The First Day School
Brooklyn Meeting cherishes the presence of children and families and their unique contributions to the vibrancy of our community. Children’s spiritual questions and seeking are vital to the life of the meeting.
First Day School (FDS) provides an introduction to Quaker testimonies through storytelling, art projects, and co-operative games to children ages 4-13. FDS class meets on select Sundays 11-11:50AM from September through June, usually in a classroom at the lower level of the meetinghouse.
Every first Sunday children are welcome to join their families in the meeting room for 11 AM worship instead of in class.
FDS teachers, who are part of our meeting, also work with kids with preparing for Community Dinner on the 3rd First Day of each month.
When a parent or other caregiver gets to our meetinghouse, they bring the child to FDS and sign the child in. Families are reunited in the Meeting room around noon.
Please look at the newsletter or email first-day-school-clerk@brooklynmeeting.org for the current schedule or additional information. If you aren’t already on our email list (we send out updates regularly) please let us know if you wish to be added.
Young people over the age 13
Teens are wholeheartedly invited to join one of the Children’s Meetings or participate in Meeting for Worship upstairs.
Very young children (0-3)
Babies and toddlers may join Childcare which is also on the lower level (yellow door) which is run separately from First Day School. Please reach out to child-care-clerk@BrooklynMeeting.org for more information.The First Day School Education Committee
The FDS committee is run by members and attenders of our Brooklyn Meeting meeting who are often parents and/or educators. FDS Committee members decide the curriculum and are present during class. There are always 2 adults in FDS classes.
The FDS committee seek to have a committee comprised of 10 Friends. The committee meets briefly every first Tuesday (on Zoom) of the month. to plan. While one or two of the committee members are very active with the children in FDS, other adults and teenagers of the Brooklyn Meeting community are very much encouraged to join in as well.