Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago Friends School was started by a group of Chicago area parents, educators, and other volunteers who shared a vision of a K-8 school rooted in the Quaker values of peace, equality, simplicity, integrity, community and service; and who are dedicated to educating children in an evolving, supportive, and diverse community resulting in academic excellence and spiritual depth.  We are excited about bringing a Friends school to the Chicago area. We are pleased that you are interested in joining us as a pioneer in this endeavor.

ACCREDITATION

Is Chicago Friends School accredited?

Chicago Friends School will work toward membership in the Friends Council on Education, an organization providing support to over 80 Quaker schools across the country.  CFS will also register with the Illinois State Board of Education and seek accreditation.

ADMISSIONS and ENROLLMENT

What happens after the application has been received by CFS?

After an application is received, the admissions team will contact parents to schedule a meeting to allow us to learn about your family and for you to learn more about CFS.  We feel it is important to understand parents’ perspectives and educational philosophy. This meeting will be approximately half an hour long.

What kind of families does CFS seek?

CFS is committed to enrolling students whose families understand our mission and embrace the basic tenets of a Friends education.  We are committed to building a strong and vibrant community reflecting students of diverse intellectual abilities and all cultural, racial, religious, and economic backgrounds.

What is Chicago Friends School’s sibling policy?

Siblings of enrolled students will receive special consideration in the admissions process.  We expect to be able to offer some limited tuition assistance the first year, as well as a sibling discount.

BEFORE AND AFTER CARE

Will before or after care be offered?

Yes, we will have before and after care.  Before care will begin at 7:00 am.  After care will be available until 6:00 pm.  We will provide a program of play and structured activities, as well as quiet reading and study time for older children.

CLASS SIZE

What is the student: teacher ratio?

We are committed to small classes of approximately 20 children in the lower grades, with a ratio of one teacher per 10 students in a K to 2nd grade classroom. 

CURRICULUM

What will my child learn?

CFS offers a content-rich curriculum including art, music, drama, physical education, math, science, social studies, language arts, and environmental education.  Our Curriculum Overview provides more information for parents.

Does CFS offer extracurricular activities?

Extracurricular activities may be offered after school depending on the number of children enrolled and the ages of the children.  If offered, the types of activities will vary and may include activities such as environment club, music, yoga, etc. Activities will be fee-based.

How often do the students work with teachers in art, music, and physical education?

Each subject will be offered twice per week. 

What is the Chicago Friends School’s environmental education program?

We will learn about our relationship with other living things, the relationships of living things with each other, and we will explore healthy ways of interacting with our environment. This will include gardening, connecting children with their food sources, helping them understand where their food comes from, getting children outdoors, caring for classroom animals, visiting Chicago wilderness sites, and learning about sustainable practices. Chicago Friends School begins ecological education in the primary grades. Outdoor experiences are sequenced to include particular skills, experiences, and habitats.  Field trips to natural sites will be connected to classroom study. As CFS expands to 3rd grade and above, students may have overnight camping trips, backpacking trips, and other outdoor experiences.

DISCIPLINE

What is your discipline policy?

We believe in nurturing children and managing behavior with developmental understanding and compassion to promote the best social and emotional outcomes and to promote in children a caring and compassionate spirit.  Teachers model patience and kindness and set consistent, age-appropriate and acceptable limits.

FAMILY ROLE

How do parents participate at CFS?

Quaker faith is grounded in the belief that “there is that of God” in each of us.  As we encounter one another in our daily lives we seek to listen to the Spirit that can speak through every person.  By seeking the guidance of the Spirit in our daily actions we hope to create a better world for all.  It is our belief that by working together cooperatively, listening for the leading of the Spirit, we have the best chance to achieve the best outcome.  At Chicago Friends School we rely upon the honest seeking and participation of all community members to fulfil the potential of Friends education.

As the Quaker faith is an inherently cooperative belief system, at Chicago Friends School we believe that family involvement is important to our growth and health as a school. Our parents are actively involved in the school community.  Family involvement in the school builds and strengthens our community and reinforces the values of the school. All members of our learning community – students, teachers, staff, parents and siblings – have unique gifts and talents that enrich the school experience. We invite you to share them.  Some ways parents can be involved are:

  • Board service
  • Volunteer with school standing committees
  • Involvement with service projects
  • Accompanying field trips
  • Attend parent workshops
  • Participation in our weekly Meeting for Worship
  • Contributions to fundraising efforts
  • Classroom involvement

GRADING / ASSESSMENT

The Chicago Friends School believes that a meaningful education entails teachers directing their curricular approach in a way that responds to the needs and interests of an individual child.  Therefore, all assessment at CFS is built upon a tradition of child-centered learning that is at times child-led and at times teacher-led. CFS will practice authentic assessment, involving the child in a process of discussing what has been learned and assessing where the child is at. Types of assessments will vary from classroom to classroom, but examples may include teacher observation, portfolios, classroom activities (performances, artistic expression, student work), action research led by the teacher, and other qualitative and quantitative measures.  Parents will receive written narrative reports from the teacher regarding their son or daughter’s progress, strengths, and needs on a regular basis, along with parent-teacher conferences.

Will you use any standardized testing?

We will not have any standardized testing in Preschool-2nd Grade.

HOMEWORK

What is the homework policy?

In general, kindergarteners and first graders will not have homework. Parents will be expected to join their children in reading each evening. Second graders will be asked to read with their parents or to read independently. In addition, second graders may receive homework in other subject areas not to exceed age-appropriate time limits. The main purpose of homework is to involve parents in activities that reinforce classroom learning, and to offer practice, to enrich, to individualize, to prepare, and to develop skills and study habits.

MULTIAGE CLASSROOMS

Students in multiage classrooms show increased self-esteem, more cooperative behavior, better attitudes toward school in general, increased pro-social (caring, tolerant, patient, supportive) behavior, enriched personal responsibility, and a decline in discipline problems.

By having a child two years in a row, teachers have the unique opportunity to identify a particular child’s strengths and weaknesses and teach accordingly. Teachers approach each child from a developmental perspective focusing on each child’s next steps instead of from a grade-specific approach. In a multiage classroom, there is greater opportunity for enhancement and reinforcement of learning, acquiring leadership skills, and sharing of knowledge among peers.

LUNCH

Where will children eat lunch?

Children will eat lunch in the classrooms.

Will I be able to order lunch for my child?

For the 2012-2013 school year, parents will provide their own child’s lunch.  As CFS grows, we hope to offer food service that will provide healthy and organic food choices to children.

PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

What is project-based learning?

Project-based learning makes up part of the school day.  With project-based learning, children get to study a subject in greater depth and complexity.

Projects can be tailored to the learning needs and interests of individual children.   While working on projects, children have choices that they can make – choices that are designed together by the child and teacher – and have more ownership of their learning.

Another beneficial aspect of project work is that it makes school more like real life. In real life when we want to know more about something, we ask questions, take some time to find answers, and make connections with what we already know. By making time for project work, we make time for children to ask questions, express their interests, and share what they know.

How are projects assessed?

With project-based learning the projects themselves demonstrate what the child has learned,  in lieu of traditional assessments such as tests and quizzes. Projects also allow children with a variety of different learning styles to demonstrate their acquired knowledge in a way best suited to their individual strengths.

For younger children, the teacher looks at the child’s engagement level in the project as well as math, science, social studies, and writing if these subject areas have been integrated into the project.  Before starting a project, both teacher and child would think about and decide what the project should include and what the teacher will be looking for when the project is complete.

QUAKER EDUCATION

Is there religious instruction at Chicago Friends School?

There is no direct religious instruction; instead a Quaker education provides a values-based learning environment. Quaker testimonies of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and service are woven into all aspects of school life and curriculum.

What is a testimony?

The Quaker faith is guided by core values that we call our testimonies.  These are examinations of belief that have been re-affirmed and re-examined by every generation of Friends.  While we are most well-known for our peace testimony, this is just one of six core testimonies that we rely upon to guide our actions.  As individuals and together as a faith community Quakers look to our historical experience with these testimonies as well as our personal lived experience to help guide us.  Examples of essential Quaker testimonies are:  Equality, Peace, Service, Simplicity, Integrity and Community.

What are queries?

Queries, or questions, are used to help guide our lives individually and together as a school community. Queries are used for individual or collective meditation and consideration, guiding us to live lives that are consistent with our core values.   Here are a few to ponder:

  • What are fun things to do that don’t cost anything at all?
  • What special gifts do I have and how can I share them with others?
  • How can I make members of our school community feel belonging?
  • How can I respect animals, plants, and other living things?
  • How can time spent in Meeting for Worship guide my life?

How are Quaker values integrated into the school day?

Some ways in which Quaker testimonies are integrated into the day include:

SIMPLICITY:  Among Friends, this is often interpreted as careful stewardship of our resources and appreciation of the Earth’s bounty.  At CFS children will learn how to grow food, participate in decisions regarding use of our resources, and help maintain their classroom.

INTEGRITY:  Integrity is cultivated through teacher, child and family relationships grounded in honesty and mutual respect.  Children will learn to view themselves as responsible for their own actions and to take pride in their role in the world.

EQUALITY:  Children learn that everyone should be treated with fairness and dignity.  The school curriculum values diversity.  All members of the school community will be involved in maintaining and cleaning the school and grounds.  Children’s voices are equally valued in Meeting for Worship.

COMMUNITY AND SERVICE: Once a week, all members of the school community (including parents and siblings, as they are able) worship together.  Children will participate in service projects to strengthen and enrich our wider community.

PEACE: Non-violent conflict resolution will be taught at all grade levels in age-appropriate ways.  Teachers will model peaceful conflict resolution and treating differences with respect.

What is Meeting for Worship?

In the tradition of Friends, children and faculty will gather weekly in shared silence to allow time for listening to the Spirit, reflection and thoughtful sharing. Participants are encouraged to speak out of the silence when they feel led to do so. The silence may be broken by a child sharing a story about a pet, nature, friendship, happiness or sadness.  All community members (including parents and siblings) are welcome and each person’s spiritual journey and personal beliefs are respected. By providing time for outer and inner stillness, we nurture each child on his or her own spiritual journey and develop a culture of community.

Where can I learn more about Quaker Education?

The Friends Council on Education website at www.friendscouncil.org has many resources and downloadable publications for parents interested in Quaker education.

RECESS

Will the children have recess? How often and how long?

Outdoor recess is an integral part of our school day as it supports our notion that children need not only time to play, but also time to play outdoors.  Recess will follow lunch every day.  In addition to lunchtime recess, teachers will take their children outside for additional recess as best fits their day.  Children will have at least 30 minutes of recess every day.

Will children go out on cold days?

We will be outside for recess on all but the coldest days, and on those days we will have indoor recess.

TECHNOLOGY

How do students learn about and use technology?

We use the word technology here to refer to computer technology.  Technology will be integrated at developmentally-appropriate levels.  Computers supplement and do not replace highly valued early childhood activities and materials, such as art, blocks, sand, water, books, games, exploration with writing materials, and dramatic play.  In determining if computers or software programs are age-appropriate or individually appropriate, teachers will use their professional judgment.