Tandem Friends School
Encyclopedia
Tandem Friends School is a coeducational secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...

 founded in 1970 in Albemarle County, Virginia
Albemarle County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 79,236 people, 31,876 households, and 21,070 families residing in the county. The population density was 110 people per square mile . There were 33,720 housing units at an average density of 47 per square mile...

, just outside Charlottesville
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...

, by educators John Howard and Duncan Alling. In 1995, it joined the Friends Council on Education, adopting the educational beliefs and practices of the Quakers
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...

. The current head of school is Andy Jones-Wilkins
Andy Jones-Wilkins
Andy Jones-Wilkins is an elite ultrarunner. He began running ultramarathons in 1996 and 100-mile ultras in 2000, and became known for frequently finishing among the top few, without ever winning a race. This included, in 2005, coming in 2nd overall in the Western States 100 Mile, the Angeles Crest...

. The Business Manager is Paul Erb. The Upper School, grades 9-12, has approximately 120 students, while the Middle School, grades 5-8, has approximately 90 students. The head of the Upper School is Nura Yingling, and the head of the Middle School is Tom O'Connor. Tandem is located on 279 Tandem Lane. The mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...

 is a badger. The logo is the hemlock tree.

The school’s mission statement best summarizes its goals:

"Rooted in Quaker values, Tandem Friends School prepares young
people for higher education and fulfilling lives of integrity, creative
expression, and service." The school maintains silent meeting as a weekly practice.

The school’s unofficial mottoes also capture the Tandem philosophy: “Freedom with Responsibility” and “Kindness and Wisdom”.

History

Tandem is the first Friends School in the U.S. that started as a non-Quaker School. The school is accredited by the National Association of Independent Schools and the Virginia Association of Independent Schools and is a member of the Friends Council on Education.

Traditions

Tandem has many traditions that have been maintained over the years, such as Spring Day, Blue Ridge Day (which is being redefined), Wednesday Pancakes, Speaker Series, Meeting for Worship, Emphasis Week, Sophomore Seminars and Senior Projects.

The Saturday before Mother's Day
Mother's Day
Mother's Day is a celebration honoring mothers and celebrating motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, yet most commonly in March, April, or May...

 has been the date of the annual Mother's Day Music Festival, a small festival used to showcase local musicians. A notable past act to play on the quad at Tandem Friends School for the Mother's Day Music Festival was the Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...

.

The pancake breakfasts serve, on average, 500 pancakes each Wednesday. The pancakes are made and served by parents along with faculty and staff.

Athletics

Tandem Friends School fields eighteen sports teams and maintains a no-cut policy. The athletic director at Tandem is Gordon Fields. The school competes in the Delaney Athletic Conference
Delaney Athletic Conference
Delaney Athletic Conference consists of 13 high schools from Northern and Central Virginia. The Delaney Athletic Conference is named after Joe Delaney, a former athlete from Northwestern State University.-Mission statement:...

.

The Varsity Girl's Soccer Team won the VISAA Division II State Championship in the Spring of 2010, and again in Spring of 2011.

Arts Program

Tandem Friends School has an Arts program that encompasses visual arts, drama, digital film and music. Drama and art are each taught for one semester each year in the Middle School grades. Each grade in the middle school puts on a play during the year. Art electives abound in the Upper School, as well as drama classes and an after-school drama program that presents a musical in the fall, a one-act play festival in the winter, and a comedy or drama in the spring.

5th graders take regular music classes and the school has a string ensemble, a jazz band, and a Rock and Roll band, as well as other music class offerings. Tandem sports a fully equipped music room, with several guitars, basses, and a drum kit, as well as many other instruments.

External links

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