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  WHAT PARENTS HAVE TO SAY

state college friends school

Welcome to Grade 4 with Teacher Joanne


Joanne Thurston-Griswold
 
Teacher Joanne Thurston-Griswold draws on her background as a school psychologist to help her students grow socially and emotionally.  She believes such social-emotional development goes hand-in-hand with successful academic development.  Ultimately, her goal is to provide her students with a safe and supportive environment in which they can take risks, try new things, and learn from each other.
 
Joanne especially enjoys getting her kids involved in what she calls “big, messy projects.”  Such projects give students the opportunity to connect directly with various subjects.  For example, while studying Ancient Egypt, students desiccate apples using Egyptian mummification methods.  The students place their mummified apples into papier-mâché sarcophagi that they paint to resemble those of the pharaohs. 
 
Joanne received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in school psychology.  She worked as school psychologist in Norfolk, Virginia, and Philipsburg, Pennsylvania.  After teaching elementary school to low-income indigenous children in Guatemala, Joanne returned to college to obtain her teaching certification.  Her extensive service work in Latin American regularly plays into her teaching at Friends School.

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
    • History & Mission
    • Faculty & Staff
    • News & Noteworthy
    • A Friendly Voice Newsletter
    • COVID-19 Response
    • Employment
  • Admissions
    • Request Information
    • Flexible Tuition
    • Parent Testimonials
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Curriculum
    • Quaker Values in Education
    • Pre-K at Friends School
  • Support SCFS
    • Annual Fund
    • Scholarship Fund
    • PA Tax Credit Program
    • Planned Giving
    • Annual Report
  • Calendar
  • Summer Camp
    • Wee Friends Camp
    • Kids Camps
    • Explorers Camps