Germantown Friends School
40.03278°N 75.17167°W Germantown Friends School (GFS) is a coeducational independent PreK–12 school in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States under the supervision of Germantown Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). It is governed by a School Committee whose members are drawn from the membership of the Meeting, the school's alumni and parents of current students and alumni. The head of school is Dana Weeks.
Germantown Friends School | |
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Location | |
31 West Coulter Street Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |
Information | |
Type | Private |
Motto | Behold, I have set before thee an open door. |
Established | 1845 |
Head of school | Dana Weeks |
Faculty | 87 Full Time 24 Part Time |
Grades | K–12 |
Enrollment | 1021 |
Color(s) | White, blue, orange |
Athletics conference | Friends School League |
Mascot | Tiger |
Affiliation | Religious Society of Friends |
Website | www |
History
Germantown Friends School was founded in 1845 by Germantown Monthly Meeting. The school was founded in response to a request from the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Until the early 20th century, Germantown Friends was a "select" school, meaning that only the children of Quaker parents were admitted. Germantown Monthly Meeting was an Orthodox meeting and valued classical education. Athletics and the arts were considered a diversion from the essentials needed by young people.
Notable alumni
See List of Germantown Friends School alumni.
Notable staff
- Shari Heck, former musician, member of Cyberbully Mom Club.[1]
Entertainment
- The main character from the TV series Twin Peaks, FBI Agent Dale Cooper, supposedly grew up in Germantown and attended Germantown Friends School (as created by director David Lynch, who spent many years in Philadelphia).[2] They were also referenced in The Goldbergs' spinoff show, Schooled, in the fifth episode of the first season, "Money for RENT".
References
- Heck, Shari. "LinkedIn of Shari Heck". Retrieved 28 October 2023.
- Frost, Scott: The Autobiography of F.B.I. Special Agent Dale Cooper: My Life, My Tapes, page 1, Pocket Books, 1991.