Studying abroad is a wonderful opportunity to learn and grow while taking in the wonders and culture of a new country. The experience can help students develop new skills, expand their worldview, and increase resilience and independence as they learn to adapt in different environments. Studying abroad can also be a transformative experience that may help students define a career path or select a college program that will best fit their interests. 

While many of us know that studying abroad is a great opportunity, it can be a nerve-racking endeavor to start planning for travel to a new and unfamiliar place. Lexie Leeser and Alex Polon, two of our high school sophomores who recently had an amazing experience studying abroad in Australia over the summer, have offered four great tips they wish someone had told them before starting their adventure abroad.

Applying to a Middle or High School that requires admission testing?  Many schools will accept both the SSAT and ISEE so the first step is deciding which test is best for your child. The SSAT and ISEE have national test dates and are fundamentally the same. However, what differs is the language of these tests and the frequency one can take them. 

The SSFS Alumni Association Steering Committee hosted its 3^rd Annual Ignite Sandy Spring event last month during Alumni Weekend. The format for Ignite is simple:  five minutes, 20 slides that auto advance every 15 seconds, and you’re done. The tagline for Ignite is, “Enlighten us, but make it quick!”

The incredible line up of speakers represented a wide range of graduating class years: 1969 – 2021, and a fascinating mix of topics. 

For many of our students, summer is the perfect time to relax, recharge, and spend quality time with their friends and family. At Sandy Spring Friends School (SSFS), we also know that summer is the perfect time to learn, grow, and gain new experiences and one of the best ways to accomplish this is through volunteering!

Taken from Tom Gibian's remarks at the Sandy Spring Friends School End of Year All-School Assembly

As parents, we seek to provide a strong foundation for our children and do we what we can to increase their chances of happiness in adulthood, including giving them the tools to deal with adversity and to sustain joy. Edward Hallowell’s book, The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness, gives some great advice on ways to help children maintain and build healthy connections, discover talents, master skills, take on new challenges, and develop a sense of confidence and resiliency that will benefit them now and into the future.

Remarks made by Head of School Tom Gibian to the participants of the 2015 EastEd Middle School Diversity Conference, which has been hosted by Sandy Spring Friends School for the past four years. See photos from the event online...

I have been thinking about Michael Brown: his shooting; the investigation; the grand jury; the reaction of the Ferguson community to his death. We have learned much. We have learned that things are more complicated than they first appear, that there are two sides to every tragedy, that we may never have all of the answers. But this does not prevent us from certain realizations as, over the past few weeks, place names have taken on new meanings. Ferguson, Cleveland, and Staten Island have become bound together and together symbolize a lack of fairness, a lack of respect, a lack of care. Specifically, there has been a pattern of excessive force applied disproportionately against people of color. This result has had a devastating effect on trust between those charged with the keeping of the peace and the citizens of a country founded on the concept that all people are created equal.