Messages from Our Head of School

We continuously strive to ensure all feel welcomed and loved within our walls – and one way we must do that is by acknowledging and celebrating the faiths and traditions of all our community members. 

That’s why today, I am writing to share my gratitude and admiration for the wonderful teachers in our community who are observing the holy month of Ramadan. 

“A picture is worth a thousand words.”  It’s an age-old adage that has perhaps become a little trite over time – and yet I found myself reflecting on the truth behind it this week as I watched our graduating seniors take their senior photos. 

Before coming to TQS, our students face school lives filled with uphill battles: large classes, bullying, being called lazy and unmotivated, forced and half-hearted inclusion efforts, detentions, suspensions, unproven or lack of fidelity of interventions, and generally not being appreciated for their inherent work as human beings.

At this time of year, gratitude abounds. The Thanksgiving holiday gives us all an opportunity to pause and reflect on everything for which we are grateful – a practice that can easily be forgotten in the real-life rush of the rest of the year. 

For me, this giving-of-thanks is something I think about often. I consider myself a particularly grateful person who realizes the magnitude of the gifts in my life. 

Isn’t it amazing how the slightest shift in routine … in perspective … in weather can make the ordinary suddenly extraordinary? How simply looking at something with a fresh set of eyes can reveal such unexpected joy?

Welcome (or, welcome back) to The Quaker School at Horsham! As we open our doors for the 40th year of our school’s existence, I find myself reflecting on how much this welcome actually means to our students and families. 

For 40 years, students have left schools that did not appreciate their gifts, and TQS has accepted their presence with pleasure in order to help them grow and thrive. For 40 years, our students have been greeted hospitably by loving and highly-skilled teachers as they stepped off the bus on the first day of school. For 40 years, children with complex challenges have been finding community, friendship, fun, hope, and bright futures on our welcoming campus.

While much has changed since The Quaker School opened our doors four decades ago (beyond the shoulder-padded fashions and the transition from blackboard to smart devices!), one thing has remained constant: 

For 40 years, TQS has started each school year by welcoming new students and faculty into our halls. Each year, these new additions make our community, and our mission, stronger. This year is no exception.