Dear Parents, Students, Faculty and Staff,
Welcome to the first issue of our 2023-2024 academic year newsletter. It brings me immense joy to share the remarkable journey we've embarked on since the beginning of this school year. We've had a smooth start, with learning experiences inside and outside the classroom that promise an exciting and enriching year.

One of the highlights of this year has been the transformation of our Whittier building at the lower campus. It's been given a significant facelift, and we're proud to announce that the upgrades profoundly impact our students' learning and behavior. We've invested in enhancing the infrastructure, which now boasts updated electrical systems, new classroom tiles, doors, smart boards, curtains, and new furniture. Furthermore, we've installed a state-of-the-art heating and air conditioning system to ensure a comfortable and conducive learning environment.

The safety of our students remains paramount, and we've taken steps to improve security measures across both campuses. In particular, we've added two emergency exits to the buildings, enhancing our preparedness for unforeseen circumstances. Additionally, we've introduced an aquaponic pond, which serves as an educational tool and offers our students a unique opportunity for hands-on learning and exploration, especially within the IB program.

At the upper campus, we've also significantly improved by installing heating and air conditioning systems in 18 classrooms. Our commitment to providing the best possible learning environment is unwavering.
I want to take a moment to commend our dedicated staff and faculty. They continually go above and beyond to create a positive and enriching atmosphere for our students. Our leadership team deserves special recognition for their efforts in ensuring a safe learning environment and opportunities for fun and engaging activities for the entire school community.

The recent Back-to-School events were a testament to our commitment to community building. I am grateful to Ms. Freida Dahdah and her team for making the Back to School party a wonderful gathering, and Mr. Paul Parker and his team for making the Back to School Bonfire a great success. We're eagerly looking forward to the many more community-building activities planned for this academic year.

Our faculty is enthusiastic about providing holistic support to our students, helping them thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Whether through our basketball and football teams, Model United Nations, or the writing club, we believe in nurturing an environment where students can explore and discover themselves in diverse and meaningful ways.
As we progress into the academic year, I want to express my pride in our school community. It's your dedication, support, and enthusiasm that makes our school truly exceptional. Together, we will continue to inspire and empower our students to reach new heights of achievement and personal growth.

Thank you for being a part of our school family, and I look forward to sharing more exciting updates with you in the future.
Warm regards,

Rania Maayeh

Head of School

Take a quick tour around RFS' lower campus- and stay tuned for a tour video of the upper campus coming soon!

The RFS Welcome Back to School Party

Written by: Frieda Dahdah-Khayat / Lower School Principal

With every new school year, the hearts of school staff, teachers, parents, and students are intertwined with mixed emotions of anxiety, excitement, and curiosity. To harmoniously restore the balance of everyone’s feelings, RFS presents the annual tradition of the "Welcome Back to School Party."

On the third Saturday of every fresh school year, the grand celebration welcomes students, families, teachers, and staff to our evergreen school campus. Families meet teachers and staff for the first time, breaking the ice and building valuable connections. Guests of all ages stroll throughout our uplifting school to participate in games and activities like face painting, mural painting, and singing. To ensure a memorable experience for our community, our food stations offer savory pastries, sweet treats and cold and hot beverages served with warm and welcoming smiles. 

Embracing the Quaker value of community, the RFS Back to School Party unites hearts and souls, fosters lifelong bonds, and sets the tone for a vibrant school year. 

Welcome back to school, RFS family!

THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED

Event Title: Ramallah Friends School Gala Dinner

Date: Saturday, December 2nd, 2023.
Time: 6:00 p.m EST.
Venue: Friends Meeting of Washington
Address: 2111 Decatur PL NW
Washington, DC 2008

Map: Directions & Parking

Contact Information:  [email protected]

Event Highlights:

Keynote Speaker: Sa'ed Atshan  (PhD) - Associate Professor of Anthropology. He is an RFS Graduate, Class of 2002. 
Music Performance: Enjoy an enchanting oud performance by Laith Alattar.
Cuisine: We'll be serving a delightful Palestinian-inspired evening of cuisine.

Written By: Nidal Quran / IBDP Coordinator & Biology Teacher

The newly installed pond aquaponics system will greatly enhance student learning in a variety of ways.

It offers hands-on learning experiences as students actively engage in caring for plants and fish, allowing them to grasp complex concepts related to aquaponics, biology, and environmental science. This practical involvement nurtures curiosity and critical thinking.

The system promotes interdisciplinary education by integrating subjects like biology, chemistry, physics, and ecology, demonstrating their real-world connections. Moreover, the aquaponics system highlights sustainability, teaching students the significance of resource conservation and sustainable food production.

It also supports experimental learning, empowering students to conduct research and experiments related to plant growth, water quality, and system efficiency. Finally, the system sparks creativity and inspiration, encouraging students to devise innovative ideas for system improvement and research projects. 

By Ann Procter, Friend-in-Residence

In spring 2022, I returned to RFS as a Quaker volunteer, following a stint in 2019. I worked with small groups of 10th-grade English students and supervised a newly organized writing club that met one afternoon a week after school. Students grades 6-12 came together to write for 20 minutes from a prompt. Writers who wished to share their pieces then read their pieces to the group.

In fall 2022, we opened the school’s Writing Center which has become a gathering place for creative writers and a community of mutual support and deep friendship.  On any given week, we may write memoir, poetry, short stories, or mysteries. It is always exciting to hear what our student writers have come up with, and lovely to see the bonds that have been built among writers. I am continually bowled over by the high level of writing. This school year, there are two Upper School/Middle School writing clubs and two Lower school writing clubs.

Exciting news ahead! The new student newspaper -- The Friends Gazette -- will launch its first issue on October 30. Editors-in-Chief Hana Shqairat and Nada Jaawan and Business Manager Alma Shawa have been hard at work lining up a stellar staff of Writers (Arabic and English), Copy Editors (Arabic and English), Graphic Designers, Layout Designers, Photographers, and Distributors.  With all the writing talent in this school, Friends Gazette promises to be a huge success.

The Back to School Bonfire annual event was organized at the Upper Campus by the school administration and the Student Council of 2022-2023.