Traditions & Celebrations
Engaging the Spirit at Lansdowne Friends School
All-School Gathering
Friday morning Gathering is a community event at LFS, providing students and teachers an opportunity to share and learn from each other in a relaxed environment. Responsibility for leading Gathering rotates through the classrooms. Each week one class presents something of interest to the assembled group. A Pre-K class might share a recent field trip experience through drawings. A class might share a skit that they have written based on a classroom theme. Students might model conflict resolution skills or teach a song. Young students look up to older students as role models and grow in confidence. Older students develop leadership skills. Gatherings help us all get to know each other better and learn about the work and play of each class. We end most gatherings with singing. Parents are welcome to join us.
Playground Picnic
The Playground Picnic is scheduled on a Friday in September. At 6:00, following the end of the Extended Day Program, families arrive on the front playground with their picnic suppers and blankets. The Playground picnic offers returning families an opportunity to reconnect with each other and an opportunity to connect with new LFS families. Children enjoy running and playing with their new and old friends.
Pre-K Buddies
Community is an important aspect of the LFS experience. Everyone in the school knows everyone else. Many meaningful relationships grow out of the Buddy program. Each year the older students buddy up with Pre-K students. The students visit each other once a week in the classroom to read, do puzzles together, play outside together, talk, and share snacks. They get to know each other as friends.
The Book Fair
The school librarian organizes a Book Fair each year and parent volunteers help to staff the event. A wonderful selection of literature for children is displayed and sold, usually in the Meeting House, for several days. All proceeds benefit the LFS Library.
Grandfriends Day
Grandparents and other friends are frequent visitors to the school but once a year we plan a special day for these special guests to see Lansdowne Friends School in action. Grand Friends get to know each other, experience Meeting for Worship with the students, spend time with their special students in the classroom, and enjoy all-school activities. We all look forward to this special day.
Pasta Lunch
Before winter break, students and teachers celebrate together at the traditional all-school pasta lunch. Each person brings in an item from home and together we create the meal which, in addition to pasta, may include various types of breads, butter (shaken from cream), fruit and vegetable platters, and juice. Students make place cards and set the tables . We sit family style, filling the auditorium for this popular school event.
May Fair
We're not sure when it started but the May Fair has been happening for many, many years and is an anticipated community event. Organzied by the School Community Association, the lively day includes family fun, games, great food, entertainment, crafts, more!
Meeting for Graduation
Meeting for Graduation speaks so much to what LFS is. The community comes together to gather in the Meetinghouse for Meeting for Worship to epxress their best wishes to our graduates. Every class prepares and shares something for the graduates. Each graduating student shares a speech with the gathered friends.
