Friends School of Portland could not function as it does without the generous, thoughtful, and consistent investment of time and energy on the part of parents. The ways families are involved with FSP change over time and each year we invite you to help reimagine and create new ways for families to be involved. You’ll find that each teacher at FSP invites parents to be involved in the classroom in different ways. As a school, we look for creative and simple ways for parents, caregivers, and families to be involved.

Parents have shared their interests and time in many ways: shared family traditions, expertise in their field in the classroom, co-led an afterschool Podcast club, assisted with building our new wing as part of our Capital Campaign leadership, created FSP car magnets, led annual fundraisers like Hats Off & Close Buy Catalog sales, attended morning coffees around Quakerism, and prepared appreciation lunches for teachers and staff.

All parents are encouraged to attend and sign up to help with a few annual parent-initiated traditions.

Parent Coffees are informal but themed meet and greets organized on the first Wednesday morning of each month. Past parent coffee topics have included conversations with Friends Camp Director, Quakers from Portland Friends Meeting, New Teacher meet and greet. We look forward to more ways to lift up and share the work of students and their families at FSP.

Fall Fest is held on a Sunday in October. Games, contradancing, and activities are organized. it is a family-friendly afternoon party.

Game Night is held on a Saturday in March. Board games, card games, D+D, tag games are set up and open to all. This event has been held in the afternoon. Families are invited to bring a snack to share.

Teacher and Staff Appreciation End-of-Year Lunches are a wonderful FSP tradition to share appreciation for the hard work all year of FSP’s faculty and staff. Families are invited to bring baked goods, main dishes, and desserts during June Teacher Work Days.

School Committees

In addition to these opportunities that come around each year, each school year offers different events in which to become involved. There are many School Committees that keep FSP a healthy, thoughtful community. Committees vary by membership: parents, students, faculty, staff, board members, community members. There are both committees that meet regularly and reoccur each year to groups as needed. Often, volunteer committee help is solicited in re-enrollment forms, by classroom teachers, in the e-bulletin, and in conversation.

Here are a few examples of committees and volunteer groups parents often support: Parenting for Peace Planning Committee, Admissions Ambassadors, Hours in the Flowers/Grounds Keepers, Visiting Artists Planning Committee, Grandfriends’ Day Planning Committee, Quaker Life Committee, Auction Planning Committee, School Merchandise Committee, and Classroom Point Parents.

Additional needs are publicized in the weekly e-bulletin and classroom emails.

Community Caregivers Committee Members:

  • Attend monthly meetings to gauge the sense of community

  • Spearhead one “Hospitality and Help” 

  • Assist with planning either the Fall Fest or Winter Game Night 

  • Assist in creating a mid-year parent survey

  • Assist in adding to the end-of-year parent survey

  • Lead one (or more) Parent Coffee(s) during the school year 

Meetings are held on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 4:30 pm at FSP. AfterCare is available for families during this time.

  • Tuesday, Oct. 7

    Tuesday, Nov. 4

    Tuesday, Dec. 2

    Tuesday, Jan. 13

    Tuesday, March 3

    Tuesday, April 7

    Tuesday, May 12

Racial Justice Accountability Group (R.J.A.G)

This is a mixed-constituency, ever-evolving group that will meet this school year four times. Clerked by the head of school, the mission of R.J.A.G. is to keep channels of communication open between administration, parents, and teachers when it comes to areas of progress, areas of block, incidents or discouragements, signs of hope, need for further study, and ideas for change. 

Meetings are designed to stand alone. Meetings are usually at 4 pm in person, in the conference room.

Please email Sara Primo (sara@friendsschoolportland.org) if you are interested in being on the email list that receives the agenda ahead of time. Past topics have included “Talking to Young White People About White Fragility” and “Conversation with the Director of DEI at Germantown Friends School.”