Lori Pacchioli, Director of Admission, Outreach, and Scholarship

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I grew up in a family of givers and doers.  My mom was a nurse, tending to babies and the elderly. My dad was the advertising manager of our local newspaper, a Little League coach, church leader, and lifelong learner.   My parents, along with my grandmothers and a few elementary school teachers served as role models for compassion, caring, and how to get along with others.  
 
After earning a BS in Special Education from what was then Bloomsburg State College, I enjoyed a short stint as a public-school teacher before joining the team at Children's Television Workshop (Sesame Street) and Busch Entertainment Corporation that was getting ready to launch Sesame Place. This was the nation’s first play-centered theme park, conceived by some of the best minds in early child development, hospitality, and entertainment.  There, I served in several capacities directly related to education and curriculum development, and was introduced to the world of edutainment, hospitality, and marketing.
 
Until Friends School, the most meaningful career opportuity I’d had was with Brookline Village, a continuing care health- and retirement facility in State College (now Juniper Village), where I served for nearly eleven years as public relations director and independent-living administrator.  Following my position at Brookline, I served as marketing director for Penn State Public Broadcasting (WPSU-TV/WPSU-FM), where I had the pleasure of managing the Ready to Learn program for preschool children.  I have worked in sales, broadcast media, food-service, retail, and have enjoyed several self-initiated small-business ventures in my time.  I have always been drawn to the work of service-to-others and my role at Friends certainly provides great satisfaction in this area.  My true calling however, is that of mother;  I cherish every challenge, lesson, and joy as I grow ever more deeply in love with this once-in-a-lifetime role.  (It's such a pleasure to be able to share the act of mothering with children at friends.  Lucky, lucky me.)

. . . with you - advancing the mission of State College Friends School!

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Entering my eighth year at Friends School, I consider it a privilege and a gift to serve children and families through the Friends School community and curriculum, seeing each student as someone’s cherished child and helping to nurture, guide, and shape these individuals with a foundation of our Quaker testimonies as guide.
 
Simply stated, I have two overarching responsibilities at Friends School:

1.  marketing, promotion, and outreach to let people know we’re here, and to invite them to take a closer look at our unique offerings as an independent school;
2.  raising money (a lot of it) to support teachers, curriculum, enrichment activities, and most importantly scholarships (flexible tuition).
 
With fellow administrators, our board of trustees, staff, teachers, and volunteers, I work to advance the mission of our school, seeking to respond to the divine heart in every child. I cannot do this alone; all my training and experience does not equip me to fully achieve all that is needed to accomplish this work.  I need parents, grandparents and friends, alumni, colleagues in business, and everyone else interested in the hearts, minds, and hands of children to do this work with me.

Our mission:
We provide an academically vigorous education in a nurturing environment that inspires a love of learning and prepares students to meet challenges with confidence and compassion.
Guided by the Quaker testimonies of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship, we support the social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development of each child.

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Running in the field before breaking ground, 1980.
Once a dream, State College Friends School became a reality through the vision, hard work, and generosity of parents who wanted a different kind of education for their children. 
If you’re reading this, I need you . . .
First, I need your good thoughts, prayers, or whatever karma you can share;
  • I need ideas followed with action;
  • I need gifts -- of fifteen dollars, fifty dollars, five thousand dollars . . . through annual giving, scholarship giving, special fundraising events, corporate giving, and/or planned estate giving;
  • I need people with tools and trucks; people who sing and those who bake. The kitchen always needs tending, as do the plants.  Teachers need support with bulletin boards;  gardening and library time, and assisting children with winter clothing.  Sometimes we need help with editing the work of young authors; we need a visiting engineer, a poet, and coaches for soccer and basketball . . . in essence, we need and appreciate a variety of gifts - time, talents, and treasure.
 
You'll notice the lists begins with I.  I write on behalf of we -- the trustees, administrators, staff, and teachers who are grateful to you for your involvement.  At the start of the school year (Back to School Night), we ask every parent to complete a SPICE card. This is where you (extended family members are welcome too) may indicate the talents, skills, and experience you are willing to share with our school community.

Also at the start of the school year, we invite parents to consider joining any number of volunteer committees or groups. The Office of Advancement offers opportunities to serve with the Development Committee and the Hospitality Group.  I encourage your participation and thank you for your generous support.