Alexandria Friends School

Story

Alexandria Friends School was a private, non-profit Friends middle and high school located at 3830 Seminary Road in Alexandria, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 2006 by faculty and staff from Thornton Friends School's Alexandria campus, which closed at the end of the 2005-2006 school year. The school closed in 2012, despite promises to reopen the following year.Alexandria Friends School was operated in accordance with the practices and principles of the Religious Society of Friends . In 2009, the original Thornton Friends School of Silver Spring, Maryland, ceased operations. Alexandria Friends School was the only school operating on the Thornton model.In the Friends tradition of service to others, each student completed forty hours of community service for each year she or he was enrolled. Studentsed sign a statement of commitment which included a pledge to tell the truth .Like most Quaker schools, AFS included Meeting for Worship on a regular basis where the community of students and staff gathered for silent reflection. Sometimes a query or question was posed to guide that reflection.The school's academic curriculum included courses in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, English, history, and electives such as art and sports. Each school day ended with "Renaissance" classes featuring popular electives in its aftercare program.