Germantown Friends School

It's hard to believe it’s been a month since campus was buzzing with energy for Alumni Weekend 2026! 💙 From the beautiful art exhibitions to cheering on our baseball and softball legends at Gratwick Field to catching up during milestone class reunions, it was a weekend we won't forget.

Want to relive the magic or see what your classmates were up to? Check out the full recap and photo album!

🔗 Read the recap story: https://loom.ly/5tu6_k8
📸 Browse the full photo album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/y75iwUKEu4Lz2Wxs7

Smiles, laughter, singing, and happy tears filled the GFS campus this past week as we gathered to celebrate our students who are moving up from one division to the next. Congratulations to our rising kindergarteners, sixth graders, and ninth graders! We’re so excited to see how your talents, curiosity, and leadership will continue to make GFS an amazing school.

Last week marked our final Early Childhood Community Day of the year. 🧡 It was a day of exciting "firsts" for our Preschoolers, as they took their very first school bus ride from Main Campus to Center City! Students loved visiting their Center City friends' classrooms, playing in Washington Square, and enjoying lunch together.

Meanwhile, on Main Campus, our PreK classes were busy gearing up for this week's Bead Ceremonies. They stepped onto the big stage under the tent to rehearse, and the students took turns serving as an encouraging audience for one another. The day ended with some recreation time on the playground!

Our hearts are still full from Saturday's Class of 2026 commencement ceremony! 💙 Sharing a few photo highlights and reflections from a beautiful day.

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"My time at GFS is not about a building or a classroom or even a particular lesson. Instead, it's the connections I made along the way, and much of this has to do with the people sitting behind me." -Jordan Abney '26

"I hope that years from now, people who encounter you will feel more seen, more respected, and more hopeful because you, the Class of 2026, were there." -Dana Weeks, Head of School

"What defines life is not knowing. Because not knowing means you haven't let someone else define the future for you." -Jeremy Turner '26

"What I enjoy most about being an educator is the reciprocal relationship. The opportunity for connection, and the potential to encourage relationships, humility, and questioning." -Kayla Ashcroft, Upper School math teacher

"My hope is that you will carry with you the values you learned here: To listen carefully, to think independently, to treat others with respect, and to have the courage to act according to your convictions." -David Feldman '76, School Committee Clerk

Don't worry—you're not seeing double! 👀

Last Wednesday, our Kindergarten students proudly presented their final GFS Community Study projects. This semester-long curriculum was a deep dive into the people, places, and values that make GFS thrive. Students spent months interviewing various GFS community members and studying campus history and architecture to see how spaces support our learning community.

To celebrate the culmination of their hard work, K-West welcomed families for a spectacular morning showcase. The students performed songs, put on puppet shows with original scripts honoring GFS faculty and staff, displayed custom-made trading cards, and even used handmade brochures to lead their families on impressive mini-tours of campus.

Congrats to our Kindergarteners on their hard work, and a huge thank you to all the faculty and staff who welcomed our young researchers with open arms this semester!

“The path ahead is yours to create.” -Jeremy Turner ’26

You did it, Class of 2026!!! 🎓🎉

A huge congratulations to our newest GFS alumni. You have brought so much energy, brilliance, and laughter to our campus over the years. While we are going to miss seeing you in the hallways, we cannot wait to see how you shake up the world next.

Go out there and shine, Tigers! 🐯

Talk about a spectacular finale to the school year! GFS has been alive with music during our incredible end-of-year concerts.

From the breathtaking performances at the All-School Choral Concert to the high energy of A Ca****la and the beautiful artistry of our Chamber Music ensembles, our students brought their talent and hard work to the stage.

Proud is an understatement! ❤️👏

Our fourth graders recently took part in the annual Olympic Day—a beloved tradition that bridges physical education, social studies, and a whole lot of hard work. 🏛️🏅

Throughout the spring, students trained diligently in PE class while simultaneously studying ancient civilizations and the historic origins of the Olympic Games. All that practice paid off during the big event, which stayed true to tradition with celebratory opening and closing ceremonies. Students showcased their growth and confidence across a variety of track and field events, culminating in the highly anticipated 19-person leg relay!

GFS' Five-Year Sustainability Plan marks a defining moment for our school, providing a community-focused and measurable pathway toward carbon neutrality, Zero Waste, and a climate-resilient future. For generations, GFS students and faculty have been working together to promote environmental responsibility and guide the community toward more sustainable actions. This plan aims to translate strategy into the daily rhythm of our campus.

"Together, we can continue to progress the work that’s taken place throughout the school’s history to make GFS a truly living campus—one that has a positive, healing impact on both our environment and our community," says Francine Locke, GFS' Director of Sustainability.

🔗 To learn more and read the plan, please visit our new Sustainability webpage: https://www.germantownfriends.org/about-us/sustainability