Dear Friends,
The Religious Society of Friends and Friends Schools have produced an extraordinary number of scientists and engineers from the 17th century through to today. From its earliest days Quakerism’s focus on “knowing experimentally” led quite naturally to the study of natural science. Friends helped found the American Philosophical Society and Philadelphia’s Academy of Natural Science. Quakers and graduates of Friends' schools and colleges have gone on to win Nobel Prizes in the sciences.
Today, our students continue this tradition. Even as I write, grades 5-8 are at the Franklin Institute. PreK students are beginning their study of animals that hibernate. First-grade students build on what they learned in PreK and deepen their knowledge by studying ways non-hibernating animals adapt to their winter environments. Fifth and 6th-grade students recently completed a study of Earth’s spheres and their interconnections. The posters they produced to demonstrate their understanding of these connections also showcase students' strong writing and artistic skills. The same applies to the 7th and 8th-grade students’ deeper dives into specific pathologies like diabetes, asthma, and neuropathy.
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Next week we will honor the life and work of Martin Luther King through service and learning. Tuesday, during Buddies, students will be involved in projects to lend support to the victims of the Los Angeles Fires. While plans are still coming together, this will probably include letters of encouragement to the two Friends Schools in the area and a donation to the Greater Los Angeles Regional Foodbank.
For our learning, younger students will focus on Martin Luther King’s life. Preschool Three has a new book written by his granddaughter that has a lovely tie-in to their study of families. Older students will read and discuss MLK’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail”. If you haven’t read this letter, I strongly encourage you to take the time now. In my opinion, the message, argument, lucid refutation of opposing ideas, use of language, and clear expression of what it means to live a life of faith, conscience, and conviction remain one of the finest ever written.
Warmly,
Margaret Haviland
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January Query: The Testimony on Peace- As written by the 8th grade:
“This month, our testimony is peace. Peace is freedom from disturbance. Tranquility.”
- When do you feel most at peace?
- What symbolizes peace to you?
- How can we foster peace at Westfield?
Announcements:
- January 17 ~ Teacher In-Service, no school - Teachers will tour Arch Street Meeting House and The Philadelphia African American Museum
- January 20 ~ Martin Luther King Day, no school
- January 23 ~ Step Up Evening - learn about your child’s program in the 25-26 school year, meet the teachers 6:30 PM
- January 26th ~ WFC Roller Skating Party 1-3:00 PM
- January 29th ~ Discussion of Howard Thurman’s essay "Mysticism and the Experience of Love" 8:30 AM
- January 31st Lizzy O’Donnel Book Signing ~ Be sure to pre-order her book for your child
- February 7th ~ WFC Family Dance 6-8:00 PM
We Are a Reading Community
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New in the Library We Dream a World: Carrying the Light From My Grandparents Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King by Yolanda Renee King
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New in the Library Coretta: The Autobiography of Mrs. Coretta Scott King by Coretta Scott King
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New in the Library Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop: The Sanitation Strike of 1968 by Alice Faye Duncan
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New in the Library As Good as Anybody: Martin Luther King and Abraham Joshua Heschel's Amazing March Toward Freedom by Richard Michelson
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In our Library for MLK Day Martin Rising: Requiem for a King by Andrea Davis Pinkney
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Teacher Margaret is reading Selected essays and sermons of Martin Luther King including: “Loving Your Enemies”1957 “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” 1964 “Beyond Vietnam”1967
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