Community Engagement 

140 Years of Friends’ Anniversary Celebration

In 2027, our whole community will come together to celebrate 140 years of Friends’.

This anniversary is an opportunity to pause and reflect on the journey we have shared. It is a chance to honour the people and stories that have shaped the School, celebrate the community we are today and look towards the future with hope and confidence.

Across the year, there will be opportunities for everyone to participate - current students and families, staff and former staff, alumni, past and present Board members, donors and the wider Friends’ community. A special Alumni Celebration Weekend will invite former students and staff back to campus to reconnect, revisit familiar places and share memories, while heritage displays, photographs, music, campus tours and stories will help bring our history to life.

We will also invite our community to contribute to 140 stories for 140 years. These stories will capture the many experiences, friendships, achievements and moments of connection that together form the rich and continuing story of Friends’.  Keep an eye out for more information over the next 3-4months and via the Friends’ Alumni Facebook page.

Yet this anniversary is not simply about looking back. As a Quaker school, our history calls us to consider how we live our values today and into the future. Through opportunities for service, community participation and a focus on peace, the celebration will reflect the enduring purpose at the heart of Friends’.

140 years is a remarkable shared story and in 2027, we invite our entire community to celebrate it, add to it and help shape what comes next.

If you would like to be involved, please contact our Director of Community Engagement, Bill Avery, at enquiries@friends.tas.edu.au

Enrolments for 2028 and Beyond

With enrolments at The Friends’ School remaining strong, we encourage families to plan ahead for their child’s educational journey with us.

Each year, we see increasing interest in places across multiple year levels, reflecting the strength of our learning environment and community. 

If you are considering enrolling your child - whether for 2028, 2029 or further ahead - we recommend submitting an application or making an enquiry as soon as possible. Early engagement allows us to guide you through the process, discuss availability and ensure your child is well positioned for entry at the appropriate time.

We look forward to welcoming new families into our community and supporting you through this important decision.

Enrolment Tours

Our experienced staff are delighted to offer personalised family tours, along with group tours of the School's campuses. These tours are a wonderful opportunity to get a sense of the community, environment, culture and opportunities that The Friends’ School offers.

Information and bookings are available on the School website.

You can also view our virtual tour of the campuses and facilities via the following link.

Guests in Residence

Recently, we were delighted to welcome two guests in Residence to The Friends’ School: Quaker Peaceworker Jessica Morrison and Jasmine Payget from Quaker Services Australia.  Across the week, Jessica and Jasmine connected with students and staff across the School, joining classes, gatherings, meetings and professional learning. Their visit included conversations with students involved in activism and service, engagement with our Year 7 Connections and SEL program, discussions with teachers about how Peace Education can inform subject areas, and conversations with our librarians about ethical AI, warfare and environmental concerns.

A key focus of the week was working alongside a committed group of staff to progress our thinking around Peace Education and to continue developing a re-envisaged Service Learning program. A dedicated Service Planning Day brought staff together to consider how we can strengthen and elevate this work across the School, building on our Quaker values and commitment to learning through service.

Thank you also to the many staff and students who welcomed our visitors and contributed to the week.

Alumni Community Updates

Sarah Eaton (2022) recently co-created a musical, Girlhood in a Bathroom, alongside four of her university friends. The musical premiered at Adelaide Fringe this year before earning an invitation to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It is now back in Australia, showing at Melbourne Fringe in October.

Alumnus Ollie Walker (2019) (and current staff member) will be exhibiting his handcrafted furniture from 11–27 September at DOT40: Celebrating 40 Years at The Barn at Rosny Farm, alongside other unique creators of ceramics, lighting, woodwork and contemporary craft.

Recently, Kathy Rundle (1965) provided a presentation to members and guests of the Tasmanian Historical Research Association on the early Quakers in Tasmania and the establishment of The Friends School. Kathy Rundle is a member of Hobart Meeting and worked at The Friends School for nearly 25 years as a librarian, teacher, historian and archivist.  You can listen to Kathy's presentation and view the slide show here.

Movers & Quakers exhibition

In early September, the Movers & Quakers exhibition brought together an inspiring group of Friends' alumni and artists at Penny Contemporary gallery, celebrating the breadth of creative practice across generations of our community.

Around 140 people attended the opening, with artists travelling from interstate and overseas to take part. The event brought together alumni from different years, along with former art staff and alumni now teaching and working in the arts.

Artists who had never previously met connected through their work, while former teachers, students and generations of Friends' artists shared stories and experiences.

Thank you to all the artists who participated, Penny Contemporary Gallery for hosting the exhibition, and everyone who came along to support and celebrate the Friends' arts community. 

Reunions

On Saturday 5 September, we welcomed back alumni from the Classes of 2006 and 2016 for their 20 and 10 year out reunions. We were disappointed to have to cancel the school tours, with the day starting under damp skies and heavier rain forecast later. However, the reunion in the evening at Boodle Beasley more than made up for it, with more than 70 alumni in attendance, joined by some past and present staff. The room was full of joy, laughter and catching up with old friends over drinks and nibbles.

Thank you to everyone who attended. It was wonderful to see you all there!

Class of 2006 – Click here to view the image gallery

Class of 2016 – Click here to view the image gallery

The School looks forward to the final reunions of the year, with the Classes of 2021 and 2025 in December. Tickets are available via the links below:

• Class of 2021, 5 Year Reunion: Sunday 20 December, Boodle Beasley. Click here to book.
• Class of 2025, 1 Year Reunion: Sunday 20 December, Boodle Beasley. Click here to book.

As mentioned earlier, 2027 marks the School's 140th anniversary, and we're planning an all-alumni reunion weekend that will also celebrate milestone years for the Classes of 1987, 1997, 2007 and 2017, with dates still to be decided.

If you would like to help with your reunion, please email Jenny Mitchell.

Giving

Whilst donations to Annual Giving continue until the end of the year, we are grateful to report that the Friends’ community has so far raised more than $53,000 towards a refugee and newly arrived migrant scholarship. For more stories from our refugee and migrant scholarship recipients, click here for Zarifa Alizanda (2025) and here for Sharon Vulimu (2011).

We welcome all who have not yet contributed to consider a donation today as part of our shared commitment to the Quaker testimonies of Community and Service.

Bill Avery - Director of Community Engagement