Friends’ Central Lower School Students Play, Explore, Discover & Lead

The Lower School (Nursery to grade 5) at Friends' Central Lower School (FCS) is a place where joy-filled learning is embedded in play, exploration, and discovery. Whether at a desk or in the garden, maker space, or playground, learning is engaging as “skills and drills” take their place alongside teamwork, collaboration, and critical questioning—why?, how?, what if? The experience is as academically challenging and exciting as it is supportive and structured.

Quaker Values
At the core of this school are the Quaker values of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and service. These values guide children and adults to treat one another with respect and appreciation, creating a safe and inclusive atmosphere that inspires the very best in children.

Curriculum
The broad and varied Lower School curriculum offers opportunities for each child to explore, discover new interests, and shine. Classes are small and instruction is individualized, allowing students to progress at their own rate, with many students excelling far beyond their grade levels.

FCS Lower School takes a thematic approach to education that unifies learning across disciplines, from the core subjects of literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies to electives like art, music, physical education, and foreign languages. This unified method allows FCS students to develop the confidence to serve as advocates and allies, as well as helping build the skills to articulate their thoughts insightfully and effectively.

The curriculum for each grade includes literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, art, library, music, physical education, and Spanish. The program for each grade is exciting, challenging, and dynamic. To complement their academic curriculum, FCS offers a wide range of activities including instrumental music lessons, the Lower School string ensemble, a variety of after-school clubs offerings each season, service and leadership opportunities, and the Lower School Electives and Athletics Program for students in grades 3 through 5.

Leadership
Lower School students learn to be good problem solvers—both academically and interpersonally. Through a careful balance of expectations and freedom, students are held accountable for their words and actions while they learn to develop internal judgment and control. Individual social development and awareness of others are nurtured in tandem with academic benchmarks.

Lower School Admission Events
The best way to learn more and see FCS in action is to attend an Open House this spring! There you’ll learn how FCS students are provided opportunities to be leaders on their campus, which houses extensive organic gardens, a swimming pool, a vast outdoors with woods to explore for outdoor-based learning, and much more.

Lower School Open House
Nursery, Pre-Kindergarten, and Kindergarten
Tuesday, March 5, 2024 • 9:30 am

Lower School Open House
Grades 1-5
Wednesday, March 6, 2024 • 9:30 am
Wednesday, April 10, 2024 • 9:30 am

Lower School Experiential Open House
Nursery, Pre-Kindergarten, and Kindergarten
Saturday, April 13, 2024 • 9 am

Register for each event here: https://www.friendscentral.org/admission/admission-events

Friends' Central Lower School
228 Old Gulph Rd. Wynnewood, PA
Phone: 610-642-1018
E-mail: admissions@friendscentral.org