SSFS Closing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a friend who gets FA. No idea how much tbh but he says he gets FA.
Inherited over 800k in a house when parent died and turned around and bought another house that’s a vacation home.
Kinda mind blowing. Even if it’s only 5k in FA he shouldn’t be getting it imo.

People cheat on Financial Aid forms. SSFS is not overly generous with Financial Aid. We were there for a few years, have take home income of around $100 K, and had two kids at the school. They dropped FA from 20% to 10% and tuition rose dramatically. So we had to leave.

[Anonymous]

If they raised the funds, great! It's happened before in this area. St. Barts school in Bethesda was at risk of closure by the archdiocese, then the parents banded together and turned it around. Of course, there shortfall was much smaller as there was no debt and it's only a K-8 school, but it is possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those who are minimizing the $15M in pledges, this was accomplished in less than 100 hours with sights now set on the endowment.

SSFS isn’t just another private school. The Quaker values of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship are engrained into the daily experience of the students. The kids participate in a weekly Quaker “meeting”- sitting in quiet reflection on how to make the world a better and more just place. Our kids- and our world- need a lot more of all of these values right now.

As a current family, we’ve been touring other schools this week and while all have been lovely, none have come close to the magic of SSFS.

We’re determined to keep the doors open and keep shining our light. I hope you join us.

I admire what you are trying to do, but what about the “integrity” of families who made pledges and never followed through? Pledges are worthless! you need cash right now. People need to put their money where their mouths are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone relax. This is very real. If you’re part of the community you know more details. If not you don’t and important information won’t be shared here. And for all of you debbie downers that like to give advice, stop because yes all families are still applying and touring schools and yes teachers are still job searching. So everyone just relax and let your own lives speak.

Everything the “coalition” posts here sounds so shady. I’m sorry but it does. “Trust us” “if you joined our group you’re getting details” (btw I signed up and haven’t received a thing!!).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone relax. This is very real. If you’re part of the community you know more details. If not you don’t and important information won’t be shared here. And for all of you debbie downers that like to give advice, stop because yes all families are still applying and touring schools and yes teachers are still job searching. So everyone just relax and let your own lives speak.

I’m part of the community and do not have more details. Just lots of vague generalities about angel donors. I love the school but am deeply concerned/skeptical (a) that the coalition is counting aspirational numbers included in a google survey as guaranteed pledges, and (b) we have any idea what the actual amount of money is needed, as we have seen zero information or communication from the BOT so far. People need to find new schools now because we can’t count on the possibility of the school being saved and it’s already late April, tons will leave even if theoretically there were enough to solve the immediate crisis, and who in their right mind would newly want to join the school next year or the year after given this insanity?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they raised the funds, great! It's happened before in this area. St. Barts school in Bethesda was at risk of closure by the archdiocese, then the parents banded together and turned it around. Of course, there shortfall was much smaller as there was no debt and it's only a K-8 school, but it is possible.

something similar just happened at Preston up in New York. You guys should review the court case, etc..

https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2025/attorney-general-james-hold-public-hearing-closure-preston-high-school-bronx

[Anonymous]

Same. Signed up and not a peep

There is no real $$$....just pledges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone relax. This is very real. If you’re part of the community you know more details. If not you don’t and important information won’t be shared here. And for all of you debbie downers that like to give advice, stop because yes all families are still applying and touring schools and yes teachers are still job searching. So everyone just relax and let your own lives speak.

Everything the “coalition” posts here sounds so shady. I’m sorry but it does. “Trust us” “if you joined our group you’re getting details” (btw I signed up and haven’t received a thing!!).

I’m sorry you haven’t been added to the email list yet. It is taking them a little time to get through the volume of adds. Could you reach out to another parent (or alumni) that you know to ask for more information? I know I am sharing information and discussing the situation with my mom friend group, and that is more helpful that DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone relax. This is very real. If you’re part of the community you know more details. If not you don’t and important information won’t be shared here. And for all of you debbie downers that like to give advice, stop because yes all families are still applying and touring schools and yes teachers are still job searching. So everyone just relax and let your own lives speak.

Everything the “coalition” posts here sounds so shady. I’m sorry but it does. “Trust us” “if you joined our group you’re getting details” (btw I signed up and haven’t received a thing!!).

Okay great. Thanks for your opinion. Why are you even here then. No one is holding you hostage. Best of luck to you.

[Anonymous]

Don’t underestimate work to now retain families, teachers, and admins to deliver mission if this pans out. Sure many teachers have already cast out their resumes. Would current interim head stay next year for continuity? Would be wise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everything the “coalition” posts here sounds so shady. I’m sorry but it does. “Trust us” “if you joined our group you’re getting details” (btw I signed up and haven’t received a thing!!).

To the poster with the distinctive love of scare quotes, ie:
13:15 & 13:51 Why does anyone need to join a “secret club”?
19:16 I’m not joining your “database”
20:44 Everything the “coalition” posts here sounds so shady

First you were not a current or former family, now you are a community member, etc etc. First you refused to ever sign up and now you have signed up, etc etc . I can't figure out if you are a troll, one of the developers sniffing around the land, or someone having a really bad night.

To the "secret club" "coalition" with your nefarious "database": good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
Well, that’s not surprising since it seems that half the students there were children of faculty and staff who got a free tuition ride. Not a good business plan!

This is 100% not true. I work at the school and at least half of the faculty and staff have children at the school that receive a significant amount of financial aid.

You don't seem to realize this is still damning and not different from the post you were responding to. Full ride vs. eating up a significant amount of financial aid is not materially different. My kids are elsewhere, and I would be livid if my annual fund donations were only going to faculty kids.

[Anonymous]

Former HOS Tom Gibian is currently on the board and has an MBA in finance from Wharton. If anyone might be able to shed light on whether there is hope for the coalition, it might be him.

[Anonymous]

Coalition 04/17 End of Day Update (Sent By Email)
Dear Friends,
We've got quite a long email coming your way. Consider a snack and your favorite drink as you read along. Thanks for getting to the end and please forward to everyone you know
The donor commitments over the past 48 hours have been remarkable. We have $9M+ in pledges, which has given our primary angel donor the confidence to guarantee the money up front to keep the school open for the next three years. Our long-term goal is to set up an endowment so that nothing like this can happen again.
Let's Take a Minute to Connect
We started the Coalition because we couldn’t believe this community working together couldn’t muster the money to stay open despite a financial crisis. We wanted to provide a vessel so the parents, the students, the alumni, and our friends and faculty could all sing from the same songbook. You all have surpassed our wildest expectations. There is an ocean of talent, expertise, resolve, and, most noticeably, kindness in this community. It’s been staggering.
We’ve been operating on a two-phase short-sighted plan - first, get the money.
We are there.
The second part is to keep the school intact and headed in a new and better direction. This is where the primary drivers of this boat need to be the parents. First, let us thank you as a group - our primary donor pool is parents of current students. We know how traumatic this week has been, and we are sorry that we haven’t gotten the parents more involved.
We’ve never done a 10-year Capital Raise in 48 hours without notice before!
And not all of us have children at the school yet. So we have interacted mainly with the people we knew for our time there thus far. We are fully aware that, ultimately, parents need to be at the head of this effort. We built this coalition for the people SSFS belongs to now- the parents and students. And the parents have done the heavy lifting financially. They have taken leadership roles in the Coalition as we've gotten to know everyone in our widely expanding network. And more than anything, we can’t thank you enough for saving the most important part of our childhood and keeping this unique, special community alive. Everything that’s taken place in the last 72 hours has proven that.
I know it sounds crazy, but we are now in a place to believe the school might come out stronger on the other side. We have the money for it. Now we need people to stay and more to join us.
We know you have to make difficult decisions about what’s best for your kids. But right now, if you want to let yourself hope that this place survives and that we can all stay connected to this uniquely special place and the people we love that make it one, we think you can give yourself permission to start doing that.
Now, Let's Get to the Update
General and what we need
- You ROCK with all of your amazing ideas and resources you've sent us. Chef's kiss! Please keep it coming. We have the most incredible team-- we hope you will meet them someday-- and they are on every idea you have and every tidbit. We need them. Send away!
- We need a PR/spokesperson who's cool, calm, collected, and grounded and who can speak on camera (unlikely) but would feel comfortable doing so. The Coalition has convictions about media, and we need someone to delegate media requests who can align with those convictions and stick to them like glue. You can email us, but please share your experience and work in links or clips. Open to someone outside of SSFS community but in your network.
- Pledges. Seriously. Get the form out. Get the word out. We've heard some large groups have had no idea. Please share, share, share.
What has happened and what we are doing right now
- Slack is up and running, thanks to a few quiet leaders who could seriously run the world. We need people on those channels for easier communication and leads, so thank you for your patience!
- The Coalition is officially united. Originally, there was one group of family members and the Coalition, and now the community is fully united; this was always our goal because we have to be united to row in the same direction. We worked together, externalized, listened, and considered; it's really beautiful what's happening.
- I am not trying to bury the lead, but this is probably what you are most here for, and it is related to our goal of requesting a meeting with the Board to present all of your and our efforts to them. We're engaging in thoughtful dialogue with SSFS to chart a constructive path forward. The Coalition is committed to supporting the school's future while being clear that our vision necessarily includes significant board leadership renewal. Our financial support is explicitly tied to these governance changes—not as a criticism of past efforts, but as an essential foundation for rebuilding trust and ensuring the school's long-term stability. In true Quaker fashion, we seek to work through this transition with respect and care, finding solutions that honor the school's mission while embracing the fresh leadership needed for its next chapter.

[Anonymous]

Not an employee of the school but I have a family member who is. We have been part of the SSFS community for 24 years. BOT had an emergency meeting tonight with the coalition who got the $$ pledges. Not yet sure of the outcome, but hopefully something is being worked out. The challenge now is not just money, but if current families and teachers would gamble on staying. Fingers crossed.