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  WHAT PARENTS HAVE TO SAY

state college friends school

Welcome to 2nd Grade  with Teacher Sunna 

Sunna deForest
 
Teacher Sunna deForest believes that children learn best by doing.  For example, she and her students (often accompanied by guest experts) have studied history, paleontology, and chemistry by hiking Tussey Mountain to simulate the Lewis and Clark expedition, exploring roadside geological formations for Devonian fossils, and exploding balloons containing various gases.  In addition, Sunna enjoys the freedom she has to follow her students’ lead when planning her curricula, such as going deeper into topics when students exhibit interest in them.
 
In the classroom, Sunna emphasizes not only the importance of individuals, but also the value of the community.  She encourages students to view their classroom community as a place of safety and respect.  She also directs much of their learning toward the history, ecology, sociology, etc. of the students’ larger central Pennsylvania community—a practice known as “place-based education.”
 
In her personal life, Sunna is just as adventurous as she is in the classroom.  Along with her husband and son (who attends State College Friends School), she enjoys exploring, hiking, and camping in the wilderness.  She is fascinated by the natural history of the places she visits, and she enjoys sharing what she learns with her students at school.
 
Sunna joined the faculty of  State College Friends School in 2007.  She brings an extensive background in service learning, environmental education, adventure learning, behavior intervention, integrated curriculum development, and yoga instruction.  Sunna previously lived in Fairbanks, Alaska, where she worked at the Chinook Montessori Charter School, the Pearl Creek Elementary School, and the Alaska Boreal Forest Council.  She also taught for a year at Elicarvicuar Elementary School in the Yup’ik Eskimo village of St. Marys, Alaska. 
 


IRS notice  for 501 C3 non-profit organizations:   State College Friends School  admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
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1900 University Drive
State College, PA 16801
814-237-8386
scfs@scfriends.org
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Mission & Values
    • History
    • Faculty & Staff
    • News & Noteworthy
    • COVID-19 Response
    • Employment
    • Inclement Weather Info
  • Admissions
    • Pre-K at Friends School
    • Parent Testimonials
    • Request Information
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Curriculum
    • Quaker Values in Education
  • Support SCFS
    • Annual Fund
    • Scholarship Fund
    • Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program
  • Calendar
  • Summer Camp
    • Wee Friends Camp
    • Kids Camps
    • Explorers Camps