SSFS Will Stay Open

[Anonymous]

April 23, 2025

Dear SSFS Community,

The Sandy Spring Friends School Board of Trustees is thrilled to announce that based on substantial and meaningful funding guarantees and support of the Coalition of Friends of the Sandy Spring Friends School, among others, a path forward for the school had been secured. The School will remain open for the 2025-2026, 2026-2027, and 2027-2028 school year. More work will be needed to ensure the long term financial stability of the school.

These past weeks have been the most difficult in our school's history. We recognize that the announcement deeply affected our beloved school community, and we profoundly regret the pain it caused. We take full responsibility for the sense that there was no other path forward at the time. We are deeply heartened by the generous and passionate responses from across the SSFS community, which reflect the deep love and care for the school, its Quaker values and mission, and the lasting impact the school has had for many. We will work hard to regain our community's trust.

We know there are many questions, and more details will be available in the very near term as our framework takes shape in the days and weeks ahead. School leadership is building a task force to answer as many questions as possible, and they will reach out to faculty, staff, and parents with the first round of communication on Monday, April 28, 2025. Until then, the Board of Trustees extends our deepest gratitude to our students, faculty and staff, alumni, donors, and community.

[Anonymous]

Just delaying the inevitable unless they address the failure of leadership

[Anonymous]

This is really wonderful news!

[Anonymous]

Awesome news and kudos to the coalition for not giving up. There will be tough times ahead but I’m sure the school can come out of this situation stronger than before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just delaying the inevitable unless they address the failure of leadership

The issue of leadership will absolutely be addressed. That is a top priority of those who worked hard to save the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just delaying the inevitable unless they address the failure of leadership

They're going to. That's literally what "a path forward" and "more work will be needed" means.

I do expect the school to be a lot smaller the next couple years. But there are plenty of private schools with 200-odd students. They're working with lots of people in the world of Quaker school leadership.

So, so happy at this outcome and most happy for the upper school students who will get to stay and graduate in their community!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just delaying the inevitable unless they address the failure of leadership

Why be so negative and unhappy that the coalition is working. Of course the leadership issue will be addressed. People are not just going to hand over funds without addressing the current problems. I’m glad the coalition did not listen to all the negative input that the school can’t be saved. At least everyone now has a choice, you can choose to move on or to stay or stay another year and move on later if things don’t work out.

Great job coalition team. I’m thankful to all of you!

[Anonymous]

Any news on camp this summer?

[Anonymous]

Curious, if anyone is going to leave anyway – teachers or students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just delaying the inevitable unless they address the failure of leadership

They're going to. That's literally what "a path forward" and "more work will be needed" means.

I do expect the school to be a lot smaller the next couple years. But there are plenty of private schools with 200-odd students. They're working with lots of people in the world of Quaker school leadership.

So, so happy at this outcome and most happy for the upper school students who will get to stay and graduate in their community!

But are their plenty that can afford the real estate, buildings, and debt service of a 600-kid school? Because that's what SSFS has to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any news on camp this summer?

Got an email from the Camp that it will be open this summer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious, if anyone is going to leave anyway – teachers or students?

I'm sure some will, but I know we're staying. My 11th grader is absolutely thrilled to be able to graduate with his class!

[Anonymous]

I’m sure parents of kids in high school (particularly those graduating in the next few years) are very relieved. If I had a child in the lower school or middle school, however, I’d be looking at making a change after next year so that there wasn’t a big surprise years from now. This is great news, but the school has some work to do to ensure the trust of the community is earned back. And I’m better admissions will be low for the next few years while people wait and see how things go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious, if anyone is going to leave anyway – teachers or students?

I'm sure some will, but I know we're staying. My 11th grader is absolutely thrilled to be able to graduate with his class!

This is great news for you child.

[Anonymous]

The leaders of the "Coalition" deserve a massive amount of respect and a huge round of applause and a grateful "THANK YOU" from everyone who wanted this outcome. As was joked either on here or in the Slack channel they created, can they now save American democracy?

I did NOT like the Board note about "we'll be working hard to regain your trust" though. No, you can't do that. You need to resign and understand that you've lost the trust of the community!

But this is a good day!