Wilmington Friends Head of School Ken Aldridge Receives Proclamation from Wilmington Mayor Marking School's 275th Anniversary
WFS Receives Proclamation from Mayor For School's 275th Anniversary
WFS Head of School Ken Aldridge was recently presented with a Proclamation from Wilmington's Mayor recognizing our 275th anniversary.
WFS Head of School Ken Aldridge was recently presented with a Proclamation from Wilmington's Mayor, Mike Purzycki, recognizing our 275th anniversary and for being a leader in education in Delaware. The proclamation reads:
"Whereas, Wilmington Friends School, the State's oldest existing school and first college preparatory school, has provided a well-rounded education for its many students since being founded in Wilmington in 1748, and
Whereas, Wilmington Friends School has a reputation for challenging students to reach their potential as lifelong learners by emphasizing individual attention from teachers and coaches, and by investing in student development and success, and
Whereas, Wilmington Friends School has a passion for creating a learning environment of peace, creativity, and independent thought while holding students to high standards and motivating them to become well-regarded members of the community; and
Whereas, Wilmington Friends School models its mission around Quakerism and core Quaker principles - integrity, community, equality, peace, stewardship and simplicity - while honoring a variety of faith traditions and placing importance on diversity of thought, identity, and experience as essential parts of becoming a leader, and
Whereas today, we congratulate Wilmington Friends School on 275 years of providing a quality education here in Wilmington and throughout the State of Delaware and beyond."
WFS 6th and 7th graders recently traveled in their service groups to different locations: the Delaware Food Bank; Faithful Friends Animal Society; Guardian Angels Daycare; Rockland Place Assisted Living; the Materials Resource Center in Ephrata, Pennsylvania; and Alapocas State Park.
The end-of-year senior traditions have begun, with the Class of 2025 signing the Senior Scroll and receiving their WFS laundry bag. This tradition has been a part of the senior class spring for more than 25 years!
Congratulations to our IB Art and Visual Arts Major students, who welcomed friends and family to the opening of their exhibition, showcasing works from the portfolios they have developed over the past two years.
From St. Louis to Boston, our College Guidance team is on the move! Director Kathleen Martin connected over lunch with Aaron Hockstein ’24 and Devin Wallace ’24 at Washington University in St. Louis, and with Nick Winchell ’24 at Hampden-Sydney College, while Associate Director Rose Gnade caught up with Alex Saville ’21 at Gettysburg College. We love seeing our alumni and supporting our current students on their college journeys!
The WFS Model UN Club, accompanied by faculty advisor Nick Childers, recently sent a delegation of four students to the Tower Hill Model UN Conference.
WFS Lower School assistant and associate teachers participated in a professional development retreat at Pendle Hill last week, focused on deepening instructional practice and strengthening team collaboration.
Last night, WFS honored the Class of 2025 International Baccalaureate Diploma candidates during the annual Celebration of Scholarship. Each student delivered a 3–5 minute presentation reflecting on their growth through the program’s core components: Theory of Knowledge, Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS), and the Extended Essay. The evening highlighted the depth of thought, dedication, and inquiry that define the IB experience at Wilmington Friends School.
Megan Hegenbarth’s Quakerism class took a mindful journey into Alapocas Woods with middle school Spanish teacher Laura Pardo ’90, who studied forest immersion on her sabbatical earlier this year. Guided sensory exercises—listening to rustling leaves, feeling tree bark, noticing the movement of water—helped students support their well‑being by connecting with the present moment, their natural surroundings, and themselves.
Congratulations to our community members who shared their talents at this week's Informal Concert! This concert is designed to showcase the talent of our students, parents, and faculty in an informal, yet serious, chamber concert or recital format.
We were honored to have award-winning slam poet and author Andre Bradford visit all three divisions at WFS! Through his "On Purposeful Empathy" programming, Andre stresses the importance of empathy, vulnerability, and the power of storytelling. He encouraged students to find strength in their own voices and embrace the impact of their own stories.
8th grade Chinese students recent visited Le Shio restaurant in Wilmington to practice their Chinese speaking skills and to learn how to order food in a restaurant!
Rick Grier Reynolds, who created the Global Peace and Justice course at WFS, returned today with Brian Winward, a returned citizen and long-time AVP facilitator, to discuss the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) with 9th grade students.
Ricky Singh, the first person to summit Mount Everest and complete 50 marathons in 50 states, recently visited the Asian Student Union Club to share how he got into running and the mindset that fueled his journey.
Upper School Power and Performance English classes, International Baccalaureate Higher Level Visual Arts students, Visual Art Majors, and 3D Design students traveled to Washington, D.C., for a research field trip that took them on a cultural odyssey!
The WFS College Office recently hosted a Case Studies program for juniors and their grownups. Prior to the program, students and adults were given three college applications to read.
Upper School French students have been perfecting their language skills in the most delicious ways—French 2 students competed in a Top Chef Crêpes competition, while International Baccalaureate HL French students created a tarte au citron!
Statement of Nondiscrimination as to Student Enrollment
Wilmington Friends School admits students of any race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students of these schools. Wilmington Friends School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin in administration of their educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.