Learn with Purpose

Learning that engages both the body and mind leads to better and deeper understandings of concepts. Through immersing ourselves in an experience, environment, or community, we broaden our perspectives and form new ways of examining, analyzing, and reflecting on our observations.

Our education is hands-on, whether it is in the classroom, in an outdoor learning environment, or out in the wider world. Whether it’s engineering water flow in a playground, hosting indigenous artists for a workshop in traditional arts, participating in a local climate strike, or conducting field research in the Amazon rainforest, our students learn the value of both action and reflection.
 

We develop our students to find their voice and learn to use it with confidence. We teach them to think critically, question the world around them, advocate for themselves, and to resolve conflict peacefully. We know relationships matter, and we build community one deep relationship at a time. When students feel empowered, they’re intrinsically motivated to learn and to take action. They graduate not only prepared for what’s next, but ready to advocate for a better world.

Service-learning is built into our curriculum at every level, from Early School to Upper School. Within our school community, this includes caring for the campus through stewardship, taking on specific roles in the learning community, and providing leadership through peer mentorship and support. It also means learning more about the needs of the greater communities around us and partnering with organizations with community trust and expertise to make meaningful change in people's lives.
 

Environmental stewardship is a strand that has been woven throughout our philosophy, programs, and physical plant since our founding in 1962. We recognize that it is critically important to teach our students the science behind the environmental challenges our world is facing while also ensuring that they feel encouraged by the positive impact of informed action. 

Sustainability has long been at the front of our planning, both in terms of our buildings and spaces as well as the actions we take for the footprint we leave. In addition to geothermal heating and cooling systems, we have more than 240 photovoltaic panels installed across campus for collecting solar energy. In addition to trash reduction initiatives and campus-wide recycling, we also participate in a hot compost program.

CFS is a member of the Green Schools Alliance, whose mission is "to connect and empower K-12 schools worldwide to lead the transformation to global sustainability." Uniquely created by schools for schools, the GSA is a global network of schools working together to solve climate and conservation challenges.
 

Our education is built on the idea that fostering the acquisition of knowledge must also cultivate the social and emotional skills necessary to be successful in life. Living by our Quaker principles is embodied in the way we nurture empathy in our students: to honor the individuality of others, to respectfully engage those with whom they disagree, to seek self-reflection, and to value their sense of community.

Carolina Friends School is not just a school, it is a learning community. In keeping with the Quaker tenet that “the truth is continually revealed,” we all continually learn from each other. The shared responsibility of growth and support provides students with the opportunity to continually rise to the occasion, emboldening them as caring citizens, leaders, and learners. We not only teach empathy, respect, and openhearted compassion, we model the traits we both want and need to see in our children as they grow.

Silence supports the emotional and spiritual health of each of us. In a world providing endless activity, noise, and distraction, tuning all of that out and tapping into what's most important in our hearts can be a welcome, even necessary, retreat. Quakers believe that when we are silent, allowing all of the outer world’s distractions to fall away, we can truly hear the wisdom that we each possess. 

Silence also supports the health of our community. Increasingly, studies are confirming that self-awareness through meditative silence creates physical and psychological benefits. It can lead to a healthy mindfulness, allowing us to calmly acknowledge and accept our feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. We see the positive benefits in our classrooms every day.

At our School, we are committed to the work of building a community of trust, care, acceptance, and celebration of all kinds of difference. In order to fully open ourselves to celebrating others, we must first celebrate and know ourselves. Practicing silence allows that opportunity. Through marked times of silence purposefully built into our daily and weekly schedules, we spend time with ourselves while we sit with others. It allows us time to focus on the joy and love that surround us and appreciate the ways in which we are all connected.