Really looking for honest opinion about Sandy Spring Friends School

[Anonymous]

What zip code/ or school does your child attend in MCPS. That is really makes the difference. That is why we are looking at SSFS. We already have a child at an IVY. So I know the formula, as most don’t. We are looking for an education where our child learns. And isn’t taught to pass a test.

Anonymous wrote:My son has been in their lower school for 3 years, and we have had 3 heads of LS in that time, with the current head just resigning this year. 5 teachers also resigned this year. There is a culture issue and low morale with the staff, which I believe stems from top leadership/admin. There is also no STEM program in the lower school and academic rigor is not a focus. The art program is amazing and we love all the outdoor space for recess and nature walks, which is great for younger kids, but could not justify paying the tuition just for those things. Our son is going to MCPS for 4th and 5th. Maybe if SSFS addresses their systemic issues and teacher morale we will be back in middle school. Right not way too much uncertainty for us to stay.

[Anonymous]

My information is a few years old but we thought SSFS had solid d teachers and a warm community. SSFS is serious academically but has less homework and less competition than Big 3. (We are also a BIg 3 family.)

[Anonymous]

We have a child in the upper school. There are many great things about SSFS and overall, we recommend it.

Academics: We have experience with kids at Sidwell and Georgetown Day School, both of those schools have a much higher pressure cooker academic environment. GDS has done away with AP where SSFS still has AP. SSFS offers challenging classes for those that seek them out and there are many engaged teachers. There is a lot of opportunity for extra interaction with teachers which is great. The school has small class sizes (10:1 on avg?) and great intercession opportunities where the kids travel across country or even internationally. Students end up at whatever colleges they want - some ivy but all good schools. A lot of great colleges visit the school and the collegecounselor Candace is fantastic - a real gem. My child is driven and prefers the less intensive environment vs DC privates. It is exponentially easier to get in to SSFS then to get in to Sidwell or GDS and the quality of education is comparable.

Community: SSFS isn't centrally located like Sidwell and GDS and kids don't stay on campus in the same way they do at the DC privates, that is a downside (GDS kids in upper school seem to never leave the campus which is great). SSFS does have a new upper school building and the students do hang there.

Athletics: Varies based on the sport. They have a motivated basketball coach who recruits talent. In 2024 they created an independent team and also have the PVAC varsity team so there are many opportunities. School spirit and support of sports could be higher but it is fine (it was the same at GDS. Sidwell has much higher school spirit and hugher quality athletics, of course, as Sidwell actively recruits which GDS does not).

Cost: Sidwell and GDS have higher initial price tags ($53k+) but more is included. SSFS has $43k cost but after adding intercession, trips, etc. Is closer to $50k. There are by far more wealthy families at Sidwell and GDS vs SSFS. This can be positive or negative. There seem to be more kids having house parties in their massive homes at the DC privates vs SSFS but my child seems happy with the social life.

Challenges include lots of changes in leadership although this hasn't really impacted us. They will be ending boarding. Overall, this is a great school and we anticipate our child will go to whatever college they want and with lots of great help from the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are you looking at it? It seems like a weird school. Try Gonzaga (if a boy) or Visitation (if a girl).

My daughter went to the middle and upper school and she was amazed at how much more the teachers cared about your academics than at her previous school (Public), While they are equally concerned about sports, they do care about how your child is progressing. You can request for your child to take a harder curriculum for a certain class. When my daughter was in 6th, her learning from the 5th grade had improved so she got moved up into a higher curriculum best fit for her place on the learning path. My daughter loved sand spring friends and she had a great time there both with her academics, sports, and friends. There is always a spot for your child a ssfs no matter how advanced or if they are a little behind, play a sport or not, Sandy Springs strives to see that of god in everyone. They know what they are doing when it comes to your child's needs.

[Anonymous]

Current child in upper school. I have been pleasantly surprised by the amount and quality of constructive feedback from the teachers to my child about assignments, tests, papers, etc. There is an emphasis on teaching and learning and gently pushing the student that I appreciate. Child was previously at MCPS and not getting this type of feedback.

[Anonymous]

Love the school and culture. Reasonably challenging. Authentic Quaker values. Beautiful campus.

[Anonymous]

Dear Staff of Sandy Spring Friends School ,

I am reaching out regarding multiple pressing concerns surrounding financial transparency, student labor practices, and administrative decision-making at SSFS. I believe these issues warrant immediate attention, as they could have significant ethical and legal implications.

1. Financial Irregularities & Budget Concerns
$6.3 million allocated to financial aid is a small fraction of the school’s budget. Given the high tuition costs, where is the remaining revenue going?
Faculty and staff salaries remain disproportionately low despite steady tuition increases. Payroll records suggest teachers are being paid far less than industry standards—while administrative expenses continue to rise.
Operational cost inconsistencies: Certain budget areas, such as “educational outreach” and “technology development,” appear to be overfunded with no clear breakdown of how these funds are actually spent.
Supporting Evidence Collected:

Budget reports obtained from internal sources show funding mismatches in multiple categories.
Discrepancies between tuition fee allocations vs. actual spending recorded.
Payroll records indicate underpayment of faculty & staff.
2. Community Day – Unpaid Labor Practices
Multiple student testimonies confirm that tasks assigned on Community Day are identical to work typically performed by paid maintenance and administrative staff.
Community Day, while framed as a “volunteer event,” appears to lower operational costs at the expense of unpaid student labor.
Legally, institutions must ensure student participation in labor-like activities is voluntary and not a substitute for paid work.
Supporting Evidence Collected:

Screenshots of internal memos discussing the necessity of “student participation” to cut costs.
Reports from students detailing being assigned non-educational labor duties (e.g., maintenance, cleaning, administrative work).
Comparison of Community Day work assignments vs. standard school maintenance schedules.
3. Transparency & Oversight Failures
Attempts to inquire about budgetary decisions have been met with silence or avoidance.
Certain financial records appear to be missing or inaccessible, raising concerns about deliberate obfuscation of spending.
The administration’s recent pattern of delayed responses and refusal to engage in transparency discussions suggests an effort to avoid scrutiny.
Supporting Evidence Collected:

Documentation of budget-related inquiries left unanswered.
Internal discussions hinting at redirection of funds before financial audits.
Financial reports showing sudden budget shifts before oversight reviews.
I trust SSFS values integrity and transparency. I know SSFS is a great school but what's really going on in the background I know some people have been talking and they seem worried and skeptical of what's going on please respond. People have been skeptical and I want to ensure they're not right
Sincerely

[Anonymous]

Oh man, PP, you’re in over your head. This letter makes you appear incompetent.

[Anonymous]

that letter’s reference to community day labor practices is comedy gold. The idea that having 4th graders weed flower beds for a couple hours one day of the year is a significant financial boon is hilarious.

[Anonymous]

Are you a current parent? I’m really confused. Did you send this letter to the school?

[Anonymous]

I am a concerned parent this school seems off

[Anonymous]

SSFS has been doing many illegal things and people need to speak up about it teachers and staff have been threatened or Career ruin if they said anything
### 1. **Financial Irregularities**
- **Budget Discrepancies**: Internal reports showing mismatches in tuition fee allocations vs. actual spending.
- **Payroll Discrepancies**: Evidence that faculty and staff are underpaid, even though tuition fees have been increasing.
- **Suspicious Spending**: Documentation showing unexplained or unusually high expenditures in areas like “educational outreach” and “technology development.”
- **Missing Financial Records**: Documentation of missing or inaccessible financial records when inquiries were made.

### 2. **Community Day Labor Practices**
- **Student Testimonies**: Students have spoken out, detailing that the tasks on Community Day (weeding flower beds, maintenance tasks) are typically performed by paid staff.
- **Internal Memos**: Screenshots of memos suggesting “student participation” to cut costs, essentially implying that students are being used to replace paid staff.
- **Work Assignments**: Records showing that students are assigned non-educational tasks that are more akin to labor, suggesting unpaid labor.

### 3. **Transparency & Oversight Failures**
- **Unanswered Budget Inquiries**: Documentation of budget-related inquiries made by staff or others that were left unanswered, showing a lack of transparency.
- **Internal Discussions**: Internal memos hinting at redirection of funds before audits or reviews, showing a deliberate attempt to avoid scrutiny.
- **Sudden Budget Shifts**: Financial records indicating sudden changes in the budget right before audit periods, suggesting an effort to hide financial mismanagement.

### 4. **Behavioral Observations**
- **Suspicious Meetings**: The CFO and Head of School seen meeting privately during a fire drill, a potentially unusual gathering considering the timing and context.
- **Suspicious Staff Behavior**: Reports from students and staff noticing the administration’s heightened surveillance, with principals and staff seeming to monitor certain individuals or try to suppress conversations about financial concerns.
- **Lack of Response to Issues**: Delayed or dismissive responses from administrators when concerns about financial transparency or staff concerns were raised.

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[Anonymous]

Is that a letter that went to all staff?
It sounded good until you got to the “ unfair labor practices”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a concerned parent this school seems off

Did you re-enroll? I hope not if you have all these concerns. There’s also an old thread that addresses a lot of your concerns.

[Anonymous]

A day where staff and students comes together and spends a portion of the day (not even the whole day) doing tasks to help their community such as planting gardens, painting benches, or washing a bus is hardly child labor. It's one part of the day which also includes hiking and playing games in community groups. If this tradition upsets you, it doesn't sound like you understand what it means to truly be part of a community and SSFS is probably not for you.