“The quality of HFS’s teachers and the school’s leadership was obvious during my visit.  The 7th and 8th grade students I observed were presenting (and understanding!) mathematical proofs I didn’t learn until well into high school.  It is apparent that HFS’s leaders are committed to excellence, and that they provide their students with a challenging and nurturing environment.”

- Prospective HFS parent

“My daughter is doing well in high school.  She started out at somewhat of a disadvantage, knowing very few students, when most of them knew each other from middle school.  This did not seem to bother her too much.  When I ask who she sits with at lunch, she says she often just sits down wherever she sees a space, and sometimes the kids there talk to her and sometimes they don’t.  She joined the soccer team, both because she loves soccer and in order to make friends.  She has stuck with it even though it is a demanding schedule (game or practice — 2.5 hours) every week day.  This has required her to be more efficient with her school work (never her strong point.)  She made a hard but mature decision not to try out for the school play, since her schedule with soccer was already so demanding, but I think she will look for opportunities to be involved in school drama productions now that the soccer season is ending.

I think she is recognized as a good critical thinker and a great writer, both skills she honed at HFS.  I think that the social conscience she developed at HFS helps her identify prejudice and other “problem thinking” among her peers.  She may not speak up, but she processes it and we discuss it at home.

Of her classes, I think she enjoys her Honors US Government class the most, even though it is the most work.  She needs very little help or guidance in her assignments, and is earning excellent grades.  She is somewhat disappointed in her Honors English class, even though she enjoys the reading.  I think she was spoiled by the literature and humanities teaching at HFS, and it will be a hard act for any teacher to follow.”

- HFS Parent

“Middle School is such a tumultuous time for most students,…and they need and deserve committed teachers and administrators who attempt to view them as having a bit of God in them.  This concept makes such an important difference in the teacher’s outlook on life and, because of it, an important difference in their students’ lives.”

- Jim Pickard, HFS teacher 2006-2010

“[As a result of the Mastery Project, my son] matured into a ‘can do’ confident, capable student unafraid to take risks.  [He] is now more motivated to succeed in all his subjects… He was given the freedom to love to learn.  Where else, besides HFS, can a student gain all that from one project?”

- HFS Parent

“Monday morning I read an email posted Sunday after I had retired for the evening from my son who is currently a freshman at Westtown, a Friends boarding school since 1799. The subject was “Mommy Look!” In the text he went on, “In the first half of study hall (1 hour) look what I wrote. I have not corrected any grammar mistakes or looked over this yet. DO NOT correct grammar; I’m fully capable of it.” I proceeded to read an analysis of “So, who really controls fate in Homer’s Odyssey, the gods or the mortals?” Here was a beautifully structured, comprehensive essay with an introduction that compelled me to read more. Over the next four or five paragraphs my son clearly and concisely outlined his assertions supporting his claims with many examples from the text. At the end he pulled his main premises together to defend his position. It was amazing. He is truly capable.

He sent this to me proud and confident; with no desire or need for my assistance. He had found the task to be easy and just felt like sharing his success. I replied in just three words, “Wow! I’m impressed”. If you could read what he barely wrote in sixth grade you too, would be impressed. Back then, he struggled with any amount of detail and would often hand in full-page assignments that were five lines long. Guided by excellent instruction through much hard work and many, many essays at HFS, my son found his voice and discovered that he is capable and became confident. He learned how to question, how to think, and how to clearly and coherently defend his ideas on paper. Although I only read the rough draft yesterday, I’m confident of the quality that will be the final version. Thank you HFS.”

- Carmella Fifty, HFS Parent

“Our daughter is receiving an absolute top-notch education. She is given opportunities to enrich her life that would not be as readily available elsewhere.”

– HFS Parent

“Here, students are encouraged to do their best and they encourage and support each other to do their best too. Being best doesn’t mean beating someone else or getting the best grade on a test.  It means working together.  There is room at the top for everyone.”

-HFS Parent

“Students are free to be themselves, the best selves they can be, and are valued for their unique perspectives and contributions to the community.  Ridicule, bullying, and power struggles are simply nonexistent in our culture.  This is a safe and nurturing environment where children feel comfortable expressing their ideas and are treated with respect.  And due to the unique nature of Quaker business meetings all children can contribute without anyone dominating discussions or decision-making.  Everyone is needed and valued.”

- HFS Parent

“My daughter, who attended Harford Friends School for 6^th,, 7^th, and 8^th grades, tested into the ninth grade honors program in math, history and English at Bel Air High School as well as into Spanish II.  Her education at HFS definitely made this possible by providing three years of Spanish and strong middle school math and humanities curricula.  Not only was she sufficiently prepared to get into the honors classes, but she has a straight-A average in them so far!  HFS specifically teaches study skills, including organizational skills and these are paying off.

Her passion is running.  She’s on the Bel Air Varsity Cross Country Team.  (I’d definitely recommend sports, practice for which starts two weeks before classes, as a bridge to a new school and new friends.)  Harford Friends School didn’t have a track team but she ran track with a county track club.  Jonathan Huxtable, head of school at HFS, showed a personal interest in her achievements.  He was one of the first people we called when she qualified for AAU Nationals last summer.  Out-of-school activities and accomplishments of all of the HFS students were noted in school.  Celebrating individual gifts is part of the Quaker philosophy that there is “that of God in everyone.”

Three other aspects of her HFS education seem to be paying off as well.  First was her opportunity at HFS to be a leader.  With such a small class, everyone had to lead at something.  Those leadership skills set a paradigm for “leading” the cross country team and for offering to be homeroom representative – pretty brave for a new student!  Second was her education in non-violent conflict resolution.  She and another HFS student gave a talk on conflict resolution to adult members of our Quaker meeting a few weeks ago, and they have been asked to return and talk about the subject further!  Third, two HFS friends inspired her to become a vegetarian in her second year.  She is still vegetarian, holding her own in a cafeteria full of carnivorous peers.  I give at least partial credit to HFS for fostering her ability to maintain her own ideals in a larger culture that does things differently.  Being able to swim upstream, to be a leader, and to have some understanding of conflict resolution are among the outcomes of her education at HFS that make me feel that we made the right choice in sending her there.”

- HFS Parent

“At my old school, everything was pretty easy for me. I liked that at the time, but now that I am older, I realize that a challenge is a good thing because it really helps us reach our full potential.”

- HFS Student

“I am now a lot more confident in myself and my abilities than I was when I started school here.”

- HFS Student

I was very excited when we learned that a Quaker education was available in Harford County and sought it out for our daughter.  We could not have been more pleased with my daughter’s experience at HFS.  Not only did HFS provide an academically stimulating environment, it truly embodied the belief that each person of the community is valuable and has something to contribute.  I know that our daughter carries her memories of HFS close to her heart and uses what she learned there on a daily basis.  I am excited to help Harford Friends School grow and reach more families.”

- Nina Cerasoli, Board member