Moorestown Friends School

Awards and recognition

During the 1991-92 school year, Moorestown Friends School was awarded the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education, the highest award an American school can receive.

In 2007, Barbara Quinn Kreider, chair of the science department and chemistry teacher, was recognized as the New Jersey parochial school teacher of the year, after her successful freshmen science program was rated number one in the country.

Historian James C. Scott dedicated his 1990 book Domination and the Arts of Resistance to Moorestown Friends School.

History

Moorestown Friends School was created in 1785 by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). The original building stood in what is now Maple Shade Township, New Jersey. It was built before any public school was established in Moorestown. Soon after, another building was erected on the current site, next to the Moorestown Meetinghouse.

In 1827, the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, which the Moorestown Monthly Meeting is a part of, split into the Orthodox and Hicksite meetings. The Orthodox school stayed on the current site under the name "Moorestown Friends Academy", while a Hicksite school called "Moorestown Friends High School" a block away. The two schools recombined under the name "Moorestown Friends School" in 1920 at the current site.

Upper School

Upper School at MFS includes grades 9 through 12.

The total average SAT score for the Class of 2013 was 1886, made up of Critical Reading 630, Math 628 and Writing 628.

Community Service

All Upper School students must complete 50 hours of community service, and many participate in service trips to places like New Orleans, the Florida Everglades, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Tanzania. Faculty make an effort to engage students in their local communities, including the city of Philadelphia.

Clubs

Extracurricular activities at MFS include Agenda Committee (similar to Student Government), Algorithms Club, Animal Awareness Club, Badminton Club, Barbecue Club, Chess Club, Chinese Culture Club, Computer Club, Dance Club, Disney Club, Diversity Committee, Drama Club, Dungeons and Dragons Club, EA Sports Club, Environmental Club, Film Club, Fellowship of Christians (FOCUS), Future Educators, Gender Equality Forum, Girl Up Club, Girls in STEM Club, Literature Club, Martin Luther King, Jr. Club, Model United Nations, Ping Pong Club, Poetry Club, Political Action Club, PRIDE Club (the Gay-Straight Alliance), Service Committee, Sit-Com Clubs, Sports Debate Club, Ultimate Frisbee Club, Worship Planning.

Middle School

Middle School at MFS includes grades 5 through 8.

Students take courses in English, Math, Social Studies, Science, and World Languages as well as in non-major courses such as Woodshop, Art, Music, Physical Education, and Health. Technology is an important component of education at MFS. Faculty advisors meet with Middle School students daily to help them develop effective study skills.

Middle School extracurricular activities include choir, band, theater, student government, robotics, architecture, web design, and newspaper. The students also have a variety of sports to choose from. Each Middle School grade level has a unique outdoor educational experience.

Lower School

Lower School at MFS includes preschool through grade 4.

Critical thinking is an important component of the Lower School academic program.

The Quaker testimonies of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship are an integral part of every grade and every classroom. Peaceful conflict resolution and peer mediation are emphasized from a young age.

Beginnings at MFS

During the 2012-2013 school year, the early childhood program at Moorestown Friends School rebranded itself as "Beginnings at MFS" to stress the importance of preschool, prekindergarten, and kindergarten in a child's development.

"We consider the education of young children to be work of enormous importance. [...] This is a school where you will find an experienced, certified teacher with a Master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania leading a class of three-year-olds. Furthermore, in our early childhood classes, we maintain a ratio of one teacher to just 7 or 8 students."

Academic technology

Moorestown Friends School has more than 450 computers and laptops throughout the school, consisting of five computer labs, ten laptop carts and three mini-labs. Five of the laptop carts are for general use and two are for the Middle and Upper School Science Department. Mathematics, World Languages, and the Lower School each have their own dedicated computer cart. MFS is predominantly a PC school; however there are several Macs and iPads available for use at every grade level.

The school has a MacBook Pro cart for high-end graphical and media use and an iPad cart as well. They acquired high-quality video production equipment and created an editing studio capable of creating high, near-professional quality video.

Numonic’s interactive whiteboards with mounted projectors are in every classroom. The MFS campus has Wi-Fi accessibility throughout the entire school, and all Upper School students are able to connect with their own personal devices.

The MFS library houses a computer processing center for students to research and prepare written work. The library's online catalog is available via the network throughout the school or from home. Students are also able to check out laptops, iPads and digital cameras from the Library.

Diversity

Moorestown Friends School is committed to fostering an environment that is both diverse and inclusive and includes this goal in their mission statement. 33% of the student body are students of color. A wide variety of religious faiths are represented as well. In keeping with the Quaker philosophy of honoring each individual, students representing different ethnic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds are challenged daily to respect and learn from one another. The Camden Scholars Program has a 35-year tradition of helping to foster a diverse student body at MFS.

The Camden Scholars Program

The Camden Scholars Program at MFS provides opportunities to students from the Camden City Public Schools in Camden, New Jersey. Recommended by guidance counselors at Camden Middle Schools, candidates apply to Moorestown Friends School, visit classes, and are interviewed.

Once selected by the Camden Scholars Committee and admitted, students receive a scholarship that provides virtually full tuition to MFS. Camden Scholars are encouraged to pursue their interests and develop their talents. Camden Scholars participate in clubs, serve as student leaders, are athletes and perform in plays. They go on overnight retreats and field trips. MFS has a Camden Scholars Coordinator who serves as a liaison to help participants adjust to their new learning environment and sustain a healthy and successful academic and extracurricular schedule. The school's Diversity Coordinator oversees student, employee and curricular diversity efforts throughout the entire school with the aid of a faculty/staff sub-committee.

Quaker values

MFS is committed to developing students who have learned how to live an "examined life" characterized by a dedication to critical thought, openness to the Spirit, ethical development, and resilience. The entire school community participates in weekly Meeting for Worship, where reflection which fosters responsibility is encouraged. This constant interplay of meditation and action is integral to all school activities and challenges individuals to seek truth continuously through non-violent means and to make a personal commitment to improving themselves, their society and their environment. The school welcomes students of all faiths.

Meeting for Worship

Each week, the MFS community gathers in the Meetinghouse, built in 1802, for Meeting for Worship. There are separate Meetings for each school division.

Friends believe that each person has within him/herself, with God’s help, the ability to discern truth. Participants use this time to pray, or worship or simply reflect deeply on the world around them, according to their own faith traditions.

Since Friends believe that each person, no matter their age, is able to discern truth, all are welcome to speak from their hearts if so moved. It is expected that their words will be listened to from the same deep connection to the Spirit and provide insight for the listeners. When the Meeting for Worship is over, students on the facing benches close the Meeting by shaking hands. At this point everyone is invited to briefly greet their neighbor before settling back into quiet for dismissal.

The Examined Life

The phrase “Examined Life” is drawn from Socrates’ axiom: “The unexamined life is not worth living.” The goal of such a life is to integrate a tough mind and a tender heart.

Moorestown Friends School's Examined Life Program has four components: Openness to a spiritual life, development and application of personal ethics in the community, critical thinking and development of resilience.

Athletics

Varsity and Junior Varsity sports include: baseball, basketball, cross country, field hockey, fencing, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis and swimming.

Middle School sports offered are baseball, basketball, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer and tennis.

MFS is a member of the Friends Schools League, which was established in 1981. Member schools are Abington Friends School, Academy of the New Church, Friends Central School, Friends Select School, George School, Germantown Friends School, Shipley School and Westtown School. The school is also a member of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, which allows the school's teams to compete for state championships.

In keeping with Quaker philosophy, sportsmanship is stressed in all MFS athletics. The school's mascot is the Fox, named after George Fox, the founder of Quakerism.

In 2015, the Boys' Soccer team won the NJSIAA Non-Public B South championship, defeating Holy Cross, 2-0, on November 12, 2015.

In 2015, the Girls' Soccer team won the NJSIAA Non-Public B South championship, defeating Holy Spirit, 3-2 in 2OT, on November 12, 2015.

In 2014, the Girls' Soccer team won the NJSIAA Non-Public B South championship, defeating Gill St. Bernard's, 5-0, on November 13, 2014.

The 2007 field hockey team won the Friends Schools League, downing Shipley School 2-0, marking the school's first field hockey league championship since 1985 after title game losses in 1987 and 1994.

The boys cross country team were the 2007 South Jersey Non-Public B champions and state runner-up, which was the first cross country title in school history.

The girls tennis team won the 2005 South B state sectional championship with a 4-1 win over Sacred Heart High School. The 2007 team reclaimed the title, defeating Bishop Eustace High School 3-2 in the tournament final.

The foil squad of the Moorestown Friends Boys fencing team won three consecutive foil squad state titles from 2004 to 2006. Senior John Gurrieri won the state individual foil title in 2006. Senior Erin Chen won the state individual saber title in 2016.

The girls' lacrosse team won the overall state championship in 1980, defeating Moorestown High School in the tournament final.

Notable alumni