Since 2021, Lancaster Friends School (LFS) has offered children from kindergarten through eighth grade educational experiences enriched by philosophies that go beyond academics. As the school continues to grow, its educators strive to promote a peace-centered educational community that implements diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) principles into the curriculum while meeting each child’s individual needs.

The concept for Lancaster Friends School goes back several years, reflects Andrea Paz y Miño Carty, head of the school. Societal upheavals during 2020, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the murder of George Floyd and the social justice movements that followed, instilled a sense of urgency in Carty to open a school that promotes social justice and inclusivity awareness for children, along with academics.

The school is in the Lancaster Friends Meeting House, and the students have access to the house’s picturesque grounds to engage in outdoor learning. Students are grouped into developmentally appropriate mixed-age classrooms akin to the Montessori model.

Carty says LFS middle grades teacher Trex Proffitt, who is a candidate for the Pennsylvania State Senate District 13, recently accompanied the school’s middle grades students on a field trip to Harrisburg and to Washington, D.C., to lobby for issues important to them. This political activism, along with service work throughout the Lancaster community, is vital to the good citizenship skills taught at LFS.

“The students decided on which issues were important to them. They chose to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, specifically for transgender communities. Together, they crafted their message and worked on their speech,” explains Carty. The students spoke to some representatives and staffers, and learned how to become empowered to act.

Lancaster Friends School has grown through community engagement, such as the Youth Advocacy Workshop, which is funded by a single grant from the Friends Council on Education. Held in autumn, the annual conference will feature keynote speakers and breakout sessions and is designed to empower LGBTQ+ youth and allies to advocate in the schools, communities and with elected officials. Those interested in participating can contact the school for dates and more information.
Guided by Quaker Beliefs

Quaker values are the foundation of LFS. While there is no formal religious instruction at LFS, instructors strive to help students embed Quaker values—simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality and stewardship, known by the acronym SPICES—into their daily lives.

“This year, we are focusing on integrity, discovering who you are and being true to your values,” says Carty. “We find it valuable for students to not only take the time to slow down and reflect, but also to respect the inner lives and spaces of others in the community.”

Carty affirms that LFS has put much thought into how to weave DEIJ values into their foundation. Lancaster Friends School has a DEIJ person dedicated to making sure educators are truly integrating DEIJ principles into all activities and lessons.

While most schools observe Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day with a  day off for students and staff, LFS remains in session to honor these days by teaching students about the people and the accurate, honest history behind the struggles of underrepresented voices.
“We teach students how to problem-solve and be listeners,” asserts Carty. “When we teach reading and history, we talk about in which perspectives the text is written and whose perspectives we are not hearing.”

Lancaster Friends School also welcomed several new educators this school year: Jane Walsh, who will teach upper elementary and previously taught at United Friends School; Jen Brace, the new early elementary grades educator; and Nichole Madonna, who will join the faculty as the art teacher.

Carty notes that LFS has provided significant financial aid to meet the needs of all qualifying families, which include 70 percent of the school’s students. Community partners have donated approximately $250,000 in scholarships. Carty is looking for partners to help them continue the scholarship program as enrollment grows. She adds that as the school reaches capacity, they will need a new space.

Carty says LFS continues to immerse their presence into the fabric of the Lancaster community. They attend pride events and engage in activities that speak to their values of diversity, equity and community.

“We want people in Lancaster to know about us and be a part of the Lancaster community. We’re more than a schoolhouse—we do service work that celebrates the diversity that is Lancaster,” underscores Carty.