Practice
Friends School of Wilmington continues a three hundred year Quaker educational tradition of fostering intellectual and spiritual integrity while affirming the value of each individual. We manifest Quaker values of simplicity, community, social justice, diversity, equality and peace. We guide students to incorporate these values into their lives and help them to develop an awareness of the interdependence of life that extends beyond their immediate community to the world at large.

We emphasize academic excellence; clear, respectful communication; accountable moral choices; consensus decision making; exploration of diverse viewpoints; peaceful conflict resolution; and environmental stewardship. We foster habits of respect, trust, cooperation and responsibility as cornerstones of a healthy educational community. We believe that young people who are convinced of their own value will, in turn, seek and speak to the good in others. Therefore, we work to assure students of their individual worth, helping them polish gifts that are evident and discover gifts not yet revealed. To this end we offer a well-rounded, compelling academic program, integrating both the arts and sciences and utilizing research-based, developmentally appropriate curricula. Through challenging, relevant, hands-on learning activities, students explore and evaluate information in order to construct an increasingly sophisticated understanding of our world.

We guide students to see themselves as the primary architects of their own destiny. We empower students to take direct responsibility for their learning. We encourage them to develop and pursue personal standards of excellence. Using a flexible, yet structured, approach we strive to meet individual needs while emphasizing collaborative learning. Because we recognize that education takes place in all learning situations, we do not separate academic from non-academic experiences. Therefore, we encourage direct experiential learning through hands-on projects and frequent field trips. We support students as they develop a broad range of interests and abilities, build essential knowledge and master the critical skills they will need to become lifelong learners and successful adults. We endeavor to provide an academic family where parent/guardians, students, faculty and the wider community are involved and valued.