Stay in the Know with the NGFS App!

The NGFS app is a valuable resource for our community. Frequently accessed sites and information are available ... right at your fingertips! Please be sure to install the App on your phone and subscribe to the groups that affect your family so you receive app notifications. Check your phone's settings to ensure notifications are enabled. 

To install the free app:

Search for “New Garden Friends School” through the App Store or Google Play. When you install and open the App, you will be greeted by a welcome screen; from there, click “Get Started” and follow the prompts.

If you already have the App installed from last year:

The next time you access the app, you may be prompted to re-onboard (through the welcome screen). Follow the prompts to select the correct Divisions and Groups for this year.

Recommended Groups to select:

• "Schoolwide" - as an NGFS App user, you are automatically in the Schoolwide group and will receive all whole-school related notifications (for example: reminder of early dismissal)
• Under “Schoolwide” - select groups that apply to your student(s)
• Under "Grades" - select all that are applicable to your family (for example: if you have a kindergarten and third grade student, select "Sunrise (K)" and "Horizon 3rd/4th").

If you have questions about the app, please contact Deana Allman, Director of Communications, here.

Click the image to open a downloadable/printable version.

2025-26 Major Dates Calendar

2025-26 Academic Calendar - includes major dates and more!

These calendars are always accessible on the:

• NGFS App: On the App home screen; calendar icon (located at the bottom of the home screen) displays a weekly list of the school calendar items
• NGFS website: School calendar and link to downloadable calendars located under “Resources” on the Calendar page.

NOTE: Updates to both calendars were published on 7/25/25 in the community Summer Newsletter. Here is that announcement:

2025-26 Calendar Updates

The following changes have been made:

• The Galaxy (grades 5-6) Fall Trip has been moved to Tuesday-Thursday, Nov. 4-6.
• The Rainbow (grades 1-2) Campout has been moved from Friday, May 1 to Friday, May 8.

The following additions have been made:

• Lower School Drama Interest Meeting - Monday, Aug. 18, 7-7:30 p.m, immediately following Guilford Campus Classroom Welcome Night
• GrandFriends Day on Guilford Campus - Friday, Oct. 17. This is a half-day, early dismissal for Guilford Campus students, preschool-grade 6.
• Lower School Drama Production - Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21 and 22, showtimes TBA

The emails for Lower School (preschool-grade 6) were sent from Genny Smith, Head of Lower School. If you have questions, you can contact Genny here. Each email also contains the school supplies list.

A Child's Garden (Preschool and Pre-K) Summer Update

Sunrise (TK and K) Summer Update

Rainbow (grades 1-2) Summer Update

Horizon (grades 3-4) Summer Update - includes directions for summer assignment

Galaxy (grades 5-6) Summer Update - includes directions for summer reading and project

The emails for Middle School (grades 7-8) and Upper School (grades 9-12) were sent from Tanisha Jones, Head of Middle and Lower School, and contain the directions for summer assignments. If you have questions, you can contact Tanisha here.

Middle School Summer Assignment

Upper School Summer Assignment

Class welcome letters, including school supply lists, class lists/contact groups/advising groups, and drop-off and pick-up procedures, were sent via email on 8/4/2025 from the Division Heads and are linked below. Lists with student names are only included in the emails (not on the website for public view). 

If you did not receive the email for your child's class, please contact the division head for your student's level:

• Genny Smith, Head of Lower School (preschool-grade 6), email Genny here
• Tanisha Jones, Head of Middle School (grades 7-8) and Upper School (grades 9-12), email Tanisha here

A Child's Garden (Preschool, Pre-K) Welcome Letter

Sunrise (TK, K) Welcome Letter

Rainbow (grades 1-2) Welcome Letter

Horizon (grades 3-4) Welcome Letter

Galaxy (grades 5-6) Welcome Letter

Middle School (grades 7-8) Welcome Letter

Upper School (grades 9-12) Welcome Letter

Extended Care is offered on the Guilford Campus for Lower School students (preschool-grade 6) for an additional fee. Extended Care hours of operation are 7:30-7:45 a.m. and in the afternoon from school dismissal until 6 p.m. 

Enrollment is now open! See the email sent on 8/11/25 to Preschool-grade 6 families for details and enrollment directions.

Visit the Extended Care page.

You may update student or family information at any time during the school year in the Family Portal. This may include a change in contact information, emergency contacts, authorized pick-up persons, or health care provider changes. 

Click here for Family Portal instructions.

Use the summer to get your NGFS Medication Administration Authorization forms signed, physicals completed, action plans updated, and immunizations updated. Details can be found HERE from the email sent on June 3, 2025, from School Nurse Kathryn Gale.

Visit the School Health page here.

NGFS families have the option to order hot lunches for their students through My Hot Lunchbox, which partners with local restaurants to deliver nutritious meals to schools. 

Ordering for the 2025-26 school year will open in early August, and families will be notified via email. The first day of delivery is the first day of school on Wednesday, August 20. Please note that ordering cuts off at 12 noon the day before each delivery.

Click here for account directions.

Click here for frequently asked questions.

If you already have an account, sign in to your account and click Edit (in My Profiles) to make any changes for the 2025-26 school year. Be sure to select the correct grade for your student(s). Click confirm.

Sign in to My Hot Lunchbox here.

You can also access the sign in page for My Hot Lunchbox on the home screen of the NGFS app. Look for this icon:

If you have questions, please contact My Hot Lunchbox at 888-894-8295 or info@myhotlunchbox.com.

An email invitation will be sent to new families with RSVP information.

Please plan to attend the Parent Night Meeting for your child(ren). Administrators will share whole school information, and teachers will share about classroom information, such as curriculum and work expectations, field trips and overnight trips (grades 3-12), and extracurricular opportunities.

Lower School (preschool-grade 6) - Tuesday, Sept. 9, 6-7:30 p.m. 
Upper School (grades 9-12) - Tuesday, Sept. 16, 6-7 p.m.
Middle School (grades 7-8) - Thursday, Sept. 18, 6-7 p.m. 

Click the flyer to open full size. 

Middle Division sports are offered for students in grades 5-7. JV and Varsity sports are offered for students in grades 7-12. Visit the Athletics page to learn more. 

On August 5, 2025, a welcome email from the NGFS Athletics Department was sent to NGFS families of 5th-12th grade students. 

Click here to read the welcome email.

Click here to complete the Athletics Interest Form .

If you have more than one 5th-12th grader interested in participating in sports, please complete a form for each child.

Athletics Interest Meetings:

• For grades 7-12: Thursday, Aug. 21, 6-6:30 p.m. (Bob Page Campus, 2015 Pleasant Ridge Road)
• For grades 5-6: Monday, Aug. 25, 6-6:30 p.m. (Guilford Campus, 1128 New Garden Road)

Questions? Contact the Athletics Department at athletics@ngfs.org. 

Go Bears!

Please join us in welcoming our new staff to the NGFS community! Click here to learn about our new staff members and to read updates about current staff taking on new roles this year.