Our Board of Trustees
State College Friends School is governed by a Board of Trustees. The board's major responsibilities include supervision of the head of school, policy making, financial oversight, strategic planning, and institutional advancement. The board has a fiduciary responsibility to uphold the mission of Friends School in service to today's children and to ensure a vibrant Friends School for future generations.
Membership:
The board consists of 11-17 volunteers, the majority of whom are members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers); they are appointed by State College Friends Meeting in consultation with the board's Committee on Trustees (Governance Committee.) The other trustees are parents or individuals from the community who have an interest in Friends education.
Terms:
Each board member serves a term of three years. Members may serve no more than two consecutive terms but may be reappointed after a one year absence.
Currently the board includes the following trustees:
Membership:
The board consists of 11-17 volunteers, the majority of whom are members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers); they are appointed by State College Friends Meeting in consultation with the board's Committee on Trustees (Governance Committee.) The other trustees are parents or individuals from the community who have an interest in Friends education.
Terms:
Each board member serves a term of three years. Members may serve no more than two consecutive terms but may be reappointed after a one year absence.
Currently the board includes the following trustees:
Gary Fosmire
Gary Fosmire is a member of the State College Friends Meeting and currently serves as clerk of the meeting. This is his second time serving on the board of the State College Friends School. He notes, “I have supported the school as a place where children were safe, respected, and encouraged to develop into thoughtful, caring individuals.”
Gary retired from Penn State 2011 after 33 years career as a faculty member in the Department of Nutritional Sciences. His avocations in retirement are gardening, quilting, and a bit of woodworking, in addition to volunteering for the Out of the Cold initiative, which provides assistance to homeless people in Centre County.
Gary Fosmire is a member of the State College Friends Meeting and currently serves as clerk of the meeting. This is his second time serving on the board of the State College Friends School. He notes, “I have supported the school as a place where children were safe, respected, and encouraged to develop into thoughtful, caring individuals.”
Gary retired from Penn State 2011 after 33 years career as a faculty member in the Department of Nutritional Sciences. His avocations in retirement are gardening, quilting, and a bit of woodworking, in addition to volunteering for the Out of the Cold initiative, which provides assistance to homeless people in Centre County.
Jim Frost
Jim Frost has a special connection to the State College Friends School as the parent of a daughter, now in 7th grade, who has attended the school since she was in 1st grade. He says, “Friends School, of course, provides a top-notch academic experience, but I particularly love how Friends is centered around, and takes care of, the whole child, not just the academic aspects.”
Frost is uniquely suited for membership on the school’s board of directors given that his background includes a masters degree in policy analysis with a thesis, titled “The Promise and Problems of Systemic Educational Reform.” He also brings his current expertise as a statistician to his work as a board member. He is particularly interested in helping the board to assess school-related numbers.
In his free time, Frost and his family enjoy traveling around the world and experiencing other cultures. In doing so, they have had the privilege of visiting countries on five continents.
Jim Frost has a special connection to the State College Friends School as the parent of a daughter, now in 7th grade, who has attended the school since she was in 1st grade. He says, “Friends School, of course, provides a top-notch academic experience, but I particularly love how Friends is centered around, and takes care of, the whole child, not just the academic aspects.”
Frost is uniquely suited for membership on the school’s board of directors given that his background includes a masters degree in policy analysis with a thesis, titled “The Promise and Problems of Systemic Educational Reform.” He also brings his current expertise as a statistician to his work as a board member. He is particularly interested in helping the board to assess school-related numbers.
In his free time, Frost and his family enjoy traveling around the world and experiencing other cultures. In doing so, they have had the privilege of visiting countries on five continents.
Beth Johnston
Beth Johnston is a retired human resources manager who just completed a two-term appointment on the Foxdale Village Board of Trustees. She currently serves on the Centre Life Link Board of Directors.
“I believe one of the most important aspects of the State College Friends School is the emphasis on service to others,” she says. “Stressing the value of serving others is a life quality that I believe should be cultivated and nurtured, and the Friends School truly provides this opportunity.”
Beth enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends.
Beth Johnston is a retired human resources manager who just completed a two-term appointment on the Foxdale Village Board of Trustees. She currently serves on the Centre Life Link Board of Directors.
“I believe one of the most important aspects of the State College Friends School is the emphasis on service to others,” she says. “Stressing the value of serving others is a life quality that I believe should be cultivated and nurtured, and the Friends School truly provides this opportunity.”
Beth enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends.
Bruce Knox
Bruce Knox is a practicing Quaker and member of the Friends Meeting. He values the State College Friends School because he believes “it is a great place to instill and reinforce Quaker values.”
In addition to his work with the Friends School Board of Directors, Knox has provided service to the boards of the Centre County Youth Service Bureau, Centre Lifelink, and Foxdale Village. He also has been a Boy Scouts leader and a camp counselor.
In his spare time, Knox enjoys spending time with his family and dogs, reading, canoeing/kayaking, and doing photography.
Bruce Knox is a practicing Quaker and member of the Friends Meeting. He values the State College Friends School because he believes “it is a great place to instill and reinforce Quaker values.”
In addition to his work with the Friends School Board of Directors, Knox has provided service to the boards of the Centre County Youth Service Bureau, Centre Lifelink, and Foxdale Village. He also has been a Boy Scouts leader and a camp counselor.
In his spare time, Knox enjoys spending time with his family and dogs, reading, canoeing/kayaking, and doing photography.
Scott McGrail-Peasley
Scott McGrail-Peasley has been a Quaker his entire life. He grew up outside of Philadelphia as a member of the Gwynedd Friends Meeting and attended The George School in Newtown, PA, graduating in 1972. He is now a member of the State College Friends Meeting.
“I appreciate how the State College Friends School strives to not only provide a challenging academic foundation but also nurture every student to become active and contributing members of our larger community,” says McGrail-Peasley. “Guided by the Quaker principles including peace, equality, integrity, service, and stewardship, the school helps prepare students to become active and caring contributors to their local and world communities.”
McGrail-Peasley’s 33-year career was as a corrosion control specialist. He and his wife Kate built their home in Gum Stump, PA, starting in 1984, and continue to work on it. The couple raised two children and has four grandchildren. Their son and his family live in Phoenixville, PA, and their daughter’s family lives in The Gambia, Africa.
McGrail-Peasley served on the board of the Milesburg Boy Scouts of America and the Bald Eagle Area Parents Responsibility in District Education. He also coached and umpired in the Wingate Girls Softball Association and AYSO soccer teams, and helped initiate the Bald Eagle Area School District’s girl’s soccer team. He served on the Boggs Township Planning Commission.
McGrail-Peasley enjoys growing his own fruits and vegetables, boiling maple syrup, and raising livestock. “I especially appreciate a meal that we are able to produce completely from our property,” he says. “Other hobbies include woodworking and collecting/operating model trains.
Scott McGrail-Peasley has been a Quaker his entire life. He grew up outside of Philadelphia as a member of the Gwynedd Friends Meeting and attended The George School in Newtown, PA, graduating in 1972. He is now a member of the State College Friends Meeting.
“I appreciate how the State College Friends School strives to not only provide a challenging academic foundation but also nurture every student to become active and contributing members of our larger community,” says McGrail-Peasley. “Guided by the Quaker principles including peace, equality, integrity, service, and stewardship, the school helps prepare students to become active and caring contributors to their local and world communities.”
McGrail-Peasley’s 33-year career was as a corrosion control specialist. He and his wife Kate built their home in Gum Stump, PA, starting in 1984, and continue to work on it. The couple raised two children and has four grandchildren. Their son and his family live in Phoenixville, PA, and their daughter’s family lives in The Gambia, Africa.
McGrail-Peasley served on the board of the Milesburg Boy Scouts of America and the Bald Eagle Area Parents Responsibility in District Education. He also coached and umpired in the Wingate Girls Softball Association and AYSO soccer teams, and helped initiate the Bald Eagle Area School District’s girl’s soccer team. He served on the Boggs Township Planning Commission.
McGrail-Peasley enjoys growing his own fruits and vegetables, boiling maple syrup, and raising livestock. “I especially appreciate a meal that we are able to produce completely from our property,” he says. “Other hobbies include woodworking and collecting/operating model trains.
Elizabeth Pennock
Elizabeth Pennock is a Friends Meeting attender and a Quaker since birth. Her profession as a music teacher from elementary through high school has given her valuable insight into the many aspects of learning that occur for students of different ages. During her long career in teaching, she taught in several states, plus four years in India.
Pennock believes that a Friends School education is more than book learning. "It is learning to respect others and to always give your best to your classmates, school, community, and society in general," she says. "Friends philosophy stresses that each person is special and has something unique to offer. A small class size in our Friends School makes it possible for the teachers to really get to know the students, and to be able to help them achieve their potential. It is our goal to provide a peaceful place to learn and work in harmony with each other. Our goal of providing a quality education and developing leadership and social skills will be essential for each student's future role in the community."
Pennock previously served two terms on the Foxdale Retirement Village Board. In addition to her professional experiences as a musician and an educator, she also has developed a passion for photography. Furthermore, she has an interest in conservation and environmental issues.
Ann Sidone
Now retired, Ann Sidone was a sign language interpreter and instructor in the Department of Communication Sciences Disorders at Penn State. There, she taught American Sign Language and deaf culture. “Teaching at the postsecondary level showed me the value of creativity combined with strong academic preparation; interpreting taught me to listen for the message beneath the words, which is invaluable in clerking a meeting,” she says.
Sidone is a member of the Friends Meeting, and, therefore, has a special appreciation for the value of the education the Friends School provides. “Especially in today’s world, we need the combination of strong academics, compassion, and the values embodied by the SPICES that comprise the State College Friends School education,” she says.
Besides serving on the Board of Directors of the Friends School, Sidone also has served on the Board of Directors of Foxdale Village, the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, and the Pennsylvania Advisory Committee for People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.
Claudia Wilson
As a teacher for most of her professional life, Claudia Wilson provides a unique perspective to her work on the Friends School Board of Directors that considers the welfare of the Friends School’s teachers. Prior to retiring, Wilson had worked first in a day care program and then as a Head Start teacher in Mifflin County. She also taught language arts at Our Children’s Center Montessori School. She spent the majority of her teaching career as a public school educator in the Penns Valley School District. In addition, she worked as an office manager for several small, local businesses.
A member of the Friends Meeting Worship and Ministry Committee, Wilson is familiar with the particular benefits of a Quaker education. She says, “It provides an alternative education program that celebrates the individual child—regardless of religious, cultural, or gender background—and provides an experience based on the Quaker testimonies that can be embraced by everyone.”
In addition to the Friends School Board of Directors, Wilson also serves on the boards of the Park Forest Preschool and the Acoustic Brew Concerts. In her spare time, she enjoys camping, hiking, and kayaking with her dog Griffin. She also has taken up beekeeping and traveling with her pop-up camper, “Poppy.”
Marianne Stevens
Bio available upon request.
Lauren Tomasch
Lauren Tomasch is an alumna of the State College Friends School (starting in kindergarten in 1981), a parent of two children at the school, and attends Quaker meeting. She has a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and a master’s degree in spiritual psychology.
Lauren has worked and volunteered at Shavers Creek, taught environmental education, worked in multiple levels of management and human resources in various fields, built and managed multi-use trails, worked at the White House (intern for the Council on Environmental Quality), and is a business owner.
“I think everything I have done in my life I bring to the task of serving as a board member, she says. “I am a helper by nature, and over my lifetime that has developed into an ability to see issues from many sides and to mediate most any situation.”
Indeed, Lauren is dedicated to serving the school as a board member. “At Friends School, kindness, compassion, respect for others, and promoting a desire to serve is the culture,” she says. “Other schools may study these things, but at Friends, it is the way of being. By immersing our children in this culture it becomes intrinsic to their way of being and fosters their growth into compassionate, socially minded leaders of the future.”
Administrative Staff
Head of School, Dan Hendey
Associate Head of School, Lisa Gamble
Director of Advancement, Lori Pacchioli
Elizabeth Pennock is a Friends Meeting attender and a Quaker since birth. Her profession as a music teacher from elementary through high school has given her valuable insight into the many aspects of learning that occur for students of different ages. During her long career in teaching, she taught in several states, plus four years in India.
Pennock believes that a Friends School education is more than book learning. "It is learning to respect others and to always give your best to your classmates, school, community, and society in general," she says. "Friends philosophy stresses that each person is special and has something unique to offer. A small class size in our Friends School makes it possible for the teachers to really get to know the students, and to be able to help them achieve their potential. It is our goal to provide a peaceful place to learn and work in harmony with each other. Our goal of providing a quality education and developing leadership and social skills will be essential for each student's future role in the community."
Pennock previously served two terms on the Foxdale Retirement Village Board. In addition to her professional experiences as a musician and an educator, she also has developed a passion for photography. Furthermore, she has an interest in conservation and environmental issues.
Ann Sidone
Now retired, Ann Sidone was a sign language interpreter and instructor in the Department of Communication Sciences Disorders at Penn State. There, she taught American Sign Language and deaf culture. “Teaching at the postsecondary level showed me the value of creativity combined with strong academic preparation; interpreting taught me to listen for the message beneath the words, which is invaluable in clerking a meeting,” she says.
Sidone is a member of the Friends Meeting, and, therefore, has a special appreciation for the value of the education the Friends School provides. “Especially in today’s world, we need the combination of strong academics, compassion, and the values embodied by the SPICES that comprise the State College Friends School education,” she says.
Besides serving on the Board of Directors of the Friends School, Sidone also has served on the Board of Directors of Foxdale Village, the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, and the Pennsylvania Advisory Committee for People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.
Claudia Wilson
As a teacher for most of her professional life, Claudia Wilson provides a unique perspective to her work on the Friends School Board of Directors that considers the welfare of the Friends School’s teachers. Prior to retiring, Wilson had worked first in a day care program and then as a Head Start teacher in Mifflin County. She also taught language arts at Our Children’s Center Montessori School. She spent the majority of her teaching career as a public school educator in the Penns Valley School District. In addition, she worked as an office manager for several small, local businesses.
A member of the Friends Meeting Worship and Ministry Committee, Wilson is familiar with the particular benefits of a Quaker education. She says, “It provides an alternative education program that celebrates the individual child—regardless of religious, cultural, or gender background—and provides an experience based on the Quaker testimonies that can be embraced by everyone.”
In addition to the Friends School Board of Directors, Wilson also serves on the boards of the Park Forest Preschool and the Acoustic Brew Concerts. In her spare time, she enjoys camping, hiking, and kayaking with her dog Griffin. She also has taken up beekeeping and traveling with her pop-up camper, “Poppy.”
Marianne Stevens
Bio available upon request.
Lauren Tomasch
Lauren Tomasch is an alumna of the State College Friends School (starting in kindergarten in 1981), a parent of two children at the school, and attends Quaker meeting. She has a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and a master’s degree in spiritual psychology.
Lauren has worked and volunteered at Shavers Creek, taught environmental education, worked in multiple levels of management and human resources in various fields, built and managed multi-use trails, worked at the White House (intern for the Council on Environmental Quality), and is a business owner.
“I think everything I have done in my life I bring to the task of serving as a board member, she says. “I am a helper by nature, and over my lifetime that has developed into an ability to see issues from many sides and to mediate most any situation.”
Indeed, Lauren is dedicated to serving the school as a board member. “At Friends School, kindness, compassion, respect for others, and promoting a desire to serve is the culture,” she says. “Other schools may study these things, but at Friends, it is the way of being. By immersing our children in this culture it becomes intrinsic to their way of being and fosters their growth into compassionate, socially minded leaders of the future.”
Administrative Staff
Head of School, Dan Hendey
Associate Head of School, Lisa Gamble
Director of Advancement, Lori Pacchioli