FALL 2010Bruce Haines
Head of School
Outdoors on a bright warm summer evening in June Friends School Mullica Hill celebrated the accomplishment of 16 eighth-graders who graduated and are moving on to high school elsewhere in the fall. It was an evening filled with laughter and the tears of parting. Each graduate addressed the crowd with reflections on and appreciations for their experience at Friends School. Two themes emerged throughout: that the character and fabric of each life has been shaped positively by experiences at Friends School; and that the students highly valued their interactions with their teachers and each other. Five of the sixteen will move on to other Friends schools.
The community also heard a heartfelt thank-you speech from Al Mugerah Obaidi, a 15-year-old seventh grader who emigrated with his family from Iraq to South Jersey with the support of Friends in Woodstown Meeting. Starting with us in midyear, by June Mugerah was able to enroll in ninth grade at Woodstown High School and asked for a chance to share his gratitude with the community. At graduation he said:
“Almost six months ago I started my study at this beautiful school. My family and I arrived in the US as immigrants from Iraq after we experienced very difficult times due to war and violence in my home country.
“My experience at Mullica Hill Friends School was a great one and I learned a lot. I enjoyed the time studying and doing other activities, like sports and trips. I am so thankful for the school staff, principal, administration, teachers and others. And I don’t want to forget my classmates. Thank you for your help and good luck next year.”
Friends School now turns to the next school year. The biggest change is in leadership with my arrival as head of school. I succeed Drew Smith, who is moving on after ten years as head and a total of over 23 years of service to the school. Drew now leads the Russell Byer Charter School in Philadelphia.
For myself, I am a lifelong Friend, raised in Moorestown Monthly Meeting. I attended Moorestown Friend School, Westtown, and Earlham College, and have a deep passion for Friends’ education. As I assume leadership at Friends School I am also stepping down after nine years as clerk of the Westtown Board of Trustees. At Westtown I provided leadership during a head-of-school search, led the process to create a strategic plan for Westtown, worked in drafting Westtown’s first written mission statement,oversaw execution of the strategic plan, and then participated in adjusting course in the face of the 2008 worldwide economic recession that forced down enrollment. I bring with me experiences as a trustee, as a nonprofit leader for Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, and as an attorney practicing law in Philadelphia for 25 years, where I focused on dispute resolution.
This summer and fall I face two initial challenges. First, I will have to review budget and staffing closely in response to the still slow national economic recovery. It will likely lead to our enrollment of about 190 students for 2010-11, or approximately 15 fewer than this past year—a 7 per cent decrease. Second, I want to learn as much as possible about the school and its culture as quickly as possible. This will enable me to quickly identify opportunities to strengthen and grow the program.
As a Friend from across the river (I live in Media, Pennsylvania, and am a member of Providence Meeting), I also seek opportunities to make new friends in Salem Quarter. I welcome invitations to local Friends events, and extend my invitation to Friends to attend school events such as the fall festival on a Saturday in October, holiday concerts in December, graduation next June, and the like. Many dates are not set at press time, but the school calendar is available on line at friendsmh.org.
As Friends School celebrates its 45th anniversary this year, we press on with enthusiasm, standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before us, seeking our guidance and strength from the same deep well that inspired and sustained them.
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Monday, September 06, 2010 at 06:18 PM
