United Friends School Traditions: Honoring Our Past, Embracing the Future
- UFS Editorial
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 8 hours ago
As United Friends School enters its 41st year, we celebrate how much we’ve grown—while staying true to what has always mattered most: community, curiosity, and care. From the beginning, UFS has nurtured traditions that give students (“friends”) a voice in their learning, honor the natural world, and weave Quaker values and the SPICES testimonies—Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship—into every part of school life.
While many beloved traditions continue to guide us, new ones have emerged, reflecting the evolving spirit and creativity of our community.
Welcoming the School Year Together
The year begins with our Back-to-School Meeting for Worship and Ice Cream Social, a joyful gathering of friends, families, and staff. Together, we reflect, share gratitude, and set intentions for the year ahead.
Weekly Meetings for Worship (MFW) and Meetings for Announcement (MFA)—cornerstones of our Quaker practice—offer students quiet time for reflection and shared decision-making. These moments help children develop empathy, patience, and confidence in their own voices, teaching lessons that last well beyond the classroom.
Nurturing Community and Connection
“All belong here.” —Current UFS student
Community is at the heart of UFS. This fall, our families came together for a school-wide Potluck, filling the campus with laughter, conversation, and connection. One parent shared,
“Our daughter started at UFS late in the year, and we couldn’t be more grateful for how welcoming everyone was. The staff, teachers, and students embraced her with kindness and encouragement, helping her quickly find her place in this close-knit community.”
That same week, volunteers from our Garden Committee joined together to restore and beautify outdoor spaces—including our playground and outdoor classroom. These projects not only strengthen relationships but also model stewardship, showing children that caring for the environment and for one another go hand in hand.

Our outdoor learning program, including creek studies and time in the garden, deepens this connection. Rooted in Quaker values and science-based inquiry, it invites students to explore, discover, and learn through hands-on experiences that foster responsibility and curiosity about the natural world.
Celebrating Creativity, Joy, and Service
Throughout the year, our community comes alive with opportunities to create, move, and serve.
In the fall, friends participate in the UFS Fall 5K, which winds through Quakertown and even joins the town’s Halloween Parade—a joyful celebration of fitness and community spirit. Music also fills the year through Chorus & Cocoa, United Voices of Friends, and our All-School Musical, encouraging confidence, collaboration, and self-expression.
As the school year comes to a close, our energetic Field Day at Memorial Park brings everyone together to celebrate accomplishments, friendships, and the joy of play.
Equally central are our service traditions, such as Community Work Days and Food for Friends. These experiences teach compassion and integrity, helping students understand that small acts of kindness can make a big difference.
Even our families model generosity through programs like EITC, which redirect Pennsylvania tax dollars toward scholarships:
“The EITC program allows me to control where my PA tax dollars go, and there’s no better place to invest than in the teachers and students of UFS.”
Hands-on learning continues in the classroom, where Project-Based Learning, Cooking, and Building Confidence activities connect lessons to real life. Whether experimenting with environmental design or preparing food together, friends are constantly applying knowledge in meaningful, joyful ways.
Honoring Milestones and Growth
Throughout the year, we celebrate growth and achievement—from Curriculum Night to culminating projects and, of course, Graduation. Each milestone reflects the dedication of students, families, and faculty, and the values that have guided UFS for over four decades: simplicity, peace, equality, and community.
“As the parent of two graduates and one current student, we’ve experienced a community of teachers and families who truly embody the Quaker testimonies. UFS plays a critical role in raising kind, caring citizens through a nurturing, holistic approach.”

Holding the Past, Looking to the Future
At UFS, traditions aren’t just about the past—they are living expressions of our shared values and vision. Each gathering, festival, and service project holds both memory and promise, reminding us of who we are and what we’re building together.
As we begin our 41st year, we honor the spirit that has always defined United Friends School: a community grounded in care, curiosity, and connection, ready to embrace the future with open hearts.
Experience the Spirit of UFS
The best way to understand what makes UFS so special is to experience it yourself. Come see how our traditions, Quaker values, and hands-on learning shape confident, compassionate learners.
Schedule a tour or attend an upcoming Open House to meet our teachers, explore our campus, and discover the joy of learning at United Friends School.
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