Welcome!

Whether you're just discovering New Garden Friends School or you've walked our hallways for years and are exploring what comes next for your child, welcome! We're glad you're here!

NGFS was founded in 1971 and is guided by a simple but ambitious mission: guided by Quaker values, we are committed to being an inclusive educational community that honors and develops each person's gifts. Every decision we make, from how we design a lesson to how we welcome a new family, starts with that mission.

We believe challenging academics and a caring community aren't in tension with one another; they strengthen each other. Our students are challenged to think critically, ask hard questions, and do work they're proud of, all within a school where they're known as individuals, and celebrated for their unique gifts. Social and emotional learning isn't a separate subject here; it's woven into how we teach, how we engage on the athletic field, how we handle conflict, and in how we help students understand themselves and each other. And because we believe every person's gifts deserve room to grow, inclusion isn't an initiative we check off. It's a daily practice reflected in our classrooms, our programming, and our community.

Families join us at every stage, some as their child begins preschool in A Child’s Garden, others as a student moves from one campus to another. Wherever you are in that journey, our team is here to help you and your child navigate it with confidence. We hope this website offers a genuine window into who we are, and we hope you'll reach out with any questions along the way.

With gratitude,

Michelle Klosterman
Head of School