Lower School

The campus is located at the peripheries of the old city of Ramallah and on one of the main streets (Friends Street) connecting lower town with upper town. It is less than a hundred meters away from the Municipality Building and park. The campus is 13,323 square meters and includes many buildings, sports facilities and outdoor areas.

Main Administrative Building

At one time, the Main Administration Building of the Lower School was the sole building of the Friends Girls School in Ramallah and the first school for girls in the area.

Constructed in 1889, this was the hub of life for girls studying in the final days of the Ottoman Empire, with the first class graduating in 1895. This provided a boarding facility and educational space for girls from all over the region. The total area of the building is 1935 square meters. 

The Lower School's Administration  Building today is considered a historic building in Ramallah with its grand stone structure and beautiful arched windows. It is a multi-purpose building that serves as the epicenter of the campus with administration offices, teacher working rooms, science and computer labs, art and music classrooms and the library.

Old Principal House

Built originally in the early 1900s as the Principal's house, with a total area of 300 square meters, the building is now home to the "Little Friends PreKindergarten." 

It is one of the historic buildings in Ramallah with beautiful stone details. It is composed of two floors, one of which is a small underground and currently hosts the school's Museum. 

Whittier Building

 

Built in 1934 and named in honor of  the Girls' School principal in the 1920s Alice Whittier Jones, Whittier Hall today houses classrooms for 4th and 5th grade students.

 

 

Shaheen Building

Completed in 1992 with the support from the United Nations Development Program, an addition to Whittier Building was built, providing much needed classroom space. The new extension was named Shaheen Building in honor of long-time school supporter, Aziz Shaheen. Today the building is home to 1st and 2nd grade students.

 

 

 

Kindergarten Building

Built with the help of graduates, friends and development organizations from the Arab world, the KG is the newest building on the Lower School campus. The building was built in two stages in 2012 and 2013 with a total areas of 2550 square meters. With its own parking lot, and a floor for each of the two levels of kindergarten, the facility has space for more than 150 students in grades LKG and UKG and play areas surrounding the building. On the top floor, a new multi-purpose hall, named after one of our major donors and former student Mr. Khaldoun Tabari, was completed to accommodate larger performances and assemblies for a Lower School student population that now exceeds 700. In 2017 with the help of graduates and parents, construction began for the addition of a third floor to the KG Building and is set to become the home for 3rd grade students.

Athletic Facilities and Playgrounds

Playgrounds

The school has 2 playgrounds for students from 1st to 6th grade. The first is in the southeastern corner of the campus, with several playing mazes, swings and slides. The playground has sand flooring and is enclosed for the use of younger elementary students. Whereas the second is an older set of playground equipment with a maze, slides and swings that are located to the southwestern corner of administrative building with a sand floor.  

The KG building has two playground areas. Established in year 2013, the first has a rubber floor with an adjacent sand playing area. This playground area is located inside the courtyard and has an abundance of equipment, including a balance bar, climbing complex and swings.

Turf Football Fields

Completed in 2012, the 2 artificial turf costumed size soccer fields are located to the west of the administration building. Previously, boys and girls played on dirt or concrete surfaces, presenting a variety of dangers. Now, our students and community have access to one of few artificial turf fields in Palestine.

Basketball Court

Located at the southwestern corner of campus, the basketball court at the lower school is a hub for fun and activities for students, teachers and families. Always filled with games, sports and music, this space is a center of community. Students who attended the Lower School will remember fondly the activities of the ‘Open Day’, the music and games and the medals and trophies they received while playing on this field. 

 

 

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