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Friends Select Student News Media

The Falcon

Friends Select Student News Media

The Falcon

Friends Select Student News Media

The Falcon

News

Leia Robinson, New Psychology and History 9 Teacher

Meet Leia: FSS Welcomes New Psychology, 9th Grade History Teacher

Maya Vakharia October 20, 2025

This year, Friends Select has hired three new teachers in the Upper School, including history teacher Leia Robinson. With over four years of teaching experience, she is very excited to join the Friends...

Workers on Strike Outside Sheraton Hotel

Behind the Strike: What’s Really Going on at the Sheraton

Joely Kaplan October 10, 2025

As you may have noticed, there’s been quite a lot of noise outside the Parkway Building this week. On Sunday, October 5th, staff of the Sheraton who are part of the UNITE HERE Local 274 union went on...

Tr. Andrew Wood

Tr. Andrew Steps in as Advanced Biology Teacher

Bode Wild October 7, 2025

In his new teaching role, Tr. Andrew brings 23 years of professional experience as a pediatrician, along with degrees in zoology and chemistry. “I’d like to incorporate a lot of medical cases and medical...

Anna Gallagher: New 10th Grade History Teacher

Anna Gallagher: New 10th Grade History Teacher

Grace Salmon October 7, 2025

This year, Friend Select welcomed Anna Gallagher to the History department after five years teaching at an all-girls public high school in New York City and later at a public school in Hudson Valley. Anna...

Renderings courtesy of Ben Cooper

From Old to New: How Friends Select’s Renovation Will Change Student and Teacher Life

Bryson Evans October 7, 2025

The new building at Friends Select, located at Three Parkway, is scheduled to open at the end of winter break, adding more space than ever before. According to Ben Cooper, Friends Select Director of...

Nicole DiGironimo, Upper School Math Teacher

Nicole DiGironimo: New Math Teacher and Friends Select Alum

Joely Kaplan October 7, 2025

This year, Friends Select welcomes back alum Nicole DiGironimo as an Upper School Geometry and Algebra 2 teacher. While this is Nicole’s first year teaching high school full-time, Nicole has been...

Thrifting in Philadelphia

Thrifting in Philadelphia

Jaiden Spilman October 6, 2025

An increasing number of thrift and vintage stores have been popping up across Philadelphia. Why is thrifting becoming so popular amongst consumers and the FSS student body?  Thrifting is the act of...

Chris Singler, Upper School Director

Chris Singler Leaving: What Is Next for the Upper School?

Ruby Doggett October 6, 2025

In June, Chris Singler, Director of the Upper School, announced that he will not be returning to Friends Select for the 2026-2027 school year; he will be taking a new position as Head of School at Friends...

FSS Upper School Schedule 2025-2026: Everything You Need to Know

FSS Upper School Schedule 2025-2026: Everything You Need to Know

Jake Fogg October 6, 2025

This year at Friends Select, Natalie Mayer, the Upper School Dean of Academics, along with Steph Demko, the Associate Director of Middle School, worked with the lower school and Ben Cooper, the Director...

How Have SEPTA Cuts Affected FSS Students?

How Have SEPTA Cuts Affected FSS Students?

Jonah Gottesman October 6, 2025

SEPTA cuts, due to a budget deficit, impacted FSS students at the start of the new school year, increasing commute times and decreasing reliability for many.  On Sunday, August 24, 2025, SEPTA cuts...

John Myers, ELL Teacher

New Friends Select ELL Teacher: John Myers

Maya Dagli October 6, 2025

This fall, Friends Select welcomed John Myers, an English Language Learners (ELL) specialist, to support and teach upper school students whose second language is English. Before becoming an ELL teacher,...

Image courtesy of FSS Flickr

Fall Musical to Debut Pit Orchestra

Theodore Stanev Potts October 6, 2025

The Upper School fall musical this year, Urinetown: The Musical, will feature an all-student five-member pit orchestra behind the actors for the first time since 2017. The pit orchestra, a small band...