Welcome to Plymouth Meeting Friends School. Founded in 1780, PMFS is a community of joyful learners, from early childhood (3 years old) through sixth grade. Our students thrive in a challenging and supportive environment that allows them to discover their best selves. At the heart of the school are faculty, families and community members committed to promoting excellence in academics, arts and physical education through experiential learning at every developmental stage. We recognize that collaboration is key to lifelong learning, as well as to the future personal and professional success of PMFS graduates. From overnight camping in first and second grades to the third graders’ Invention Convention, our Fourth Grade Circus and the annual Fifth Grade Mexican Exchange program, Plymouth students are tasked to be curious, wonder and explore. Purposeful play, outdoor exploration and creative hands-on projects are vehicles for critical thinking and problem-solving. With the support of talented and devoted teachers, they learn that risk-taking, failure and perseverance lead to resilience, discovery and deeper understanding.
Plymouth Meeting Friends School is grounded in Quaker faith and practice. Our core values of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship (SPICES) are woven into the educational and cultural fabric of who we are and what we do. Accordingly, we strive to live up to the legacy of equal access to education and equity across social identities. Throughout their PMFS journey, our students come to understand that kindness and respect are critical to resolving conflict peacefully; they recognize the importance of acknowledging and respecting different perspectives. From Early Childhood classes through sixth grade, our students settle fully into a community where their voices are heard, and their ideas and opinions are valued. At PMFS, we believe that treating our students with respect is key to their learning respect for each other, and the world in which they live.
This 2019-2020 year marks the 50th anniversary of our Mexican Exchange program. Each year, PMFS fifth graders are matched with a student from Williams Colegio in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Williams School and PMFS families each take turns as hosts for a two-week cultural exchange. During the Exchange, students experience daily life with a host family and participate in activities and trips relevant to the history and culture of the host country. Seeing this country and its culture through the eyes of their Williams School buddies offers Plymouth students an invaluable new perspective. For 50 years, the Mexican Exchange has provided our students with opportunities to further develop their sense of global responsibility and the cultural competencies cultivated throughout their PMFS experiences.
At Plymouth Meeting Friends School, children from diverse economic, ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds participate in a powerful, unique educational experience. I invite you to explore our website and visit our campus to learn more about our unique approach to progressive education.
¡Bienvenido, pase adelante!
Brenda C. Crawley
Head of School