This is the first and last year for my third grade daughter. There is an immense amount of bullying which is overlooked in the classrooms. Complain, and your child is blamed, even though the same group of 4 mean kids bullied other families for years before your arrival. Some of those bully kids are there simply because their parents work for the school. The Lower Head is unprofessional and hostile, while the Main Head is affable but clueless as to what's happening with his teachers and administrators. My daughter, on crutches, was made to walk across rainy wet roof alone to access a music room; she slipped, fell, cried for ten minutes then crawled herself to the elevator for the nurse. I paid $34k for this???? Not an apology from the teacher (whom we call Moronica), nor Lower Head nor Main Headmaster. My daughter's growth plate spread during her egregious fall. At FS it's weird how kids call ALL adults by their first names, but in line with genetal disrespect of the school. Our family concurs with the Quaker Meeting who wants to jettison the school for lack of morals and values. Several times my 8 year old was allowed to cry unconsoled in the class by "Moronica" who keeps the classroom freezing to accomodate the class guinea pig, FS priorities! Sometimes the kids are forced to wear coats in winter when the AC was full blast in the computer labs. It's true, the rumors about financial shake downs. I was called maybe 6 times for the Annual Fund, and received no less than a dozen email reminders. Ok, so I pay a full $34k, donate, and the classes only travel by SUBWAY to field trips? No bus like even fourth tier schools have? The class is studying the Idilitarod, the Alaska dog race that kills hundreds of canines. My daughter spoke up about facts like one person who won it was disqualified later for animal cruelty - the teacher sneered "That's only your opinion." No, it's a fact, look it up instead of demeaning a third grader. Studying the Iditarod has parity with studying the Kentucky Derby! The academics seem fine, school lunch is fine. Mostly a huge disapointment due to bullying and administration incompetence coupled with lack of Quaker values - um, all moral values actually. No wonder there's many openings and 15 kids came for a "playdate" during the year. Save your money, public would be better than Friends Seminary. read more