History & Governance
OUR HISTORY
Greene Street Friends School was founded in 1855 by Quakers in Germantown, and has operated continuously at its current location since then. In the first half of the 20th century, most of Greene Street's enrollment was female. Boys typically left the school after first grade to attend other boys schools that were in the neighborhood. Around 1960, GSFS instituted coeducation and increased the School's racial diversity to nearly 50%, a figure that the School has maintained ever since.
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In 1948, GSFS joined with about 20 other schools to found the forerunner of PAIS, the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools. As a charter member, Greene Street Friends continues to participate actively in the accreditation of independent schools across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
In the 1990's, the School began a long-term effort to expand its enrollment to educate two classes per grade, which is the model the we still use today. To accommodate increased enrollment, the School has acquired four properties, doubling the size of its indoor and outdoor spaces. The GSFS campus now occupies nearly one complete city block in the heart of the Germantown community, and educates nearly 300 students in PreSchool through 8th Grade each year.OUR GOVERNANCE
Greene Street Friends School is an educational activity of Green Street Monthly Meeting and is governed by the Board of Trustees. The members of the Board are nominated and appointed collaboratively by Green Street Monthly Meeting and the Board’s Governance Committee.
The GSFS Board of Trustees appoints the Head of School, who manages the School's operations and reports directly to the Board. Currently. there are 16 Board Trustees, whom you can read more about by clicking here.The key responsibilities of the Board of Trustees include:
- Setting overall strategy and policy objectives for the School.
- Partnering with the administration to ensure that the School is living into its Mission Statement.
- Ensuring the fiscal well-being of the School and that the School is in compliance with current laws and regulations.
- Supporting and evaluating the Head of School.
- Connecting the School with the Central Germantown community, the City of Philadelphia and the world beyond our campus.
- Caring for the relationship between the Monthly Meeting and the School.
