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Sidwell Friends School
Sidwell Friends School.JPG
The Sidwell Friends school building at 3825 Wisconsin Avenue N.W. in Washington, D.C.
Location
Bethesda, Maryland (Lower School)
Washington, D.C. (Middle/Upper School)

United States
Coordinates 38°56′21″N 77°04′29″W / 38.939217°N 77.074628°W / 38.939217; -77.074628
Information
Type Private, Day, College-prep
Motto Eluceat Omnibus Lux
("Let the light shine out from all")
Religious affiliation(s) Quaker
Established 1883 (142 years ago) (1883)
CEEB code 090200
Head of school Bryan K. Garman
Faculty 257
Grades PK–12
Gender Co-educational
Enrollment 1,152
Color(s) Maroon & Black
         
Athletics conference MAC (boys)
ISL (girls)
Mascot Fox
Team name Quakers
Publication The Oat
(the satirical student newspaper)
Quarterly
(the art magazine)
Student Political Review
(student editorial newspaper))
Sidwell Business Review
(student editorial newsletter)
Newspaper Horizon
Endowment $81.1 million (2024)
Tuition Lower school: $53,470–$56,080
Middle school: $59,440
Upper school: $59,920 (2025-26)

Sidwell Friends School is a private school in Bethesda, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.. It helps students get ready for college. The school teaches students from pre-kindergarten all the way through high school (12th grade).

It was started in 1883 by Thomas W. Sidwell. The school's motto is "Eluceat omnibus lux". This means "Let the light shine out from all" in English. This idea comes from the Quaker belief in an "inner light" within everyone.

Sidwell Friends is a private school. Students are chosen based on their abilities. The school gives a special look to students who are part of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). However, it welcomes students of all religions. The school is very selective, accepting only about 7% of students who apply.

Many children of important politicians have gone to Sidwell Friends. This includes children of several U.S. presidents. For example, Archibald Roosevelt, Tricia Nixon Cox, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, Chelsea Clinton, Sasha and Malia Obama, and the grandchildren of Joe Biden all attended.

School History: How Sidwell Friends Began

The Start in the 1800s

Thomas Sidwell opened his "Friends' Select School" in 1883. It was located on I Street in downtown Washington. This was just a few blocks from the White House. When it first opened, only eleven students attended.

Growing Through the 1900s

In 1911, Sidwell started buying land near Wisconsin Avenue. This new land was first used for sports fields. Students had to travel between the downtown school and the new fields by streetcar. In 1923, a building for school events was built on the Wisconsin Avenue land.

In 1925, the school added a kindergarten class. This made it the first K–12 school in Washington, D.C. The school's name changed to "Sidwell and Friends School" in 1934. It slowly moved all its classes to the Wisconsin Avenue campus. By 1938, the move was complete, and the old downtown building was sold.

The school also changed its rules over time. In 1957, a formal dress code was put in place. This code had rules for students in all grades. Over the years, the dress code changed a lot. By the 1970s, students were allowed to wear jeans. In 2016, students helped change the dress code. They banned clothing with the name and logo of the Washington Redskins football team.

In 1963, the elementary school moved to a new location in Bethesda, Maryland. This building used to be the Longfellow School for Boys.

Sidwell Friends became a racially integrated school in 1964. This meant students of all races could attend.

Sidwell Friends in the 2000s

In 2009, Thomas B. Farquhar became the Head of School. He left his position after the 2013-2014 school year.

Around 2018, Sidwell Friends and other private schools decided to stop offering AP courses. They felt these courses were not as important for college applications anymore. This decision led to a review by the United States Department of Justice. The review ended in 2021.

In April 2020, the school received a large loan from a government program. This program was meant to help small businesses during a difficult time. The school decided to keep the money.

As of 2020, the school plans to move the elementary grades back to Washington, D.C. They bought a new property next to their current D.C. campus in 2017.

What Students Learn at Sidwell Friends

Sidwell Friends has high academic standards. Students must earn at least 20 credits to graduate. They are required to take four years of English, three years of math, and three years of history. Students also need two years of a foreign language, two years of science, and two years of art.

All freshmen take a special Ninth Grade Studies course. This course includes a community service project. Tenth and eleventh graders also take specific courses for their grade level.

Sidwell is also part of the School Year Abroad program. This allows students to study in other countries.

Keeping Students Safe

Sidwell Friends School has worked to improve its safety policies. In 2016, the school updated its rules about student conduct. They also added more security cameras to help keep students safe.

In 2017, a middle school music teacher was dismissed. This happened after concerns about his past conduct at another school. The school's Head of School, Bryan Garman, informed parents about the situation. He stated that a former administrator knew about the teacher's departure from his previous job, but not the seriousness of the past accusations.

Sports at Sidwell Friends

Sidwell's sports teams are called the Quakers. Their school colors are maroon and gray. Boys' teams compete in the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAC). Girls' teams compete in the Independent School League (ISL).

Sidwell offers many sports, including:

  • Volleyball
  • Golf
  • Cross country
  • Football
  • Field hockey
  • Soccer
  • Basketball
  • Swimming and diving
  • Wrestling
  • Tennis
  • Baseball
  • Lacrosse
  • Track
  • Ultimate frisbee
  • Crew
  • Softball

Basketball Success

The girls' basketball team is one of the best in the Washington D.C. area. They had a perfect season in 2021-2022. They were ranked the number one girls' basketball team in the nation by MaxPreps and ESPN. In the 2022–2023 season, they won their second state championship in a row. The team, led by Coach Tamika Dudley, finished with a 28–3 record.

The boys' basketball team is also very strong. They finished the 2022–2023 season with a state championship. They also won two conference championships and had a 27–4 record.

Sidwell Friends Today

Here are some facts about Sidwell Friends School as of the 2022–2023 school year:

  • About 1,142 students are enrolled.
  • 57% of the students are people of color.
  • 21% of students receive financial help to attend.
  • The school has 273 full-time teachers and staff.
  • 84% of the teachers have advanced degrees.
  • Tuition for the 2022–2023 school year ranged from $47,200 for younger grades to $51,650 for Upper School.
  • The school does not give out GPAs or student rankings. It also does not share average SAT or ACT scores. However, it does share a list of colleges where recent graduates have gone.
  • As of 2023, Niche rated Sidwell Friends School as the 14th Best Private K-12 School in the U.S.

School Campuses

Sidwell Friends has two main campuses.

Middle and Upper School Campus

This campus is located at 3825 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C.

  • It is about 15-acre (6.1 ha) in the North Cleveland Park area.
  • Key buildings include the Earl G. Harrison Jr. Upper School Building and the Middle School building.
  • The Middle School building has a special design. It uses natural light and collects rainwater. It even has a constructed wetland with plants and animals. This helps recycle wastewater.
  • Other facilities include the Kogod Center for the Arts, the Richard Walter Goldman Memorial Library, and the Zartman House (administration).
  • There are also two gymnasiums, three athletic fields, five tennis courts, and two tracks.
  • A parking garage is available for faculty, students, and visitors.

Lower School Campus

The Lower School campus is at 5100 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda, Montgomery County, Maryland.

  • This campus is about 5-acre (2.0 ha). It used to be the Longfellow School for Boys.
  • Buildings include the Manor House, Groome Building, and the Science, Art, and Music (SAM) Building.
  • The Bethesda Friends Meeting House is also on this campus.
  • There are athletic fields, a gymnasium, and two playgrounds.

Both campuses had big updates in 2005–2006. The Athletic Center on the Wisconsin Avenue campus was finished in 2011.

Sidwell Friends plans to move the Lower School to a new site. This new site is next to the Wisconsin Avenue campus. The exact timing for this move depends on getting enough funding.

Famous People Who Attended Sidwell Friends

Many notable people have attended Sidwell Friends School. Here are some examples:

Activism

Arts

Business

  • Daniel Mudd, former CEO of Fannie Mae
  • Nick Friedman, entrepreneur
  • Omar Soliman, author and entrepreneur

Education

Government and Law

Journalism

  • Anne Applebaum, journalist and author
  • John Dickerson, journalist and political commentator
  • Charles Gibson, former ABC World News Tonight anchor
  • Clara Jeffery, editor of Mother Jones magazine

Literature and Poetry

Film and Television

Children of U.S. Presidents

Royalty

Science and Technology

Sports

  • Saddiq Bey, professional basketball player
  • Paul Goldstein, professional tennis player
  • Josh Hart, basketball player for the New York Knicks
  • Kara Lawson, head coach of Duke Blue Devils women's basketball
  • Jair Lynch, Olympic Silver Medalist in gymnastics
  • Roger Mason, former NBA player
  • Kiki Rice, basketball player

Partner Schools

Sidwell Friends School has connections with other schools around the world:

  • High School affiliated to Fudan University
  • The Second High School Attached to Beijing Normal University
  • Ramallah Friends Schools
  • Moses Brown School

More Information

  • Sidwell Friends School Official Website: http://www.sidwell.edu
  • Sidwell Friends School first K-12 to receive LEED Platinum
  • Country Addition to Friends School – an old advertisement for the school from 1910
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