Why Connecticut Friends School?
Connecticut Friends School teaches children academic and social skills while encouraging a permanent and joyful love of learning. We perceive learning not as a set of principles to be memorized but as a continual process of inquiry. We have chosen our particular academic model not because we feel it is most fun for kids, but because we believe it is a powerful pedagogy, capable of affecting children in a profoundly positive way as they navigate through life.

By fostering cooperation rather than competition among students, CFS creates an atmosphere that celebrates individual differences. Working together, the children learn the joys and challenges of building a community while, at the same time, gaining a sense of their specific interests and abilities.

What is a Friends school?
Friends schools are based on the values of equality, integrity, simplicity, community, stewardship, and peace. Since the opening of the first Friends School in Philadelphia in 1689, Friends education has steadfastly maintained that social, ethical, and spiritual development is just as important as academic excellence in the education of a child. A Friends School cares deeply about the type of individuals its students are becoming. Friends Schools stand as beacons for tolerance, love, and mutual understanding.

Are you a religious school?
Although we are rooted in the Friends, or Quaker, belief system, we do not teach religion per se nor do our students need to be Quaker. We enroll students from a variety of faiths at CFS. Students are encouraged to share from their own faith traditions. They explore the role of faith and religious traditions as part of their social studies work.

Is CFS right for my child?
CFS is a mainstream school, well-suited for a variety of learners, from accelerated to average. We are not equipped to meet the needs of students with serious learning challenges. As educators, we believe that the right school is one in which a child learns best, where the educational approach is valued by the family, and where the family feels a sense of belonging. Such a school will be different for different families. Getting to know our school as well as possible is the only way to find out if CFS is right for you and your child.

Can we visit the school?
Of course! Parents may visit Wednesday mornings at 9:30 am or by appointment with the Director of Admissions. Just call (203) 762-9860. Students visit later as part of the admissions process.

Parents and children may attend our Open Houses, held twice a year; October 16, 2009 is the next open house. The second one is February 26, 2010.

How are children evaluated for admission?
CFS does not test children as part of our admissions process; rather, there is an informal assessment of applicants in the areas of reading, math, and writing fluency, according to their age.

Children entering grades 2 through 8 spend a full day integrated into a classroom program. Children participate in on-going classroom activities and discussions, and are welcomed into the social group of the class for that day.

Children entering grades K and 1 meet one-on-one with our K-1 teachers for 30 minutes. They play games and engage in various activities that allow the teachers to observe each child in a general sense. Applicants for K and 1 also may be asked to spend a partial day participating in the classroom.

Our admissions committee also looks at information provided by the applicant’s parents and current school as well as teacher recommendations.

How are children evaluated as students once enrolled at CFS?
Teachers provide written narrative assessments at the end of every trimester. We do not assign grades, nor administer standardized tests. Our curriculum is in alignment with national standards for the various disciplines and our teachers accumulate samples of student work, quizzes, and test scores to supplement their close observation.

Where do CFS students go after graduation?
Some graduates move on to local public high schools in Weston, New Canaan, Darien, Norwalk, and Westport as well as magnet schools such as Academy of Information Technology & Engineering (AITE), Nutmeg Ballet, and the Academy for the Performing Arts. Other students go to day or boarding independent high schools including The Masters School, King School, Fairfield Prep, Westtown (Friends) School, St. Joseph High School, St. Luke’s School, Suffield Academy, International School (Rome, Italy), Wooster School, Soundview Prep, Waldorf School (Oberberg, Germany), and la Unidad Educativa Americalatina (Quito, Ecuador).

What about college?
CFS alumni have been accepted at the following colleges and universities:
American University, Bowling Green, Bryn Mawr College, College of the Redwoods, Colorado College, Columbia University, Earlham College, Goucher College, Green Mountain College, Guilford College, Hampshire College, Harvey Mudd College, Lafayette College, Lewis & Clark College, MIT, Swarthmore College, University of Rochester, University of Vermont, Wellesley College.

How long is the school day?
School begins at 8:30 am and ends at 3:00 pm Monday through Thursday. On Fridays, school ends for K through 4 grades at 12:30 pm and for 5 through 8 grades at 3:00.

How much homework is assigned?
Generally speaking, students in grades 2 through 8 should expect daily homework. Although teachers may give assignments to be completed outside of school, we do not equate long hours of busy work with a rigorous academic program. We expect our students to work diligently during school hours so that they can spend time with their families each evening.

Is there an after school program?
Yes, see the complete description of the after school care program at the end of the FAQ section below.

Is bus service available?
Yes, although the route varies from year to year depending on the geographic configuration of students. Families may sign up for both am and pm bus service, or only morning, or only afternoon. See the schedule of fees for pricing. Some transportation requests cannot be filled.

What sort of physical education is offered?
Physical education classes are held twice a week. Students participate in a variety of fitness activities including stretching, aerobics, strength training, yoga, dance, and soccer. Students also have generous amounts of unstructured outdoor recess each day—30 minutes at lunch and an additional break in the morning. Our middle school students take an Outdoor Education and Leadership program, a sequential, skills-oriented approach to being safe in the outdoors.

Our After School Care Program (ASCP) is offered Monday through Friday. The program is fun, low-key, and friendly. Connecticut Friends School is committed to offering ASCP to our families both as support to working parents, as well as a means by which students can socialize with friends. The program is a way for students of all ages to continue the community building that happens naturally during the school day. As an added benefit, students often find that it is easier to get going on homework when several children sit down to purposefully tackle assignments in our supervised atmosphere. In addition to the program director, at least one faculty member is available to help with homework.

Our program begins at 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday and at 12:30 p.m. on Fridays. Students meet in the Oaks 2 classroom following dismissal. We take attendance, enjoy a simple, healthy snack, make any announcements, begin to work on homework assignments, and play some games. Then we enjoy time outside; during extremely inclement weather we will have extended indoor activities such as arts and crafts, a variety of group challenges, and puzzles. After coming inside, we wind down with a second snack and enjoy some quieter cleanup time. Students may be picked up anytime, but no later than 5:30 p.m.

Families receive a discount when purchasing a pre-paid pack of ASCP visits, or they can pay per session as needed. We also offer a 10% discount for siblings who attend CFS.

For more detailed information about cost, schedule, and programming, please call the office at (203) 762-9860.

Our co-heads often refer parents and teachers to their favorite books on education, Quakerism, children, and parenting.

The Blessing of a Skinned Knee by Wendy Mogel
Courage to Teach by Parker Palmer
Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler
How Your Child Learns Best by Judy Willis
Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv
Teaching Children to Care by Ruth Charney
What to Look for in a Classroom… and Other Essays by Alfie Kohn
A Quaker Book of Wisdom: Life Lessons in Simplicity, Service, and Common Sense by Robert Lawrence Smith
A Virtuous Education: Penn's Vision for Philadelphia Schools by William C. Kashatus
Early Quaker Writings: 1650-1700 by Hugh Barbour and Arthur Roberts, eds.
Hidden in Plain Sight: Quaker Women’s Writings 1650–1700 by Mary Garman, Margaret Benefiel, Judith Applegate, and Dortha Meredith, eds.
The Faith and Practice of the Quakers by Rufus M. Jones
Friends for 300 Years: The History and beliefs of the Society of Friends since George Fox started the Quaker movement by Howard H. Brinton

Download a printable PDF file  (PDF)

2009-2010 School Year

August	26-28 31-Sept. 4	Wed-Fri Mon-Fri	Teacher Professional Development Week Teacher Professional Development Week
September	8-9 10 15 17 17 23-25 28	Tue-Wed Thu Tue Thu Thu Wed-Fri Mon	Professional Development/ Optional Parent-Teacher Conferences Classes Resume: 12:30pm dismissal All-School Welcome Gathering: 6pm Curriculum Night: Maples 7-8pm; Pines 8-9pm Parent Association Meeting: 8:30am Curriculum Night: Oaks 7-8:30pm Powell House (PoHo): Pines & Oaks to Chatham, NY No School (Yom Kippur)
October	8 12 16 19-23 22 26-30 29	Thu Mon Fri Mon-Fri Thu Mon-Fri Thu	Parent Association Meeting: 8:30am No School (Columbus Day) Fall Open House/Information Session: 1-3pm Family Conferences All-School Potluck Dinner: 5:30pm Family Conferences No Classes (Family Conferences all day)
November	12 21 24 25 30	Thu Sat Tue Wed Mon	Parent Association Meeting: 8:30am Harvest Moon Square Dance: 6:30pm-8:30pm Grand Friends Day: 11am-1pm (Stone Soup Luncheon) First Trimester Ends No School (Thanksgiving Break Begins) No Classes (Staff Development Day)
December	1 10 17 18	Tue Thu Thu Fri	Classes Resume Parent Association Meeting: 8:30am Last day of classes All School Winter Celebration: 6:30pm No Classes (Staff Development Day) (Winter Break Begins)
January	4 14 18 19-22 25-29 27 28	Mon Thu Mon Tue-Fri Mon-Thu Wed Thu	Classes Resume Parent Association Meeting: 8:30am All School Potluck Dinner: 5:30pm No School (Martin Luther King Jr.Day) Family Conferences Family Conferences Talent Night: 6:30pm No Classes (Family Conference Day)
February	4 11 15 16-17 26	Thu Thu Mon Tue-Wed Fri	Talent Night snow date Parent Association Meeting: 8:30am No School (Presidents' day) No Classes (Staff Development Days) Winter Open House/Information Session: 1-3pm
March	3-4 4 5 8 22	Wed-Thu Thu Fri Mon Mon	Oaks Play: Performances Wed 6:30pm,Thu 10am/6:30pm Parent Association Meeting: 8:30am Second Trimester Ends; No School (Spring Break Begins) Classes Resume
April	1 2 8	Thu Fri Thu	All School Potluck Dinner: 5:30pm No School (Good Friday) Parent Association Meeting: 8:30am
May	6 13 31	Thu Thu Mon	Storytelling Night: 6:30pm Parent Association Meeting: 8:30am No School (Memorial Day)
June	3 4 10 11 & 14-18	Thu Fri Thu Fri & Mon-Fri	Parent Association Meeting: 8:30am All School Meeting with Special Presentations 9-10:30am Family Field Day 11am-3pm Last Day of Classes; Final All School Meeting/Tree Planting 1:30-2:30pm Year End Celebration: 6:30pm; Third Trimester Ends Teacher work days
Special Note: Students eat lunch after school on any early dismissal day (including Fridays for Maples and Pines)

Connecticut Friends School will post delays and closings on the following media platforms:

Websites
news12.com
nbc30.com
ctweather.com

Television
Cable Channel 12
Cable Channel 30 (NBC)

Individuals can sign up to have information on school closings and delays sent via email or by text to a cell phone: Go to the CTWeather.com website and click on e-notifications. First, create an account, then log into your account, select the box for Connecticut Friends School, and press “submit.”

If CFS has an unscheduled early dismissal, we will call parents. Please give us all your phone numbers. If we cannot reach you, we will make some provision to safely care for your child.

Connecticut Friends School policy is to not make up days cancelled due to inclement weather or other emergencies.