“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.”
Miles Katzen ’16 graduated from the University of Delaware in 2020 with a degree in Human Services. During college, he worked as a Senior Counselor and Program Director at Camp Skylemar in Naples, Maine. After graduating from the University of Delaware, Miles returned to Wilmington Friends School to serve as an Associate Teacher and Assistant lacrosse coach for three years while pursuing his Master's in School Counseling from Villanova University. He currently serves as a Health and Wellness educator, coach, and advisor at The Haverford School. Reflecting on what he enjoys most about his work, Miles states, “I love that each day I am able to make a positive impact on someone else’s life. I am motivated to be the role model and person of support for our next generation of learners, whom I was so lucky to have during my time as a student at WFS.”
His advice to the Class of 2025? “Express your gratitude and keep doors open! WFS is a special place full of caring, dedicated, and impactful people. I never imagined returning to WFS to work as a teacher, but this opportunity allowed me to rekindle relationships with many people who positively impacted my life. I was so fortunate to be able to thank these people for all they did for me, and I was glad to show them how they have helped me get to where I currently am. Take the time now to write that thoughtful thank you note to a teacher, to send a message to a coach, or to express your gratitude in person to your advisor. Let the people in your life at WFS know how much you appreciate them - these relationships will help you long after your days in Alapocas!”
Adrian Burston, a former Friends teacher and Vice President of the Kennett Underground Railroad Center, and Debbie Burston, board member of the Kennett Underground Railroad Center, presented to 10th grade American History students about the local history of the Underground Railroad and the involvement of Quakers in the local abolition movement.
Lower School Spanish teacher Lara Munch spent her sabbatical exploring the intersection of culture, history, and language—both within the United States and abroad.
Middle School Spanish teacher Laura Jersild Pardo ’90 explored nature and the brain in a de-natured culture, asking how embodied, real-world experiences shape mental health, creativity, and problem-solving.
On the evening of Friday, October 3, more than 200 guests gathered in the Library Learning Commons for a night of community, music, and recognition. Guests enjoyed dinner and a lively performance from the Upper School Jazz Band. The program then turned to celebrating this year’s alumni honorees, who all let their lives speak in their own ways.
Today, seniors met their first-grade buddies for the first time in the 2025–26 school year! First graders shared stories from their first month of school with their buddies, then collaborated on creative art projects together.
Thank you to all in our community for a wonderful Homecoming 2025! It was great to have so many current families, alumni, and friends on campus for the festivities. Please visit our SmugMug site for even more photos (password can be found in the Friends on Friday message).
On National Coaches Day, check out this amazing trio of alumnae coaches (Nat Bush ’22, Dani Nathan ’19, and Mariah Aldridge ’21) on the WFS volleyball sidelines! Special thanks to all of our coaches at each level who make a difference in the lives of our student-athletes every day. Go Blue!
Fourth graders became geologists this week! Given samples of unknown minerals, they put their observation and problem-solving skills to work by examining properties such as texture, color, and shape—then testing hardness to identify each mineral sample.
For Spirit Week Sports Connections, upper and middle school athletes visited the lower school, introducing students to cross country, field hockey, football, soccer, and volleyball.
Last week, our middle schoolers took part in their annual Bonding Day, though our seventh graders might argue that “Building Day” is a more appropriate name.
At WFS, our early learning program lays the foundation for student-initiated exploration, creative thinking, collaboration, and a learning community rooted in mutual respect and responsibility.
With over 45 clubs and committees, WFS upper school students have endless opportunities to get involved, build leadership skills, and pursue their passions beyond the classroom.
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.