Roughly 70% of the parents who visit FSMN as potential new members have mentioned that they learned about our school through their connections with current or former students and their families. This goes to show the remarkable impact of word-of-mouth recommendations! We love when our current families tell others about us, but sometimes we’ve been asked how to explain FSMN in a straightforward way.
We are here to help! Below, you will find a short, simple way to describe our school.
Who We Are
The long story…(admissions might say this on a tour or as part of a presentation)
“We are a K-8 progressive, Quaker school in the Hamline Midway neighborhood of Saint Paul. Progressive education is about preparing our students to be active participants in a democracy. But what does this mean in a school setting? Students learn by doing, constructing knowledge from rich materials, experiences and relationships instead of rote memorization. Perspective-taking is important and curiosity, critical thinking, and the social context are central to teaching and learning. These approaches are grounded on a foundation of Quaker values – values like simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equity, stewardship- which inform and help frame learning.”
Some Simple Answers
You are in line at the grocery store and someone sees your awesome Friends School t-shirt. They ask you about the school. You don’t have much time. What can you say?
How about this…
What kind of school is Friends School?
It is a small, progressive, Quaker school in Saint Paul.
- They focus on learning by doing.
- Relationships are important.
- Students are challenged to develop a sense of self along with core academic skills.
Students examine the world through Quaker values.
Is it a religious school?
There is no direct religious instruction. Quaker values and practice provide a foundation for the mission and program, and provide context for reflection.
Another Way to Describe the School
A teacher has described the education at Friends School (and progressive education) the following way:
At Friends School students learn:
About the real world
In the real world
To change the real world
Scheduling a tour is easy!
Please feel free to share our tour link with your friends and family. They can pick a day and time that works best for them.
Thank You
Thank you so much for spreading the word about our school. Word of mouth is an important way for new families to find out about us. If these suggestions aren’t for you, that is ok! Just share what you love about our school.
