging, and safety. We ensure that students feel safe and belong first, so they can learn. They can walk through any door on campus and be their authentic selves without fear of judgment or shame.

Presley Belmont: This ties in with our school motto: “To seek and speak truth in love.” Owning who you are, sharing your light, seeking knowledge and love. Our students, faculty, and staff truly feel this every day. We had a student who started mid-year from a different school system, and her parents said it was night and day. She was so much happier here, which speaks to the authenticity of our school.

Chris Kimberly: Families often say they didn’t know we existed or they drove by the school many times without realizing we ran kindergarten through grade 12. We love when visitors come to campus and see what we offer. Often, after a tour with Presley, families are impressed. After their child’s shadow day, they ask, “Can we start tomorrow?” So, my message is: come see us.

Presley Belmont: When I think about the future of Friends Meeting School, it’s having our classrooms filled with diverse students from all backgrounds. At our recent showcase, we saw students with amazing talents from different backgrounds. The future of FMS is more diversity, more love, more authenticity, growing our community, and engaging students so they feel cared for and go out to change the world.

Chris Kimberly: You don’t need to be a Quaker to attend or work at the school. I’m one of two Quakers here, and we have one Quaker family out of 110 students, which is typical for Friends schools. Quaker education is universal and inclusive. It’s about introspection, centering yourself, connecting with your inner light, and doing so within a community. It’s an open door.

Visit the Featured School

Interested in seeing Friends Meeting School for yourself or learning more about their unique educational approach? Plan a visit and experience their vibrant community first-hand.

Engage

If you found this episode inspiring, please share it with others who might appreciate this distinctive educational approach. Your support helps connect deserving schools with families seeking the right educational environment for their children.

Subscribe

Join us as we continue to explore and support schools like Friends Meeting School, which provide innovative and impactful educational experiences. Remember, by engaging with and sharing our podcast, you help broaden the reach of schools making a genuine difference.