Dear readers of The Falcon, Another year in the books! With strong contributions both from members of the senior journalism elective and from The Falcon Tuesday lunch club, we produced over 130 articles...

https://soundcloud.com/margot-schneider-848225657/margotfalconpodcast?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing This podcast is a collection of stories about indecision,...

On Wednesday, June 1st, at 7pm, Friends Select will hold a virtual Civil Discourse Panel on the topic of moderating social media. It will consist of political discussion and respectful debate among three...

Student Government wanted to provide the FSS community with an update, being that transparency is important to us. The following is a list of the major projects we have worked on during the 2021-2022...

Whether you are a gum chewer or not, the following universal experience associated with chewing mint gum is not just unpleasant but outright painful: you pop in a fresh stick of gum, go to take a sip...

Whether you are a color-inside-the-lines kind of person or not, you likely have some experience with using colored pencils. I myself am not a stick to the lines kind of artist. I err on the side of ‘creative...

Think of a blue whale. Now think of an ant. Which would you think is more likely to have cancer? Many assume that the larger animal has a greater chance of developing cancer, simply because it has thousands...

Today, April 25th, Yolanda Wisher is visiting Friends Select. She will be teaching a social justice workshop class during the E block and a writing workshop during the X block into lunch period. In addition,...

Have you ever noticed how the perfect playlist or song can increase your mood after a bad day? While you may think you are simply expressing your emotions through the feel of the music you are playing,...

Hippo Campus’s newest album LP3, released this February, is full of energy, color, and lots of strange and satisfying sounds. After struggling to find their collective sound for some time, Hippo Campus...

On a hot summer day, sometimes the only thing that takes the edge off of the heat is a freezing ice cream cone. However, remain cautious, or else, you risk a brain freeze. A brain freeze is defined...

This Wednesday, April 13th, the Friends Select Upper School will watch a documentary titled The Mask You Live In, published in 2015 by director Jennifer Sniebel Newsom. The film covers topics of gender,...

You hear about them in sci-fi movies and fiction books. But what are they, really? Black holes: here’s what you need to know. NASA describes black holes as “a great amount of matter packed into...

Game Pigeon, a mobile, collaborative game for iOS devices released in 2016, consists of 23 games that are shared between 2 or more players on different devices. Writers for The Falcon share their favorites. Lily...

At 2:00 pm, Friends Select released a statement stating that the school will be going mask optional starting Wednesday, March 9th. This applies to students and teachers. Students will be required to wear...

While you may only have a base-level understanding of art and color, you are probably aware of the concept of primary colors. This means that humans have color receptors in their eyes and brain for three...

Friends Select’s ‘lab band,’ a subsection of the Upper School instrumental ensemble consisting of nine students, rehearses every Tuesday afternoon in the ‘dojo’ - the school’s basement...

In our second weekly Falcon Fact, we bring you a concept with which you are probably familiar, but never knew the name: semantic satiation. Semantic satiation is the “physical phenomenon in which...

Hello readers of The Falcon, and welcome to our new weekly column - Falcon Fact of the Week. Each week we will provide you with a new piece of random information for you to show off to your friends and...

An email sent yesterday afternoon by Upper School Language and English Teacher Naomi Faszczyk, who is also the senior internship coordinator this year, explained the details of the internships and projects...

Lily Brin '23: I am glad that the service block is currently being used as an extended office hours. I’m sure it is helpful for students who have had to quarantine or are otherwise needing to meet with...

Nadia Sumner ‘22 has always been a swimmer. Since age three, she was drawn to the water and has found the beach and the pool to be relaxing. “I love the water. It’s always been my favorite place,...

Lady Bird, a 2017 coming-of-age movie, is about Lady Bird MacPherson, a head-strong, stubborn, self-absorbed teenager attending a Catholic high school in the early 2000’s. She struggles with finding...

From having zero experience going into high school to now being the number one player on the team, Coleman Wampler ‘22 is a key leader for Friends Select’s Varsity Squash Team.  Coleman first...

Suppose there is a breaking news item, perhaps a national scandal or a weather emergency, that people really should know at that time. Let's also suppose that the sole journalist with access to this...

We’ve seen the risks of in-person learning, and the anxiety that comes with it. Now, it’s time to adapt. When my sister tested positive for Covid this past week, a wave of shock ran through...

Social Justice Week has been postponed until the spring. According to Upper School Director Chris Singler, increased cases due to the omicron variant surge raised concerns about running programming and...

This past week, the Friends Select administration sent out 2 letters to FSS families: one from Head of School Michael Gary to the entire FSS community and another from Director of Upper School Chris Singler...

From Journalism to English 9 to Peace and Social Justice, the Friends Select English and History Departments teach, analyze, and share many memorable, well-written, and well-loved books. Teachers show...

Free use image courtesy of Pixabay.com. YES by Margot & Nadia Voting, an essential aspect of our democracy, is currently only accessible to citizens above the age of 18. This policy is outdated...

Stewart Goodyear is a professional pianist and composer. He plays with and is commissioned by orchestras across the globe. Stewart attended Friends Select via a dual-professional program with Philadelphia’s...

This fall, the freshman class elected 4 new Student Government representatives and Class Officers. Each student brings individual skills and interests to their positions, as well as projects or goals...

The Friends Select fall production, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, will bring complicated love stories, a clicking cast, and a detailed set to the Blauvelt Theater this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.  “The...

Many members of The Falcon agree that candles are integral parts of their day, their mood, and establishing certain vibes to match the activities of day or the season as a whole. They share their favorite...

A year ago, students took classes from their bedrooms. They could position themselves comfortably, manage their schedules individually, and learn from the comfort of their homes. Now, while students sit...

Students all have their own studying and homework methods that work for them. One big factor is background noise. Members of The Falcon share their takes on whether or not they use music as a background...

Friends Select students buy from Wawa on a daily basis. Casual trips to and from this beloved convenience store throughout the day are no uncommon thing. Some students have a standard go-to order while...

The introduction of the new Learning Management System (LMS) Blackbaud this year was intended to provide a centralized platform for grades, class material, and communication with teachers was intended...

Movies have been a part of our lives since before we could remember. From that jaw-dropping twist in a thriller to a gasp-inducing jump-scare in a horror; that tear-jerking, heartbreaking love scene to...

Naomi Faszczyck, a new Upper School Spanish Teacher, can trace language, family history, and connections to different world locations throughout her entire life. Born in Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Israel, she moved...

Monica Higgins, Friends Select’s new Chemistry Teacher, brings an interesting perspective on what it means to love, apply, and understand science, which she strives to share with her students in Chemistry,...

After two successful meetings last May, the ‘Healthy Masculinity’ Club will continue its work in the Friends Select Upper School, discussing and breaking down gender norms.  “Our goals for...

Fall has officially started. With chilly winds, falling leaves, dropping temperatures, and more, The Falcon team presents you with their favorite aspects of this incoming season. Margot: I am...

Welcome to the 2021-2022 school year! Reflecting on our years at Friends Select thus far, we would like to share some things that have made our experiences so memorable and what makes us absolutely excited...

Dear Friends Select Community, Welcome back to a new school year, and to another year of content from The Falcon.  We are committed to bringing you factual and accurate news, on a school-wide,...

Dear Falcon readers, Thank you for another wonderful year. From breaking countless COVID-related administrative updates to the FSS community, to profiling many of our beloved teachers like Cynthia...

Miriam Rock The pandemic systematically removed so much fun from our lives. We lost casual social interactions, meals at restaurants with friends and family, and the ability to move through the world...

In a recent email from Upper School Director Chris Singler, the new class schedule for the 2021-2022 academic year was first announced. The schedule is now a ten-day rotation, consisting of alternating...

The 2021 softball season was a highly anticipated one, after a year off due to the pandemic. Only 5 out of the 18 players had ever played in a varsity game before, and it was unclear if Friends Select...

This crew season, 16 athletes practiced 5 days a week with races on Sundays. The season consisted of 3 Manny Flicks (races run by the Philadelphia Scholastic Rowing Association), the City’s Regatta,...

When Natalie Mayer, a biology enthusiast, was a little kid, one of her favorite activities was teaching: “My neighborhood friends and I would gather in my basement around my easel chalkboard, and I...

Recently, the Upper School Ensemble completed a project with Philadelphia Hip Hop Artist Khemist, creating musical sketches in groups of three or four students. “Our objectives were to try something...

Ranked, Friends Select’s 2021 spring Upper School musical, will premier in May with a small viewing party in the theatre. It is currently being filmed and edited and will be projected on the screen....

Over the past two years, students in Friends Select’s art department have studied the context and history of a singular building in Philadelphia, participating in “Sights on Site” exhibits at PAFA...

All students are used to receiving countless notifications from Canvas, the online system that serves as Friends Select’s platform for homework, tests, grades, discussion boards, and communication from...

Friends Select students ages 16 and older can receive the first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Centennial Pharmacy between Monday, April 19th and Friday, April 30th, according to an email sent...

Early this year, 10th grade Student Government representatives Rosie Taranta ‘23 and Sofia Parravicini ‘23 realized that the programming and conversation around students’ mental health at Friends...

There are few figures in the past couple of decades that have garnered as much attention as Taylor Swift. From the Nashville-twang of her self-titled debut to the unabashed pop of 1989 to the indie-folk...

Peter - Whole Milk The ideal type of milk varies depending on the consumer’s criteria, but judging by conventional factors such as taste, health benefits, and versatility, whole milk is the best...

The Consent Committee, a group of students and faculty with the goal of establishing education surrounding consent, has recently implemented programming for this week’s Devotions, Assembly, and Meeting...

The Bill of Rights promises Americans a unique list of freedoms; two of these, outlined in the First and Sixth Amendments, clash in the face of the US judiciary. The First Amendment promises freedom of...

Since the turn of the 21st century, social media has become a hub for entertainment, communication, and pop culture. More recently and controversially, it has also become a forum for politics. Former...

In a normal year, the Friends Select Auction is a major community event: a time to dress up, enjoy the food and drinks, and bid on items to raise money for the community. Unfortunately, during the COVID...

Yes - Peter In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the mysterious and nouveau riche Jay Gatsby desperately attempts to rekindle his past romance with Daisy Buchanan, a beautiful and charming...

Nurse Kelly Papianou announced a new ongoing testing policy as part of Friends Select School’s COVID-19 screening and mitigation plan in an email sent home to families on Wednesday afternoon. Following...

Music bleeds into all parts of the community, brings people together, and gives students ways to express themselves and their emotions. Friends Select provides musical programming beginning in Pre-K....

Capricorn (December 22 - January 19) This month, you will find that your work will come in short spurts of immense productivity. Don’t be afraid to embrace increased intensity when you feel compelled...

Just nine days before Joseph R. Biden’s inauguration as President of the United States on January 20th, Democratic congressional leaders introduced articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump....

Friends Select winter sports teams will resume practices as soon as Tuesday, January 19th, and could return to competitive play as soon as Monday, February 15th, Athletic Director Bill Klose said in a...

Spring Greeney, a self-proclaimed “curious, empathic introvert,” is Friends Select’s new 9th grade history teacher, the mastermind behind the Digital Archive project, and a huge fan of The Bachelorette. Spring...

In an email sent to families this afternoon, Head of School Michael Gary announced that Upper School students will not return to in-person learning until February 1st at the earliest. Pre-K, kindergarten,...

Yes: Margot Schneider After a term full of potentially criminal behavior and a monumental 2020 election loss, President Donald Trump stands in an interesting and unprecedented position. As the sitting...

What new hobbies have you taken up during COVID? Do you have any suggestions for other students? I’ve been going live on Instagram, and just generally talking to friends.  This is awesome!...

Peter Ryan: YES P.E. teaches cooperation and leadership skills in a way that official school sports cannot. Whereas school sports teams are somewhat self-selected groups of talented and driven...

What are some things that could benefit mental health, improve time management, and boost motivation? Virtual learning has undeniably made it harder for students to maintain motivation and a stable...

On November 28th, Sarah Fuller, Senior Goalkeeper for Vanderbilt University’s women’s soccer team, kicked for Vanderbilt’s men’s football team against the University of Missouri. Fuller became...

The Washington Football Team, formerly known as the Washington Redskins, changed its name this past summer after years of protest against its controversial historical ties. “Redskin” is a slur that...

On November 9th, Friends Select School announced the upcoming transition to fully virtual learning beginning Monday, November 16th. Some students believe that the community is well-equipped to have a...

Class Officers: Joana Santos, Liv Smollen, and Nora Marwaha Joana Santos '24 Joana Santos, a lifer at Friends Select, is one of three ninth grade students elected to serve as a Class Officer this...

You can find her in her classroom right at the front door, excitedly reading Shakespeare, or working with the Quake team to plan upcoming Meetings for Worship. English teacher and Quakerism Coordinator...

9:30 AM, Broad & Spruce -- Reporters and poll watchers stand outside of the Kimmel Center as the early-morning voter wave slows down.10:10 AM, 10th & Ellsworth -- Volunteers greet voters at St....

Over the past year, a new term has circulated through the Friends Select community: “simping.” A “simp” is defined by the New York Times as “a person, often a man, who unsuccessfully throws...

Due to various safety concerns surrounding COVID-19, some Friends Select students have changed their traditional Halloween plans. For many, COVID-19 has not interrupted family-oriented halloween plans....

Crustacean Club, the newest club at Friends Select School, has gained a large following in recent weeks. Despite its success, very few students actually know the club's true origins. Math teacher and...

Yes Margot Schneider '22 The presidential election on November 3rd will be a turning point for the United States. The stigma around this election is augmented by increasingly polarized and partisan...

The Ryan'sThe Schneider'sThe Coleman'sThe Siegel'sThe Bushee'sThe Sovinski'sThe Wampler'sThe Verstegan'sThe Squires'sThe Ryan'sThe Levine's Friends Select’s Alma Mater asserts that students see...

The start of the 2020-2021 school year looks different for a multitude of reasons, one being the major schedule changes. Classes occur now just twice a week for longer intervals, with many breaks in between....

You may know her for her unique nicknames or her unusual views on spending time in nature. Cynthia Vainstein, Upper School Spanish teacher of five years, grew up in Peru and took international studying...

Why Graded Homework is Beneficial During iSelectLearning and Hybrid Learning by Margot Schneider '22 Teachers use homework as a resource to push students’ understanding of the material that is...

Like almost all industries, professional sports have been significantly altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Bubbles,” empty stadiums, and other safety measures have created a distinctly different atmosphere...

The Friends School League (FSL), the athletic league in which Friends Select teams compete, recently implemented its Transgender Student Athlete Policy, which aims to create an environment that is inclusive...

As the Friends Select community approaches a return to in-person education, the school administration is working to ensure that those who physically return are as safe as possible. They have implemented...

Herb has had many roles in the community over his career at FSS. Although he especially loves teaching precalculus and discrete math, he has taught every math class between grades 7-12 except for abstract...

You may see our athletic trainer, Chris Willis, walking around the hallways, gym, or fitness center. Maybe he even helps you tape an ankle or ice a knee. You’ve probably heard him use his signature catchphrase:...

Friends Select’s field hockey team fought hard throughout the 2019 season. Gaining eight new freshmen and an eighth grader Katie Fitzpatrick (‘24) to replace the nine players we lost last year, we...