Wilmington Friends School offers an unsurpassed academic program, and just as important, it is a great place to grow up.
There is no “typical” Friends School student or family. We recognize diversity of thought, identity, and experience as essential to both academic excellence and the character of our community.
Our teachers know our students. They provide individual attention and are deeply invested in students’ growth and success. Because they are known as individuals, students are able to discover and develop the best in themselves. Because they are valued and held to high standards as members of a community, students are motivated to contribute and to lead.
For parents, Friends is a great place to join with other families who share a commitment to education that inspires the best in each student while fostering an active responsibility to the good of all.
After their luncheon in the library, seniors held a noise parade, celebrating their last day of school before heading off to Senior Exploration and IB exams. The day ended with their final school-day Meeting for Worship, a time for gathered silence and reflection.
The Spring Concert Series continued with an outstanding upper school instrumental concert, featuring our Jazz Band and Symphonic Band in the Friends Theater.
The end-of-year senior traditions have begun, with the Class of 2026 signing the Senior Scroll and receiving their WFS laundry bag. This tradition has been a part of the senior class spring for more than 25 years!
IB Art and Visual Arts Major students welcomed friends and family to the opening of their exhibition, showcasing works from the portfolios they have developed over the past two years.
The WFS Spring Concert Series began with a fantastic middle and upper school choral concert on Tuesday evening, featuring performances from our 6th Grade Choir, 7th & 8th Grade Choir, Chorale, and Chamber Singers.
7th-grade Chinese students explored the history of kites in China before heading outside to practice flying them. With the campus in full spring bloom, flying kites in the beautiful surroundings was refreshing for the students.
Upper school chemistry students recently brought science to life through the “nylon rope trick,” exploring how one of the world’s first fully synthetic fibers is made.
Each spring, Head of School Ken Aldridge looks forward to sitting down with our 12th-grade advisory groups for pizza and conversation—an opportunity to connect, reflect, and celebrate the senior class during their final weeks on campus.
1st graders wowed students, families, and faculty with their coordination and confidence as they took the stage for the 1st Grade Circus—showcasing their skills in hula-hooping, juggling, balance beam walking, and plate-spinning. This beloved WFS tradition helps students build strength, focus, and hand-eye coordination.
Isla White ’29 and Scarlett Murphy ’27 earned regional recognition in the Delaware Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, a highly competitive program that honors outstanding creative work from students across the state.
WFS will host our annual Be Bold for Blue Giving Day on Friday, April 17, 2026. This fundraising event brings the community together to support our mission through Quaker education. This year, the school has set a goal to raise $150,000 from 350 individual donors.
When researching private schools, attending an admissions open house event is a great opportunity for your family to tour campuses and see where your child could spend their days.
And while facilities conducive to learning and state-of-the-art resources are important, families should also look beyond the physical environment. A school’s true strength lies in its culture and academic program.
If your child is pursuing higher education, at some point you might feel compelled to step into, and perhaps even manage, their college application process.
College readiness is more than academic achievement—it's about independence, resilience, and developing life skills. When exploring high schools, look for programs that focus not only on academic excellence but also on essential life skills. Here are five key areas where high schools can make a meaningful difference in preparing your student for college (and beyond):
The digital landscape plays an essential role in the lives of students and adults, and at Wilmington Friends School, we want to equip our students, families, faculty, and staff with the necessary tools to ensure that they make positive and safe decisions online every day.
As organizations continue to rely on ever-changing technology, computer science has become increasingly more popular in high school and college curricula.
Many of us know of Advanced Placement or “AP” courses in high schools, and often see “AP” grouped with “IB” in references to more challenging coursework.
Many of us are interested in volunteering, but with the demands on our time and attention these days, community service can easily be placed on the back burner.
In January, WFS middle school students take the reins and lead portfolio-led conferences with parents/guardians and advisors. This approach not only fosters a sense of accountability for the students but also strengthens the partnership between parents/guardians, students, and advisors. The two main objectives of these conferences are:
Our podcast shines a light on what make WFS such a vibrant and unique learning community that allows students to, in the words of George Fox, "let their lives speak."
Videos
WFS in action! Check out videos of all that's happening at Friends!
From documentary film sets to thoughtfully designed homes, Nikki Goloskov Dalrymple ’97 has built a career rooted in curiosity, reflection, and a deep respect for people’s stories.
Congratulations to Osi Chukwuocha ’22 on being named a First Team Academic All-American as a member of the Case Western Reserve University football team!
Bret Snyder ’87, CEO and President of W.L. Gore & Associates, took the GRIT Talks stage as a featured speaker at the quarterly community event highlighting local leaders and their stories of resilience. In his talk, Bret shared how curiosity, perseverance, and humility can shape a life of impact.
When Jen Rosenberg Keim ’06 returned to campus to speak with the upper school Pre-Med Club, she shared the experiences that shaped her path from a WFS student passionate about science and social justice to her current role as a pediatrician and Medical Director of the ACTION (All Children Thrive In Our Neighborhood) Foster Care Clinic at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Stephanie Bonnes ’04 (left) and Colleen Farrell ’04, former teammates on the WFS baseball team under Coach Bob Tattersall in 2003 and 2004, reunited with their coach at the Yale–Harvard football game.
Abby VandenBrul ’20 (far right) graduated from Penn State University with a degree in stage management and is currently working as a Production Assistant on the Broadway musical Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York).
When Ashley Chompre ’20 returned to campus to speak with the upper school STEMinists Club, she described the curiosity-driven path that led her from WFS to her current role as a software engineer at Netflix.
Earlier this year, WFS honored Bruce P. Baganz ’69 as the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year, recognizing his lifelong dedication to learning, leadership, and the arts.
Award-winning journalist and poet TyLisa C. Johnson ’13 was recently recognized with the 2025 Wilmington Friends School Distinguished Alumni Award for her exceptional contributions to journalism, community storytelling, and social impact.
“Wilmington Friends School prepared me to get the job done. Whatever task it may be, I am not afraid to take it on and give it my fullest effort. The worst you can do is learn. My WFS education also instilled the Quaker values such as integrity and stewardship through example and engagement, both in the classroom and in the community. I also learned the importance of asking questions not only to learn but to challenge others to do the right thing regardless of what it looks like.”
“It’s the Quaker ‘I to I’ philosophy that I hold so dearly to my heart, that helped prepare me for life after high school. It taught me to approach every person as an equal — to truly listen, understand, and connect without judgment. Its foundation is deep rooted in relationships and respect and it has helped prepare me for a career in Veterinary Medicine.”
“I believe in empowering students and educators alike by fostering collaboration, self-advocacy, and inclusive practices that help every individual reach their fullest potential. WFS laid the foundation for my philosophy of inclusion and collaboration, and I’ll always be grateful for that.”
“Watch the faculty, not just the ones in your best subjects! And, of course, the staff. They all have something to teach you, regardless of their position at the school.”
“WFS taught me how to work through interpersonal issues starting in Pre-K. Those lessons have stayed with me and shaped how I handle challenges in every setting since.”
“I attended WFS from Pre-K until graduation, and respect for all people was a central tenant to my education. It frames how I see the world, build relationships, and this inclusive mindset has helped me be successful in so many parts of my life.”
“Cultivation of sitting in silence, listening to the voices of spirit within and around me, through meeting for worship. This foundational contemplative practice, which led me to Buddhism, Integral Spirituality and beyond, is the basis of my music, psychotherapy, and teaching.”
“Wilmington Friends School provided me with the foundation for understanding what a community truly is. My teachers, coaches, and classmates helped me learn that a community is not necessarily a physical space but a feeling where everyone is valued and has a sense of belonging. Most importantly, my time at Friends formed my core belief that there is light in everyone and that every human being deserves to live a life of dignity.”
Statement of Nondiscrimination as to Student Enrollment
Wilmington Friends School admits students of any race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students of these schools. Wilmington Friends School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin in administration of their educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.