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The 4 Essential Outcomes of Quaker Education
90% of the students who attend Wilmington Friends are non-Quakers.
What brings families to Quaker education is often the appeal of an academic program with depth--one that truly asks students to think, to collaborate, to be creative, to take risks--within a caring community that balances focus on the individual with responsibility to the common good.
This mission cultivates four major outcomes for students who attend Wilmington Friends School.
We encourage you to learn about Wilmington Friends School's vibrant learning community. Click here to explore Friends and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
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This mission cultivates four major outcomes for students who attend Wilmington Friends School.
- In the Quaker education setting, there is the belief in the unique dignity of each person, which schools have an obligation to recognize and to nurture. And every member of the community shares in that obligation to value what is best in themselves and in others--developing talents to the fullest, and respecting the strengths, efforts, and perspectives of all.
Outcome: students gain confidence and can grow to their fullest potential because their uniqueness is valued as an asset––to themselves and to their peers–– in the learning process.
- A core principle in Quaker education is “continuing revelation,” the idea that the process of learning is continuous through seeking, experience, and reflection. Students at Quaker schools are encouraged to ask questions, to think both independently and cooperatively, to test ideas against experience and new information, to engage in education as a process of exploration and discovery.
Outcome: students learn to be innovative and resourceful people who can see and solve problems, becoming assets to colleges and employers, and as entrepreneurs and change-makers.
- The Quaker testimonies, known by the acronym SPICES, are also evident in Friends schools. The testimonies include stewardship, peace, integrity, community, equality, and simplicity. Again, those guiding values attract families from many faith and spiritual traditions, seeking a school where intellectual endeavor and ethical commitment are mutually reinforcing.
Outcome: students can see beyond themselves, becoming assets to the broader community and to the world.
- Meeting for Worship is at the heart of Quaker practice. Each week we gather together to sit in silence, allowing time for students to listen to their inner voice. If anyone feels moved to share a message with the group, they rise and speak. Often people offer experiences, perspectives, or even a simple encouraging phrase (like our youngest students sharing "Go Eagles!"). Even if no one shares a message during meeting for worship, the silence can be healing, nourishing, and creative.
Outcome: students learn the power of mindfulness, which, in today's world, is an asset to their own continued health and wellness.
We encourage you to learn about Wilmington Friends School's vibrant learning community. Click here to explore Friends and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Please Note: Our news items are grouped by calendar year.
More News
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7th Grade Chinese Students Visit Winterthur
Seventh grade Chinese students visited Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library to learn more about its Chinese wallpaper and book collection, helping the students gain valuable insight into Chinese history and culture.Read More -
Quakerism Students Visit Wilmington and Centre Meetinghouses
Tenth grade Quakerism classes recently visited Wilmington and Centre Meetinghouses.Read More -
WFS Middle and Upper School Learning Resources Coordinator Stella Mask Presents at ADVIS Conference
WFS Middle and Upper School Learning Resources Coordinator Stella Mask recently presented to a packed house at the MCRC@ADVIS (Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools) DEIJB Conference.Read More -
Sophomores Chosen for Delaware Governor's School for Excellence Program
Read MoreCongratulations to sophomores Easton Martinenza, Teagan Grubb, and Decker Reitemeyer for earning spots in this summer's prestigious Delaware Governor's School for Excellence (DGSE) Program. -
6th and 7th Grade Service Trips
WFS 6th and 7th graders recently traveled in their service groups to different locations: the Delaware Food Bank; Faithful Friends Animal Society; Guardian Angels Daycare; Rockland Place Assisted Living; the Materials Resource Center in Ephrata, Pennsylvania; and Alapocas State Park.Read More -
Class of 2025 Senior Scroll Signing
The end-of-year senior traditions have begun, with the Class of 2025 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!Read More -
IB Art and Visual Arts Major Exhibit on Display
Read MoreCongratulations to our IB Art and Visual Arts Major students, who welcomed friends and family to the opening of their exhibition, showcasing works from the portfolios they have developed over the past two years. -
College Guidance Office Visits with Alumni on the Road
From St. Louis to Boston, our College Guidance team is on the move! Director Kathleen Martin connected over lunch with Aaron Hockstein ’24 and Devin Wallace ’24 at Washington University in St. Louis, and with Nick Winchell ’24 at Hampden-Sydney College, while Associate Director Rose Gnade caught up with Alex Saville ’21 at Gettysburg College. We love seeing our alumni and supporting our current students on their college journeys!Read More -
WFS Model UN Attends Conference
The WFS Model UN Club, accompanied by faculty advisor Nick Childers, recently sent a delegation of four students to the Tower Hill Model UN Conference.Read More -
Lower School Assistant and Associate Teachers Participate in Professional Development Retreat
WFS Lower School assistant and associate teachers participated in a professional development retreat at Pendle Hill last week, focused on deepening instructional practice and strengthening team collaboration.Read More -
Honoring IB Diploma Candidates
Read MoreLast night, WFS honored the Class of 2025 International Baccalaureate Diploma candidates during the annual Celebration of Scholarship. Each student delivered a 3–5 minute presentation reflecting on their growth through the program’s core components: Theory of Knowledge, Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS), and the Extended Essay. The evening highlighted the depth of thought, dedication, and inquiry that define the IB experience at Wilmington Friends School. -
Quakerism Class Participates in Forest Immersion
Megan Hegenbarth’s Quakerism class took a mindful journey into Alapocas Woods with middle school Spanish teacher Laura Pardo ’90, who studied forest immersion on her sabbatical earlier this year. Guided sensory exercises—listening to rustling leaves, feeling tree bark, noticing the movement of water—helped students support their well‑being by connecting with the present moment, their natural surroundings, and themselves.Read More -
Spring Informal Concert
Congratulations to our community members who shared their talents at this week's Informal Concert! This concert is designed to showcase the talent of our students, parents, and faculty in an informal, yet serious, chamber concert or recital format.Read More -
Upper School Talent Show
Our students and faculty took the spotlight at today's upper school talent show... From music to poetry reading, our community wowed the crowd!Read More
Photos courtesy of WFS Yearbook -
WFS Day at the Blue Rocks!
Our community had a blast at WFS Day at the Blue Rocks where the Chamber Singers performed the National Anthem! Thank you to all who attended.Read More -
Baseball Team Visits with Corie Priest, Community Outreach Officer at Delaware DOJ
The WFS baseball team had the opportunity to hear from Corie Priest, Community Outreach Officer at the Delaware Department of Justice.Read More -
Award-Winning Slam Poet and Author Andre Bradford Visits WFS
Read MoreWe were honored to have award-winning slam poet and author Andre Bradford visit all three divisions at WFS! Through his "On Purposeful Empathy" programming, Andre stresses the importance of empathy, vulnerability, and the power of storytelling. He encouraged students to find strength in their own voices and embrace the impact of their own stories. -
8th Grade Chinese Students Visit Le Shio
Read More8th grade Chinese students recent visited Le Shio restaurant in Wilmington to practice their Chinese speaking skills and to learn how to order food in a restaurant! -
Peace and Justice Students Learn about Alternatives to Violence Project
Rick Grier Reynolds, who created the Global Peace and Justice course at WFS, returned today with Brian Winward, a returned citizen and long-time AVP facilitator, to discuss the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) with 9th grade students.Read More -
PRISM Night 2025
It's always great to see so many of our student and faculty's talents on display at PRISM Night!Read More
Photos courtesy of WFS Yearbook
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101 School Road, Wilmington, DE 19803
302.576.2900 | info@wilmingtonfriends.org
Preschool - 12th Grade
302.576.2900 | info@wilmingtonfriends.org
Preschool - 12th Grade
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.
