Moorestown Friends School

Moorestown Friends School (also known as MFS) is a private, coeducational Quaker day school located in Moorestown, in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States.

Moorestown Friends School
Address
110 East Main Street

Moorestown
,
Burlington County
,
New Jersey
08057

United States
Coordinates39.9651°N 74.9415°W / 39.9651; -74.9415
Information
TypePrivate, Independent
Established1785 (1785)
NCES School ID00868087[1]
Head of schoolJulia de la Torre[2]
Faculty89.5 FTEs[1]
GradesPreK-12
Gendercoeducational
Enrollment716 (plus 50 in PreK, as of 2017–18)[1]
Student to teacher ratio7.4:1[1]
Color(s)  Red and
  Blue[3]
Athletics conferenceFriends Schools League, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
Team nameFoxes[3]
YearbookThe Cupola
Tuition$31,650 (grades 9-12 for 2017-18)[4]
Websitewww.mfriends.org

As of the 2017–18 school year, the school had an enrollment of 716 students and 89.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 7.4:1. The school's student body was 59.5% (396) White, 16.2% (108) Asian, 11.6% (77) Black, 9.0% (60) two or more races and 3.5% (23) Hispanic.[1]

The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1991.[5] MFS is also a member of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools[6] and the Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools.[7]

Awards and recognition

During the 1991–92 school year, Moorestown Friends School was awarded the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education,[8] the highest award an American school can receive.[9][10]

In 2007, Barbara Quinn Kreider, chair of the science department and chemistry teacher, was recognized as the New Jersey parochial school teacher of the year, after her successful freshmen science program was rated number one in the country.[11]

Historian James C. Scott dedicated his 1990 book Domination and the Arts of Resistance to Moorestown Friends School.

History
George Fox, founder of Quakerism.

In 1781, a two-acre lot, located near the intersection of Chester Avenue and Main Street, was purchased. In 1785, a stone schoolhouse was erected and Joshua Hunt was the first teacher.[12][13][14] In 1784, a lot at the western side of the community was purchased and a brick schoolhouse was erected.[15]

In 1827, the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, which the Moorestown Monthly Meeting is a part of, split into the Orthodox and Hicksite meetings. The Orthodox school stayed on the current site under the name "Moorestown Friends Academy", while a Hicksite school called "Moorestown Friends High School" a block away. The two schools recombined under the name "Moorestown Friends School" in 1920 at the current site.

Upper school

Upper school at MFS includes grades 9 through 12.

The total average SAT score for the Class of 2013 was 1886, made up of Critical Reading 630, Math 628 and Writing 628.[16]

Community service

All Upper School students must complete 50 hours of community service, and many participate in service trips to places like New Orleans, the Florida Everglades, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Tanzania. Faculty make an effort to engage students in their local communities, including the city of Philadelphia.[17]

Clubs

Extracurricular activities at MFS include Agenda Committee (similar to Student Government), Algorithms Club, Animal Awareness Club, Badminton Club, Barbecue Club, Chess Club, Chinese Culture Club, Computer Club, Dance Club, Disney Club, Diversity Committee, Drama Club, Dungeons and Dragons Club, EA Sports Club, Environmental Club, Film Club, Fellowship of Christians (FOCUS), Future Educators, Gender Equality Forum, Girl Up Club, Girls in STEM Club, Literature Club, Martin Luther King Jr. Club, Model United Nations, Ping Pong Club, Poetry Club, Political Action Club, PRIDE Club (the Gay-Straight Alliance), Service Committee, Sit-Com Clubs, Sports Debate Club, Ultimate Frisbee Club, Worship Planning.[18]

Middle school

Middle school at MFS includes grades 5 through 8.

Students take courses in English, Math, Social Studies, Science, and World Languages as well as in non-major courses such as Woodshop, Art, Music, Physical Education, and Health. Technology is an important component of education at MFS. Faculty advisors meet with middle school students daily to help them develop effective study skills.[19]

Middle school extracurricular activities include choir, band, theater, student government, robotics, architecture, web design, and newspaper. The students also have a variety of sports to choose from. Each Middle School grade level has a unique outdoor educational experience.

Lower school

Lower school at MFS includes preschool through grade 4.

Beginnings at MFS

During the 2012–2013 school year, the early childhood program at Moorestown Friends School rebranded itself as "Beginnings at MFS" to stress the importance of preschool, prekindergarten, and kindergarten in a child's development.[20]

"We consider the education of young children to be work of enormous importance. [...] This is a school where you will find an experienced, certified teacher with a Master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania leading a class of three-year-olds. Furthermore, in our early childhood classes, we maintain a ratio of one teacher to just 7 or 8 students."[21]

Academic technology

Moorestown Friends School has more than 450 computers and laptops throughout the school, consisting of five computer labs, ten laptop carts and three mini-labs. Five of the laptop carts are for general use and two are for the middle and upper school Science Department. Mathematics, World Languages, and the lower school each have their own dedicated computer cart. MFS is predominantly a PC school; however there are several Macs and iPads available for use at every grade level.[22]

The school has a MacBook Pro cart for high-end graphical and media use and an iPad cart as well. They acquired high-quality video production equipment and created an editing studio capable of creating high, near-professional quality video.

Numonic's interactive whiteboards with mounted projectors are in every classroom. The MFS campus has Wi-Fi accessibility throughout the entire school, and all upper school students are able to connect with their own personal devices.

The MFS library houses a computer processing center for students to research and prepare written work. The library's online catalog is available via the network throughout the school or from home. Students are also able to check out laptops, iPads and digital cameras from the Library.

Diversity

33% of the student body are students of color.[23]

The Camden Scholars Program

The Camden Scholars Program at MFS provides opportunities to students from the Camden City Public Schools in Camden, New Jersey. Recommended by guidance counselors at Camden Middle Schools, candidates apply to Moorestown Friends School, visit classes, and are interviewed.

Once selected by the Camden Scholars Committee and admitted, students receive a scholarship that provides virtually full tuition to MFS. Camden Scholars are encouraged to pursue their interests and develop their talents. Camden Scholars participate in clubs, serve as student leaders, are athletes and perform in plays. They go on overnight retreats and field trips. MFS has a Camden Scholars Coordinator who serves as a liaison to help participants adjust to their new learning environment and sustain a healthy and successful academic and extracurricular schedule. The school's Diversity Coordinator oversees student, employee and curricular diversity efforts throughout the entire school with the aid of a faculty/staff sub-committee.[24]

Meeting for Worship

Each week, the MFS community gathers in the Meetinghouse, built in 1802, for Meeting for Worship. There are separate Meetings for each school division.

Friends believe that each person has within him/herself, with God's help, the ability to discern truth. Participants use this time to pray, or worship or simply reflect deeply on the world around them, according to their own faith traditions.

Since Friends believe that each person, no matter their age, is able to discern truth, all are welcome to speak from their hearts if so moved. It is expected that their words will be listened to from the same deep connection to the Spirit and provide insight for the listeners. When the Meeting for Worship is over, students on the facing benches close the Meeting by shaking hands. At this point everyone is invited to briefly greet their neighbor before settling back into quiet for dismissal.[25]

The Examined Life
Socrates teaching.

The phrase "Examined Life" is drawn from Socrates' axiom: "The unexamined life is not worth living." The goal of such a life is to integrate a tough mind and a tender heart.[26]

Moorestown Friends School's Examined Life Program has four components: Openness to a spiritual life, development and application of personal ethics in the community, critical thinking and development of resilience.

Athletics

Varsity and Junior Varsity sports include: baseball, basketball, cross country, field hockey, fencing, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis and swimming.

Middle School sports offered are baseball, basketball, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer and tennis.[16]

MFS is a member of the Friends Schools League, which was established in 1981. Member schools are Abington Friends School, Academy of the New Church, Friends Central School, Friends Select School, George School, Germantown Friends School, Shipley School and Westtown School. The Moorestown Friends School Foxes also compete as a member of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, which allows the school's teams to compete for state championships.[3]

In keeping with Quaker philosophy, sportsmanship is stressed in all MFS athletics. The school's mascot is the Fox, named after George Fox, the founder of Quakerism.

The field hockey team won the South Jersey Group I state sectional championship in 1976.[27]

The boys tennis team was Non-Public B/C state champion in 1978.[28]

The boys soccer team won the Non-Public Group B state championship in 1979, defeating runner-up St. Cecilia High School with a 1-0 overtime win in the championship game.[29][30] In 2015, the boys' soccer team won the NJSIAA Non-Public B South championship, defeating Holy Cross Academy by a score of 2–0 in the tournament final.[31] In 2016, the team captured the program's first-ever Friends School League championship.[32] The boys' soccer team won NJSIAA Non-Public B South titles in 2017.[33] and 2015.[34]

In 2017, the girls' soccer team won the NJSIAA Non-Public B state championship for the first time in program history as co-champion with Montclair Kimberley Academy.[35][36] The team won the NJSIAA sectional championships in 2017.[37] In 2014, the girls' soccer team won the NJSIAA Non-Public B South championship, defeating Gill St. Bernard's School, 5–0.[38] In 2015, the team repeated as the NJSIAA Non-Public B South champion, defeating Holy Spirit High School, 3–2 in double overtime.[39]

The girls' tennis team won the Friends Schools League championship in 2017.[40]

In 2017, the boys' tennis team won the NJSIAA Non-Public B South championship, defeating Rutgers Preparatory School 5–0.[41]

The girls' lacrosse team won the overall state championship in 1980, defeating Moorestown High School in the tournament final.[42]

The boys' cross country team were the 2007 South Jersey Non-Public B champions and state runner-up, which was the first cross country title in school history.[43][44]

The girls' tennis team won the 2005 South B state sectional championship with a 4–1 win over Sacred Heart High School.[45] The 2007 team reclaimed the title, defeating Bishop Eustace High School 3–2 in the tournament final.[46]

The boys fencing team was the foil team winner from 2004-2007.[47][48] Senior John Gurrieri won the state individual foil title in 2006.[49] Senior Erin Chen won the state individual saber title in 2016.

The girls tennis team won the Non-Public B state championship in 2018 and 2019, defeating Newark Academy in the tournament final both years.[50] The 2018 team defeated Newark Academy 3-2 in the finals.[51]

Notable alumni
Alice Paul, Quaker alumna of Moorestown Friends School and prominent women's rights activist.

Bibliography
  • Woodward, E. M. (1883), History of Burlington County, New Jersey, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Philadelphia: Everts & Peck, pp. 270–1
  • Hartman, Neil, et al. (editors) (1986), Moorestown Friends School, a history, Moorestown: Moorestown Friends School (publisher), 80 pages

References
  1. School data for Moorestown Friends School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed September 1, 2020.
  2. , Moorestown Friends School. Accessed August 1, 2019.
  3. Moorestown Friends School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  4. Upper School Tuition – 2019-20, Moorestown Friends School. Accessed August 1, 2019.
  5. Moorestown Friends School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed July 24, 2011.
  6. List of Member Schools, New Jersey Association of Independent Schools. Accessed August 12, 2017.
  7. Listing of ADVIS member schools, Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools. Accessed July 24, 2011.
  8. Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 (PDF), United States Department of Education. Accessed March 28, 2011.
  9. "CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department", Journal Inquirer, November 16, 2006. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve."
  10. Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test" The Washington Post. September 29, 2005 "For their accomplishments, all three schools this month earned the status of Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor the U.S. Education Department can bestow upon a school."
  11. Camilli, Danielle. "MFS science teacher wins top N.J. honor" Archived October 19, 2007, at Archive.today, Burlington County Times, October 4, 2007. Accessed March 6, 2008.
  12. Hartman, p. 4:
    "Two years later, in 12th Month, 1781, the Elders and Overseers of Chester Preparative Meeting bought from Ephraim Haines a piece of ground on which to build a school house."
    "On this piece of ground a stone schoolhouse was erected, some time in the year 1785."
    "The stone structure which was the original Moorestown Friends' School remained unchanged for nearly one hundred years."
  13. "About MFS History". Moorestown Friends School. Retrieved August 16, 2008.
  14. Woodward, p. 270:
    "Joshua, son of Robert and Martha Hunt, was born Feb. 1, 1753. His wife, Esther, a daughter of Enoch Roberts, born Sept. 4, 1751, died Feb. 5, 1820. Joshua Hunt resided in Moorestown most of his life, and was the first teacher in the Friends' school in the old stone school-house. In 1790 he removed with his family to Redstone Fort, now called Brownsville, Pa., and there died the next year."
  15. Hartman, p. 4:
    "In 1784 another lot had been bought at the western end of the settlement near William Matlack's farm, and a brick school was erected at about the same time as the stone house."
  16. Fast Facts, Moorestown Friends School. Accessed January 3, 2017.
  17. Moorestown Friends School Academics - Upper School. Accessed September 7, 2013.
  18. Upper School Clubs at Moorestown Friends School. Accessed September 7, 2013.
  19. Middle School at Moorestown Friends School. Accessed September 7, 2013.
  20. Beginnings at MFS. Accessed September 7, 2013.
  21. Beginnings at MFS: Our Program, Moorestown Friends School. Accessed September 17, 2013.
  22. Technology at Moorestown Friends School. Accessed September 8, 2013.
  23. Moorestown Friends School Diversity. Accessed September 7, 2013.
  24. Moorestown Friends School Diversity - Camden Scholars Program. Accessed September 7, 2013.
  25. Meeting for Worship Archived September 7, 2013, at Archive.today. Accessed September 7, 2013.
  26. The Examined Life Archived September 7, 2013, at Archive.today. Accessed September 7, 2013.
  27. History of NJSIAA Field Hockey Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  28. History of Boys' Team Tennis Championship Tournament, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  29. NJSIAA History of Boys Soccer, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  30. Price, Toby. "Wall Pop Warner champs in bowl game", Asbury Park Press, November 21, 1979. Accessed January 23, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "In the NJSIAA Parochial B championship, Moorestown Friends defeated St. Cecilia's of Kearny, 1-0, in overtime. Moorestown Friends was the South Jersey Parochial B champion and took its first state championship."
  31. http://highschoolsports.nj.com/game/score/3203300/
  32. http://www.mfriends.org/boys-soccer-wins-fsl-championship/
  33. http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/2190141368399224896/moorestown-friends-1-at-immaculata-0-boys-soccer/
  34. http://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/b9356870-899f-11e5-bcde-73d4b734bf7d.html
  35. NJSIAA History of Girls Soccer, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  36. http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/2190145368418225000/moorestown-friends-girls-soccer-makes-history-wins-share-of-1st-non-public-b-title/
  37. http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/2190141368401225016/moorestown-friends-1-at-rutgers-prep-0-girls-soccer/
  38. http://highschoolsports.nj.com/game/score/2403566/
  39. http://highschoolsports.nj.com/game/score/3204503/
  40. http://www.mfriends.org/girls-tennis-wins-fsl-championship/
  41. Bellano, Anthony. "Moorestown Friends School Boys Tennis Team Wins South Jersey Title", Moorestown Patch, May 24, 2017. Accessed May 29, 2017. "The Moorestown Friends School boys tennis team captured its 14th sectional championship on Tuesday. Moorestown Friends defeated Rutgers Prep, 5-0, to win the NJSIAA South Jersey Non-Public B title at the Moorestown Tennis Club."
  42. NJSIAA Girls Lacrosse Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  43. Melohis, Ted. "Denson, Engel help Friends make a little history", Burlington County Times, November 6, 2007. Accessed July 24, 2011. "Denson and Engel helped make history yesterday leading Moorestown Friends to the first South Jersey championship in the program's eight-year history."
  44. "Boys Cross Country Team Finishes Second at State Championship Meet" Archived February 8, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, Moorestown Friends School 2007-08 Sports News Archive, November 12, 2007. Accessed July 24, 2011. "Paced by senior Sean Denson (6th) and sophomore Bob Engel (9th), the Foxes finished second in the NJSIAA State Non-Public B race at Holmdel Park on Saturday. It is the highest finish in school history for a cross country team."
  45. 2005 Girls Team Tennis - South B, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed July 17, 2007.
  46. 2007 Girls Team Tennis - South B, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 26, 2007.
  47. NJSIAA History of Boys Fencing Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  48. Staff. "Foxes foil squad captures third straight state title", Burlington County Times, February 26, 2006. Accessed July 24, 2011. "John Gurrieri, Mario Ponticello and Paul Gray teamed together to win the third consecutive New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Foil Squad championship for Moorestown Friends."
  49. Staff. "Friends' Gurrieri takes state fencing title", Burlington County Times, March 12, 2006. Accessed July 24, 2011. "John Gurrieri, a Moorestown Friends School senior, won the NJSIAA Individual Fencing Tournament yesterday at Rider University."
  50. History of NJSIAA Girls Team Tennis Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  51. Lawrence, Ryan. "MFS relishing first state championship", The Sun Newspapers, October 23, 2018. Accessed January 18, 2021. "Junior Elena Styliades outlasted her Newark Academy counterpart in an entertaining and tense, three-set match at third singles to put the Foxes over the top in the New Jersey Non-Public B state championship. Styliades and her fellow Moorestown Friends singles teammates, Renna Mohsen-Breen (first singles) and Bella Pescatore (second) won their matches to deliver the Foxes a 3–2 win over Newark Academy."
  52. Past Recipients of The Alice Paul Merit Award Accessed September 7, 2013.
  53. "Gloria Borders '73: Cutting a Wide SWATH in Hollywood." Among Friends Fall 2012.
  54. Fuhrer, Diane. "Take a Visit to 'Our Town'". Patch. Patch. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
  55. Ronaldson, Tom. "An honor of 'Epic' proportions", The Moorstown Sun, May 6, 2011. Accessed October 25, 2017. "Tonight, Moorestown Friends School is honoring some of its outstanding alumni with special awards. One of those people is Judy Greenfield Faulkner, class of 1961, who is slated to receive the Alumni Association Alice Paul Merit Award for her outstanding success as a pioneer in the field of health information technology."
  56. Author Fredric Jameson, an alumnus of Moorestown Friends School, received the Truman Capote Award for Literary Criticism. Accessed May 14, 2015.
  57. Mustapha Khan at the Internet Movie Database.
  58. "Upper School Music Retreat Welcomes Special Guests for Clinics, Film Screening", Moorestown Friends School, March 9, 2020. Accessed May 18, 2020. "In addition, Mustapha Khan ’80 presented a special screening of his documentary Song for Our People, which is currently traveling the festival circuit and earning praise from audiences."
  59. Friedman, Josh. "Then and now: Moorestown standout Matt Langel", Courier-Post, February 1, 2018. Accessed August 9, 2019. "Matt Langel - Moorestown - Year graduated: 1996 - Basketball accomplishments: Matt Langel spent his freshman year at Moorestown Friends, but transferred to Moorestown as a sophomore."
  60. "Rob Moose '00 Wins Two Grammy Awards with Bon Iver". Among Friends (Spring 2012 ed.). Moorestown Friends School. p. 27. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  61. "Alice Paul (1885-1977)" Archived December 22, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, University of Pennsylvania. Accessed October 25, 2017. "Alice Paul was born on January 11, 1885, in Moorestown, New Jersey, the daughter of William M. Paul, banker and businessman, and his wife, Tacie Perry. Alice, the eldest of four daughters in this Quaker family, was educated at Moorestown Friends School before earning her undergraduate education at Swarthmore College in 1905."
  62. Sheehy, Noel; Chapman, Antony J.; and Conroy, Wenday A. Biographical Dictionary of Psychology, p. 496. Routledge, 2016. ISBN 9781136798856. Accessed October 25, 2017. "Sir Michael Rutter was educated at Moorestown Friends School, USA, Wolverhampton Grammar School, England, and Bootham School, York, England."
  63. Scott, James C. (26 March 2009). James Scott interviewed by Alan Macfarlane (VIDEO) 1. Interview with Alan Macfarlane. Cambridge, England. Accessed November 26, 2014.
  64. Seife, Charles. "Spin Doctor: Nobel Physicist Joseph Taylor Takes the "Pulse" of Dying Stars", Princeton Alumni Weekly, October 11, 1995. Accessed October 26, 2007. "As a high school student at Moorestown (N.J.) Friends, Taylor excelled in mathematics, a subject he pursued at Haverford College before switching to physics."
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