Around Campus News

Friends,

We have exciting news to share about a transformative gift that will significantly enhance our campus and student experience!

In December 2022, MPFS was honored to be selected as one of just ten organizations to receive a generous grant from the Walter Garrison Foundation. This remarkable support comes from a foundation with deep ties to our community, led by the grandfather of an alum and great-grandfather of two current students. Our proposal, presented in January 2023, outlined how a significant gift could bring to life a brand-new, cutting-edge playground and a renovated middle school science lab – and we were thrilled to receive final approval last fall!

While projects of this scale typically involve extensive community input, the unique nature of this grant – with its specific criteria for a science-infused playground and an accelerated timeline – guided our development process. We've been carefully planning and finalizing details behind the scenes, awaiting final cost approvals and official grant funding to be secured before sharing this wonderful news with you.

Now that final approvals are in place, we're thrilled to announce that work on both projects will begin soon! The Middle School Science Lab, being a more contained project, is on track to be completed before the end of summer – just in time for students to dive into discovery! The new playground, however, will be a larger undertaking, with construction likely extending through September. We understand this will require some adjustments to our usual routine, particularly for recess during the first month of school. Please know that our team is already developing creative and fun alternative plans to ensure our students have engaging and safe play opportunities during this exciting transition. We'll share more specific details on these plans very soon.

We are extremely excited about the plans for both the new playground and the science lab. This new STEAM-centric playground space is designed to appeal to children of all ages, featuring a large deck, a safe and dedicated (wood-chip free!) sports area, and engaging natural play spaces. A detailed schema for the playground will be complete very shortly, and I will share this as soon as I have it.

This is truly an exhilarating time for MPFS, especially for our students! We can't wait to see their excitement as they explore and learn in these fantastic new spaces, fostering curiosity and joy for years to come.

In Friendship,

Jon Hall, Ed. D.
Head of School
Media-Providence Friends School
610-565-1960 ext. 102
jhall@mpfs.org

Meaningful Learning, Purposeful Life