Community Life

Friends School of Portland emphasizes respect for and celebration of individual gifts, while also attending to each person’s role in the larger community. We are conscious of the Quaker values of service, simplicity and peace as we plan our curriculum and our days. Students learn to shape the rules of their community together and are encouraged to resolve conflicts in a ways that deepen their mutual respect and understanding.  The Quaker decision-making process of gaining the sense of the group is used for discussions about classroom or school-wide issues.

A strong community arises when its members know each other well and enjoy being together. We offer a low student-teacher ratio and the chance for students to stay with the same teacher for two to three years. This kind of stability and closeness builds trust that helps children remain open to the world and  enjoy new challenges. It attracts teachers who value their relationships with students and who freely share their passion for learning.

The staff meets in silence every morning for ten minutes before the children arrive. This is a time of opening to the Inner Light, of seeking the understanding, the grounding and the guidance to joyfully answer that of God in each person. The staff makes most decisions in an egalitarian and collaborative way, drawing upon the Quaker practice of hearing from all concerned and seeking unity. We know that spiritual and professional development are intertwined; we nurture both in order to liberate the love, knowledge, and energy that our students need and deserve from us.