Buckingham Friends School honors the Light within each person, inspires scholarship and spiritual community, and instills the value of caring for others and our world.
CORE VALUES
Rooted in the beliefs and traditions of Quakers, our values as a Friends school guide us to engage members of the school community in the shared responsibility of honoring the Light within each person and fostering the growth, individual talents, and passions of every student.
2024-2025 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Alexis Ridge-Simek, Clerk
Laura Kinnel, Assistant Clerk
George Yarnall, Secretary
Lisa Pretecrum, Treasurer
Andrew Garrett ‘80
Gene Gateniuk
Daniel Holton-Roth ‘91
Chris Kerr
Lukas Makris
Annette Miller ‘73
Bethann Morgan ‘77
Anne Porter
Tom Rogers
Julie Spears
Hudson Taylor
ADMINISTRATION
Paul Lindenmaier Head of School
Rossana Zapf Associate Head of School
Melissa Clayton Director of Admissions and Financial Aid
Katelynn Connolly Director of Advancement
Sam Frenkel
Director of Finance and Operations
Karen Kemp
Director of Technology Innovation and Design
EDITOR
Katelynn Connolly
COPY EDITOR
Melissa Kiser
COVER PHOTO
Paul Lindenmaier
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Katelynn Connolly; Jessica Getz; Paul Lindenmaier; Bill Lynch; Nancy Sandberg
DESIGN AND PRODUCTION blazar design studio
From the Head of School
PAUL LINDENMAIER
Buckingham Friends School’s 230th year has been marked by many positive memories. Every day has provided countless examples of how we have been living our mission while experiencing the inner Light and goodness of every community member. In this issue of Seedlings, we highlight our Service Learning Program, bring forward the reflections of our graduating class, lift up the all-School theater program, introduce the experiences with our new JEM partner school in France, share with humble pride a “peace” poetry initiative, celebrate the story of an alumnus, and provide updates about numerous graduates.
I am excited to say that, for the first time in my career since becoming a Head of School in 1993, 100% of the teachers will be returning for the 2025–26 school year! BFS is fortunate to have so many talented and dedicated educators, each contributing their very best in the service of our mission, each student, and the culture of collegiality and community that is valued at our school. We have relatively low turnover every year, and this retention rate as we look ahead to next year speaks volumes about the faculty culture and spirit, as well as their feelings about working at Buckingham Friends School.
As I look back over the past few years, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the support and enthusiasm of the larger BFS family as we came together with remarkable speed six years ago to collectively plan for the vitality of a school that’s approaching its third-century mark. With a steadfast commitment to inclusive processes that would prove to unite the entire BFS community, we were able to honor the School’s venerable traditions while simultaneously preparing for future generations of students and families.
That undertaking was followed by the need to plan for the stewardship of the campus and facilities. Again, founded on the precepts of communal discernment, relying not on votes but on general community accord to advance priorities, we arrived at a comprehensive plan. At the end of the planning process, the Board was confident of the needs of all constituents and that these could be communicated to architects and designers. Every voice was heard with keen interest and great respect: students, administrators, members of Buckingham Meeting, alumni, faculty and staff, parents and guardians, thought leaders in education, designers, the township, close neighbors, and many others. It was truly a community effort, guided by the School’s mission, and with the responsibility to preserve the best aspects of BFS while improving student outcomes. Today, each of those constituent groups can see the outcomes of their ideas and desires for transforming teaching and learning at BFS.
The campus, as it stands today, already benefits from new and renewed buildings and spaces.
•Buildings are more energy-efficient and sustainable. New windows and other alterations allow for more natural light flooding into each building. The new Science Building with an outdoor teaching porch is built for sustainable use of energy and will be a working model of ecological energy use for students.
•New floor plans reflect how we cluster grades, with new learning commons in the Middle and Upper Schools. A new pick-up/drop-off canopy makes the beginning and end of each day more pleasant for students and families.
•Innovative educational modes and approaches are possible in spaces that were designed for the purposes they serve, including independent work, collaboration, and many more opportunities for hands-on work.
•Students are playing and developing skills and confidence in a brand-new gymnasium that was a long-standing dream for this School. With flexible options constructed in the building, the gym can become a centerpiece of new summer programs and has already provided revenue opportunities as a rental space. A Community Connector building links the gym to academic buildings, includes a new kitchen, and, with a new elevator, makes the campus accessible for all.
•Two new playground structures, designed with the students, grace our wooded play areas and provide ample opportunities for play, connection, risktaking, and fun.
Without using any funds from operations or tuition to fund this impressive array of achievements, the Board has been able to focus its attention on another monumental task, the most important priorities: increasing teacher salaries—now up almost fifty percent in six years—and ensuring that ample financial aid funds are available to support eligible students in accessing a BFS education.
Buckingham Friends School is now entering the final phase of our collective vision: the transformation of and a substantial addition to our Arts Building. A thriving Arts program is essential to achieving our mission, and
integral to all facets of the BFS experience. As articulated in our case statement, “Our signature Arts program is central to all that we value about the Buckingham Friends School experience. The arts foster the creativity, competencies, and expressive abilities of every student. Whether it be through learning to play an instrument or to sing in Music, developing the skills of a practiced painter or ceramicist in the Art studio, acquiring the woodworking skills required to build a project in the Woodshop studio, or performing as a confident member of an ensemble on the stage, the arts help each learner access their originality while deepening their understanding of what it is to be human. We believe the arts are especially relevant to our vision for a balanced and dynamic preparatory program, today more than ever.” I would welcome any opportunity to engage with anyone about their questions, suggestions, and possible support.
We have all been provided with moments to consider the ongoing transformation of the School and to consider with humble gratitude everything everyone has done to realize our dreams while bolstering everyone’s confidence in the future and their ability to continue to do our very best. With an enduring gratitude for all that you have done for our beloved School, and for the impact you are having on the School today and as we move forward, I am respectfully yours. •
Paul Lindenmaier Head of School
A Way Forward Continues
This fall we celebrated a monumental moment in Buckingham Friends School history. Parents, current and former faculty and staff, alumni, alumni parents, current and former members of the board, and friends gathered in the new gym to toast the start of the 230th school year and to express gratitude for those who have made the recent campus improvement projects a reality. With one final phase ahead of us, site work has begun for the renovation of and a substantial addition to our Arts Building. Construction is projected to start this June with an estimated completion date of November 1, 2025.
Art Studio
Arts Building Exterior View
BFS Lights in Action: Fourth Grade Service Learning
BY KATELYNN CONNOLLY
Throughout the life of the School, various opportunities for service can be found. One such opportunity is embedded in the fourth-grade curriculum. Each year, students learn about the mission and good works of the Bucks County SPCA through class-led discussions and research, meeting with volunteers and administrators of the organization, and visiting and seeing the mission in action.
This yearlong service-learning project was kicked off this fall with a visit to the SPCA’s Quakertown location, where students learned about the organization’s mission and the many needs of the animals in its care. In the winter, they took a second trip—this time to the Lahaska location— where fourth-graders presented persuasive essays and handmade posters spotlighting animals up for adoption. The Director of Community Outreach was so impressed that she said that the students’ work would be displayed to help encourage adoptions!
Recently, our students took the next step by deciding how to best support the SPCA and engage the wider community. The Fourth Grade Fun Fair, which ran during the second week of April at lunch recess times, was a huge success. The students organized and made items to purchase, such as fruit smoothies and containers of handmade slime, with 100% of the dollars raised benefiting the SPCA. They not only raised $1,000 but also
secured an incredible collection of donated supplies that were on the SPCA’s wish list!
The class is looking forward to a visit by the Director of Community Outreach and SPCA volunteers to our BFS campus in June, and they will be ready to help once more—this time by creating handmade toys for cats, dogs, and small animals to enjoy during their stay at both the Lahaska and Quakertown shelters.
Service learning allows students to contribute to their community, build meaningful relationships, and become active, engaged citizens, while developing critical-thinking, problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills. We are proud of this year’s fourth grade and their commitment to service and raising awareness on this topic. To learn more about the Bucks County SPCA, visit buckscountyspca.org. •
If you know a BFS Lights in Action story about someone dedicated to building a better community, please submit their story to kconnolly@ bfs.org. We would love to share it!
2033
BUCKINGHAM FRIENDS SCHOOL
2025
The term “bookend” can be used metaphorically to describe something that marks the beginning and end of a period or event. While the members of the Class of 2033 are only beginning their BFS journey, those in the Class of 2025 are readying themselves for their next chapter. Here is what some of our “bookends” had to say as kindergarten students shared what they are looking forward to, and as eighthgrade students reflected back on their time at BFS.
I am excited to have the fourth-grade sleepover.
I’m excited to work here one day.
I can’t wait to do homework.
Tapping the trees and boiling maple syrup with Mr. Haupert is going to be so cool!
I am excited for Woodshop class.
I want to play football on the big field. Being a Big Friend is going to be fun!
I can’t wait to play on the basketball team!
I can’t wait to take science classes in the new Science Building.
Going on lots of field trips is exciting for me.
I will miss the community—it is really inclusive, and everyone is a friend. It’s hard not to get along.
I am grateful for my classmates and the opportunities that we have been given by our teachers.
I will miss my teachers. You’re friends not just with other students, but with your teachers, too.
I am grateful for the community that has welcomed me, the kindness in the community.
I love that our class has stayed together as a group—we are really bonded as a class. Immediately when I came here, I was embraced by the community— older students, their younger family members, teachers, parents— everyone.
I really loved our trips to Wallops Island and DC. I will miss the woods.
I am most thankful for my “Little Friends.”
Thankful for our awesome learning spaces.
Rooted in Relationships: How a Lifelong Community Shaped a Neuroscientist’s Path
BY JESSICA GETZ
Fromwalking the hallways of BFS as a curious student to working at the forefront of neuroscience and public policy, Emily Falk ‘95 has carried with her a powerful gift: the ability to connect—with big ideas, with people, and with a community that’s never left her side.
“BFS wasn’t just about math and writing,” she says. “It was about how people connect, how we listen, and how we grow together.” That early exposure to collaboration, through classroom projects, school plays, and even the sixth-grade lasagna dinner, shaped how Emily builds relationships to this day.
Now professor in the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication, where she serves as Vice Dean of the Annenberg School for Communication, director of the Communication Neuroscience Lab, Emily is also director of the Climate Communication Division of the Annenberg Public Policy Center. She is also author of the new book What We Value: The Neuroscience of Choice and Change. Even today she still turns to the friends she made at BFS. “There’s nothing I do in my life that doesn’t get run by those people,” she says. Whether it’s Emma, the Hollywood writer offering honest feedback and making her laugh through challenging times; Alex, the artist with a fresh perspective; Ashley, the PR pro who gives advice on everything from social media to hairstyles; Luke, who knows how to build or fix anything; John, someone who reminds her of the importance of really telling people how much you love and care about them; or Anna, whose Saturday morning calls keep her grounded—this is more than friendship. It’s a lifelong network of care.
Emily’s career has spanned science, policy, and global collaboration, but it’s the foundational BFS values—community, empathy, autonomy, agency, justice, and curiosity—that have guided her most. “I was treated as someone who had a voice and who could change things. That’s such a gift to give a child.”
Today, Emily studies how people make decisions and how to design systems that help us live better—for ourselves and for the planet. And through it all, the BFS community continues to show up. When she presented her work recently at the County Theater in Doylestown, BFS teachers were in the audience, and the mother of one of her BFS besties threw her a party; a work trip to Moscow turned into a reunion with JEM program teachers and students.
From singing old BFS songs with her kids to receiving a painting of the sixth-grade lasagna dinner as a wedding gift, the symbols of that shared history continue to fill her life with joy and meaning.
“These relationships shaped my values and my work,” Emily says. “And they remind me every day that we never make a choice in isolation—we’re always part of something bigger.” •
Top to bottom: Visiting Emma in LA; At the party hosted by Diana Resek with Mr. B, Luke, Alex, Anna, Mr. Merwin and my brother Eric; At BFS with Mrs. Jarvis, John, Ashley, Alex, Anna and Andrea (many years ago); At my wedding with Ashley, Anna and John B.
The Theatre Program at BFS— Not Just a Performance
BY NANCY SANDBERG
Manyof my fondest memories as a teacher involve the enthusiasm my fourth-grade students brought to each year’s play season. As children still do today, they loved watching other classes’ productions, cheering on the younger students’ beginning efforts and reveling in the more complex performances of the older ones. Nothing brought greater excitement than commencing our own class play preparations and rehearsals.
Play season gives every student a chance to shine at least once during their experience at BFS, a source of self-confidence and pride. Even a shy child can find something to enjoy, and many volunteer eagerly for backstage responsibilities (operating the curtain, executing set changes, putting essential props in place). For the more performance-inclined, acting in a role gives an outlet for their creative, expressive talents. The shared commitment to work toward a successful endeavor creates a bond that can last the rest of the school year.
Part of BFS’s Arts curriculum, the Theatre Program is an engaging annual experience for students in every grade, one firmly rooted in
sound pedagogy. It is interdisciplinary learning at its best, combining practice in reading comprehension, self-expression, making connections, gaining new perspectives, problem solving, and collaboration. Participating in a play tied with themes of a course of study can bring a piece of the curriculum to life. Just as children can take on a variety of new adventures while engrossed in a good book, portraying a character in a lively theatre piece provides the opportunity to step beyond their own experience and become someone else.
Rather than present a play, some grades choose to mount an interactive history fair or create a movie. For several years, former French teacher Madame Schreiber had my
students enact a well-known folk tale, such as “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” with students narrating in French the action of their selfmade shadow puppets. I often chose to adapt a good book, preferably one with humor, because fourth-graders were excellent comedic actors and loved the chance to get a laugh from the audience. Parents bond during these productions as well, by helping each other with costumes and often making the sets and props.
Frequently taking place during the bleak winter months, class plays truly bring the whole community together; as spring arrives, everyone looks forward to the Upper School’s productions to finish play season. I hope the beloved decades-long tradition of the Theatre Program will continue far into the future. •
BFS en France: Cultural Exchange and Lifelong Memories
BY BILL LYNCH
“I
made so many friends
at the Collège St-Exupéry,
the kids were so nice and funny!
. . . I
liked seeing what they were learning about at their school, too, and finding it to be really similar to what we’re learning.”
In early March, eight Upper School students from Buckingham Friends School crossed the Atlantic for an unforgettable 11-day cultural exchange in France. Hosted by families from Collège Saint-Exupéry, a middle school serving grades 6 through 9 in Hautmont, our students immersed themselves in French daily life, school routines, and weekend family traditions.
The experience blended the everyday with the extraordinary. In addition to joining their host siblings in regularly scheduled classes, BFS students participated in a variety of
“I’ve never been on a trip like this; I only ever rode on an airplane once before. I learned a lot about how to travel especially with a big group.”
special activities designed to deepen cultural understanding and spark joy. From a handson crêpe-making session (complete with a relay race!) to an interactive lesson on the European Union and a scenic 7km hike around Hautmont, the trip offered something new at every turn. A highlight came in the form of a party thrown by the local community. The theme was “America,” in honor of their guests, with hamburgers, French fries, and even line dancing.
After heartfelt goodbyes to their host families, the group traveled to Paris, where
“My experience with my host family was really different in a good way. The family knew some English, and I knew some French, so we were able to communicate.”
they explored many of the city’s most iconic landmarks, including the Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and Notre Dame. Though their time in France flew by, the memories made are sure to last a lifetime.
Perhaps the most meaningful takeaways came not from a museum or monument, but from the joy of being immersed in the French language and culture alongside new and close friends. Several of our travelers shared personal reflections on their
experience to underscore the significance of this trip.
By the way, this is only the beginning! Our visit to Collège Saint-Exupéry marks the first chapter of a dynamic partnership between our two schools. The BFS community is already looking forward to October 2025, when we will welcome a cohort of enthusiastic “Saint-Ex” students to our campus and into our homes with the same warmth and generosity our students received abroad. •
“I learned that you never know how much you will miss something until it’s over. Once I got home, everything felt different without my host family.”
“I loved seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle while riding on the Métro for the last time after dark.”
“Le Collège SaintExupéry . . . really made core memories for me in my trip to France, mainly because of their superfriendly community.”
“Some advice I would share is to live in the moment; you don’t always have to take pictures for everything.
It
is important to spend quality time with the people you meet.”
This spring, BFS students in grades 5 through 8 will participate in “The Poetry Plane” initiative along with students from Collège Saint-Exupéry and other schools across Europe and Australia. BFS has the privilege and honor of being the first American school to participate. The Poetry Plane initiative is run by the WW1 Aviation Heritage Trust, and the idea is simple: Children write poems on special paper containing wildflower seeds. In July 2025, these poems will be flown across the English Channel in a historic Nieuport 17 aircraft and dropped over three major World War I remembrance sites in France.
Alumni Spotlight on Sara Oswald ’15
BY KATELYNN CONNOLLY
Sara Oswald ’15 has always felt at home on the playing field. “If anyone remembers me from BFS, they remember me always playing sports.” Although Buckingham Friends School does not historically have a reputation for being an athletically competitive school, it has always celebrated the unique inner Light of every community member. Sara says that the gift of a K–12 Quaker education has always been influential in her life. Her parents’ support and encouragement to follow her dreams have been a guiding force, as has her brother Sam ’12, leading by example in the pursuit of his own path.
After graduation from BFS, Sara’s soccer career started to take shape. By the end of her sophomore year at The Westtown School, she was committed to play Division I soccer at Lafayette College in the Patriot League. Sara finished high school having set the all-time goal scoring record at Westtown and helping lead her team to its first-ever state title.
At Lafayette College, Sara majored in psychology with a minor in women, gender and sexuality studies—all the while playing soccer. She earned a starting spot as center
forward at the beginning of her freshman year and held that position through graduation. During her career she managed a missed season due to Covid, a broken wrist, and a torn ACL yet still recorded more than 4,000 minutes on the field. She was also a two-time team captain, a two-time All Patriot League selection, and a Division 1 Academic All American.
Sara is now pursuing her master’s degree in sport and performance psychology at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology. She will be able to merge her love of sports with her passion for psychology in her future career, where she hopes to aid the mental health and success
“
Having
been an elite athlete myself, I have experience that I can share with others, but now I am developing the knowledge to back those experiences and make a lasting impact.
of elite athletes. “Having been an elite athlete myself, I have experience that I can share with others, but now I am developing the knowledge to back those experiences and make a lasting impact.”
Throughout her life, Sara has found motivation and inspiration from those closest to her. She also relies heavily on the Quaker values taught to her at BFS, and further reinforced by her parents, to keep her grounded. As a young BFS community member, Sara played the game because she loved it, she was called to it, and she listened to her small “heart voice” to lead her. By keeping true to herself, her values, and the goal ahead, she is on her way to achieving even greater things for herself and the community. •
Alumni News
If you do not currently receive emails from BFS, please consider providing us with your email address so that you may receive updates, the electronic alumni newsletter Friends!Connect! and more.
To update your information visit www.bfs.org/alumni Contact Katelynn Connolly Director of Advancement at 215-794-7491 ext. 121 Email: kconnolly@bfs.org Via USPS: Buckingham Friends School, The Office of Advancement, PO Box 159, Lahaska, PA 18931
1950s
Cassandra Abbe (Hynes) Kimble ‘50
I recently moved to a town just north of Boulder, Colorado from a city to a park surrounded by deer, squirrels, occasionally larger creatures and smaller ones as well.
At age 88 travel is within the country, east to sister, son and family, in Brooklyn or Vermont or west to brother in California or a reunion of four generations come May outside of Tucson. Most of my grandchildren and great grandchildren are in this area. I love the sun and the mature growth in this park...
1960s
Kathy Rowe ‘65
I have many happy memories of BFS. Some are probably evoked every morning with coffee from my favorite cup!
I live in Foxboro MA and expect to keep working for a while longer before retiring.
I usually hear from Debbie Northup ‘62 (married name Leng) at Christmas. I ran into her here in MA years ago. I was attending a friend’s ordination, not paying a lot of attention to the unfamiliar rituals but, looked across the congregation and saw an unmistakably familiar profile!
Ann Shellenberger Bell ‘68
I’ve been living and working in Connecticut for 40+ years with my husband, Jonathan. And am currently a partner in a hair products brand called Color Wow. My son was married this past year and has two children making me a grandmother! Thanks to social media I’ve been able to keep updated on other members of the class of ‘68 including Abigail Lovett ‘68, Randall Wallace ‘68, Ligia Warden ‘68 and Lisa Ernst ‘68.
Todd Patterson ‘69
My wife, Kathy, and I returned to the coast of Brittany, France for a month beginning midSeptember 2024. We stayed in a lovely old stone farmhouse within a few hundred yards of the Bay of Mont Saint Michel, between my two French sisters from the school year 1971/72. We had a lovely time visiting with family and friends. Our outings included my sisters’ children and grandchildren. Of course, we also enjoyed the abundant and cheap oysters, mussels and scallops! This was our fourth extended visit, so we spent more time socializing than touring, but had a fun day walking through the megalithic stones in Carnac. Although I was an undistinguished French student at BFS, my fluency tends to revive each visit after a few sips of wine and conversation. Merci Madame Plough for a great start!
Continued on next page
1970s
Eleanor Funk Schuster ‘74
I work full-time as a middle school librarian in Eastchester, New York, and part-time as an evening reference librarian at our local community college. It’s a high-energy job, but it’s keeping me young! My husband, Vladimir, and I have three grown sons and five grandchildren. I’m so grateful that I had BFS to provide a strong influence on my values, which I try in whatever way I can to impart to my students and grandchildren.
Bethann Morgan ’77 & Susan (Keim)
Wiggins ‘77
Hello BFS Class of 1977! We are excited to begin planning for our 50-year class reunion! We would love to be in touch with you as we consider the best ways to be in community to celebrate! Please reach out to us at morganbethann@yahoo.com or skwiggs97@gmail.com and let the fun begin!!!
Amanda Sloan Perez ‘79
My husband, Alex and I drove our Golden retriever in June from California across the country to our new home on Buckingham Mountain. We are thrilled to be back on the East coast and in beautiful Bucks County after 20+ years in California.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Blue vs Grey Challenge with your Alumni News submission! This year’s victory goes to the Blue Team!
1980s
Chris Chandor ‘82 rode a bicycle across the United States last summer from Astoria Oregon to Portland Maine. The seven weeks trip covered 3,800 miles and over 155,000 vertical feet of climbing, averaging about 90 miles per day. It was an amazing test of physical and mental endurance.
Nancy Keim Comley ‘83
The Keim Comley family are delighted to announce that our daughter Rebekah Comley (class of 2014) is engaged to Antonio Camacho of Dallas, Texas.
Katherine Hackl ‘83
Katherine Hackl now lives in Boston, MA with her husband Brad Campbell. We moved in 2015 from Lambertville NJ. I am a potter and tile maker. I maintain my longtime studio in Lambertville as well as in Boston. I recently finished a long project creating historic reproduction tile for the NYC subway - 14th St, L line stop. We had a great mini BFS reunion here in Boston recently with Sophie Miller ‘83, Alison Mitchell ‘81 and Ala Warren. Would love to hear from any classmates living up in New England. Team Grey!
Anita Verna Crofts ‘84
First things first: BLUE TEAM FOREVER!
Greetings from Seattle, WA, where I teach at the University of Washington, though for the last four years I have begun to divide my time between here and Portland, ME—clearly, I’m drawn to the upper corners of the US. While in Maine I’m on faculty at Maine Media Workshop + College, a campus that just celebrated its 50th anniversary, and while younger than BFS, has a campus that reminds me of BFS a bit as it’s built around a 19th century farmhouse with more modern outbuildings, so the heart of the campus is the original dwelling.
Happily, my sister (Sarah Crofts, ‘87) and her husband live right down the street from my parents in Bucks County, so I have reason to return a number of times a year to the winding roads and wooded views that I associate with car commutes to BFS as a kid.
Raymond “Tipper” Rumpf ‘86
Currently a Professor at the University of Texas at El Paso in El Paso, Texas. Business owner of Kraetonics LLC in Melbourne, Florida. Married. Two kids and one dog. Often criticized for only ever giving sarcastic answers.
Laura (Swanstrom) Reece ‘87
My husband and I had a delightful dinner with Robert Whittenberger ’89 and his wife, Christiane ‘92, in Palm Beach last month. So nice to reconnect and talk about our shared passions of golf and horses!
Stevi Wright ‘87
Happy Spring y’all! Sharing to help break the blue/ grey tie.
We’ve already attended a fun convention this year as a family (Ichibancon in NC), acquired tickets to a concert for this summer that my middle daughter and I will attend. She and I are also learning Korean so if
you’re on Duolingo and need a friend come find me (I’m HawkEcho on most platforms). I’m still working on my parenting picture book series (so if you’ve got a publishing connection, I’ve got a great project!) while also graduating out my last home educated kiddo this year. I can’t believe how quickly it’s all gone! My kids are 24, 20, and 18 now and I’m super proud of all three.
I have to thank BFS and its commitment to life learning and nurturing the spirit of each person because the foundation they helped me build gave me the confidence and, additional, sass to step outside the lines to forge my own path in not only raising but educating my kids. From Betts Slim letting us skip the class following lunch (because it was hers!) so we could all stay on the ice skating on a beautiful winter day to Peter Pearson & Steve Bernardini taking our hooligan 6th grade class on weekend camping trips to Louanne Plough taking an entire class every single year to cook crepes with us... There are so many examples, but these are the ones that immediately pop into my head - a heartfelt Thank You.
I hope everyone is well, sending my love to all.
1990s
Jaime Ginsberg ‘91
Hello BFS community! Go grey team!!! I having been living in western Massachusetts since 2007 when I accepted the head field hockey coach position at Smith College! My partner, Doug, is an auctioneer and together we live in, Hatfield, with our children (Dutcher, Olive and Casey) and our dog Oscar! Excited to see the changes at BFSnew gym! Climbing the old rib and timing that bell is one of many athletic memories I hold near to my heart! Love to hear from you!
Erik Waters ‘92
I think this may be my first update to Seedlings in 25+ years! I’m living in Concord MA with my wife and three children (16yo Daughter, 16yo Son, 10yo Son). After BFS and CB East I went to Colby College and started work in Boston. After a stint in Chicago for my wife’s Medical Residency we settled back in the Boston area. I’d welcome the chance to reconnect with any former classmates who find themselves in our area.
Margaret Miller ‘93
I now live in Decatur, GA where I am a speech therapist working with people who stutter of all ages. I enjoy embroidering, playing Dungeons and Dragons, and proving you are never too old to learn a new instrument.
Ashley Turner Snyder ‘95
Hi BFS! I live with my family in New Canaan, CT and we have been here since leaving our beloved NYC in 2016.
My husband, Matt Snyder, and I have two daughters. Charlotte Dixon Snyder (9), and Tilley Perring Snyder (7). I started a small marketing firm, ‘Turn Around Marketing’ a few years back and have been lucky to work around the crazy active family schedule while managing clients in between.
My parents both still live in Bucks County with their partners, and we are able to visit from time to time. Especially when getting to see some of my BFS Classmates! This past Thanksgiving we were able to get together with Anna Resek Chung ‘95, Emily Falk ‘95, Alex Cohen ‘95, John Baker ‘95, and my brother Alex Turner ‘98
Christopher Avery Maxfield Camp ‘99
I’ve been working as a wind turbine technician in Maine for the past six years (no, farther north than that...), and a little more than a year ago I was joyfully married to a strong, intelligent, and wonderful person named Flora.
Mike Igoe ‘99
Hello BFS! Mike Igoe lives in Burlington, Vermont with his wife Carolyn and daughters Ruthie and Matilda. He has had a lot of adventures since graduating 26(!) years ago — from Russia to Montana, Guatemala, Kyrgyzstan, Washington, D.C., and many more in between. Mike now works as a journalist covering US foreign policy and international development. He is soon moving with his family to his wife’s childhood home in western Maine. Grey team for life (and my beard is starting to match)!
2000s
Shannon (Daniels) Patel ‘06
On July 8, 2024, Shannon and her husband, Aakash, welcomed their daughter, Kiera Shannon Patel. She weighed 7 pounds 12 ounces and measured 21 inches long.
2010s
Summer Holland ‘12
Every Thursday morning, I wake up at sunrise to climb Cowels peak, San Diego’s highest peak for sunrise/meditation- great way to start the day! I made friends with a couple who also hike Thursdays at sunrise so there is always a friendly face
Sophie Ball ‘13
Go Grey Team!
Abigail Rizor ‘13
Excited to share that I am getting married this summer and will have Anna Honer ‘13 and Chloe Lentchner ‘15 by my side on the special day!
Go Blue Team!
Grace Kantra ‘19
I’m in my second year at Villanova studying psychology. I made the dean’s list and am hoping to graduate a year early! This year I am participating in a service project and meeting with at-risk teens in Philadelphia to motivate them to stay in school and possibly pursue higher education. It has been very rewarding.
Former Faculty News
Rusty MacMullan
Carol and I remain very active with folks who are under-resourced through classes and other services. In addition, I am giving a class on aging and its joys and challenges. I continue to write, fulfill admin duties at our church, walk our golden and scull. Carol quilts, rows, and assists me in various classes. We continue to think about the special nature of BFS and its unique story and place in our lives.
Patricia Walsh-Collins
After leaving BFS in 2014, I founded a non-profit educational organization called Earth School. We act as a conduit to the higher teachings of the Earth through a variety of workshops including, summer camp and professional development for teachers. Continued on next page
This year, we are happily celebrating out tenth anniversary! Kind of hard to believe, but still loving every minute with the kids in the Nature World! Son, Liam ’04 (35) survived the calamity of Hurricane Helene this fall in Asheville NC, and is doing well as an electronic musician. Lily ’08 (30) works for an environmental non-profit in Portland ME. She shares her love of Portland with two of her besties from BFS! Both of my kids have retained and grown deeper bonds with their earliest BFS friends.
Betts Slim
This past winter, I met Kira Pavitt ‘90, a former BFS student, in the grocery store. As a fifth grader she shared a month-long trip with me to Mexico with 9 other students. We talked about that adventure in our lives, and she took a selfie of us over the blueberry display to send to her classmates. That brought up so many memories of the BFS experience: One time as we embarking on a trip to Honey Hollow, my two parent chaperones appeared at my door (Mrs. Dietterich and Mrs. Mount) dressed in army camouflage clothing and pith helmets. Marne’s daughter Amy took one look and just folded her head on the desk, “oh, no”’ she exclaimed. That was an unexpected moment of joy and laughter created by parents. It was so typical of my years at BFS. As you may imagine, I live at a slower pace now. No more skiing or skating! I have five great grandchildren (all boys) who keep me connected to the younger generation! Life has been good to me.
RUBY CHERRY BLOSSOM ZEMACH-LAWLER
SEPTEMBER 27, 2002–FEBRUARY 20, 2025
With shattered hearts, we mourn the loss of Ruby Cherry Blossom Zemach-Lawler, whose light graced this world for twenty-two precious years and will continue to shine in the hearts of all who knew her.
Born in Berkeley, CA, Ruby was from the very start a singular force of creativity, originality, courageousness, and love. Her rolly polly baby belly laughs stole all of our hearts. Her feistiness was something to behold. Her sweetness and generosity of spirit was radiant. Her silly dance moves, her commitment to justice, and the way she could leap so bravely into the swimming pool – all made it clear as day that this tiny child was something to behold. Ruby’s childhood sparkled with whimsical magic: leprechauns in the backyard, Easter egg hunts, fairy houses, and Santa Clause.
Ruby blossomed into a wise and spiritual woman.
Strong and brave, she channeled her creativity into everything she touched: her style, her makeup, art, writing, music, and curiosity about what lies beyond typical human perception. We remember her reverence for sunsets, redwood forests, road trips, sun on her face, ocean waters, fire and smoke, and Pennsylvania orchards and countrysides. A friend to all babies and toddlers, goats, cats, and dogs, Ruby extended an enthusiastic and pure openness to everyone she encountered. She accepted us all with an open heart.
Above all, Ruby loved and was loved. Her lifelong friends cherish her, and her life was spent surrounded by a big extended family – so many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, grandparents, all of whom feel she is a part of our very souls. She leaves behind her most adoring parents, Dave and Becca, her beloved big brother, Julian, and her big sisters-in-spirit Twyla and Caroline. For as long as she lived, and for as long as she is gone from us, the most indisputable fact will be that Ruby was, and is, incredibly loved. Ruby, our hearts will never stop belonging to you.
In March Linc Merwin led a group of former BFS Faculty members and parents on a private tour of the exhibit celebrating the legacy of art collector, Lewis Tanner Moore, who had championed the work of black artists for over 50 years. The show, “Yesterday’s Dreams Are Real”, is on display at the Michener Art Museum in Doylestown PA, until July 27, 2025.
IN MEMORIUM
We honor the memory of the following Buckingham Friends School community members
Jon Yerkes, Alumni Parent
Ruby Zemach-Lawler ‘17
FRIENDS AT OUR CORE
Each and every gift to the Buckingham Friends School Annual Fund is a clear statement of commitment to our mission, our values and our community. Together we can achieve great things for BFS and the world around us!
All gifts received by June 30, 2025, will be counted towards the 2024-2025 Annual Fund Campaign and will help continue to support the signature BFS experience for today’s students that we all know and love.
WAYS TO GIVE:
• Return the enclosed envelope
• Visit www.bfs.org
• Call 215-794-7491
THANK YOU!
5684 York Road | P.O. Box 159 | Lahaska, PA 18931
| www.bfs.org
FOR OVER 230 YEARS BUCKINGHAM FRIENDS SCHOOL HAS CELEBRATED THE LIGHT IN EVERY CHILD—HERE’S TO ANOTHER 230+ YEARS!
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