Dear AFS Families,

With the trees now bare, fresh snow on the ground, thrillingly cold Canadian air sweeping through our neighborhoods and the days coming to the shortest daylight of the year, we enter into the winter season in earnest.

Winter is a season that teaches us different lessons than the abundant resurgence of spring, the embracing warmth of summer or the crisp, bright days of autumn. With the leaves gone, we can see further into the landscape, even with the more modest and dimming light. We can feel the quiet and peace of a natural world that has retreated into dormancy. The smell of wood smoke in the air brings us back to earlier winters, and the new snow reflects moonlight beautifully during evening walks.

It is a time of year when our spiritual traditions and holidays point us toward light. It is a season that calls us to center our families and our communities around it, to see the light and warmth against the quiet of winter as hope and promise, eternal through every age.

These last two days before Winter Break have seen us gathered around abundant light. The entire community of AFS students and teachers assembled in the gym yesterday for the beautiful tradition called Winterfest. The Upper School students performed for the youngest children and we collectively lifted our voices in song and verse for the season. And today, the Lower School Winter Program saw the light of our Early Childhood and Lower School children shine so brightly for their families and teachers.

Abington Friends School is a community founded on hope, peace and the ever-inspiring promise of the growth of children into goodness, deep capability and a strong sense of purpose. May the themes of hope, peace and promise lift your spirits this season and may the Winter Break bring great joy in time spent with family and friends.

I look forward to welcoming you back to a New Year in 2018.

All the best,

Rich Nourie
Head of School