Pictured above: Jenni and a kindergarten student noticing that they are wearing matching mushroom boots!
In June, I began welcoming friends and families to FSP in the front office. It was lovely to settle into the office manager role during the more quiet Summer months. I remember feeling very nervous about what the hustle and bustle of Fall would bring; now that I’m in it, I love the busy school days.
It feels very special to get to know the students. My heart lights up when I hear, “Hello, Jenni!!” and get waves from the hallway. I love hearing about new dogs, exciting weekends, a delicious cookie, and all of the little bits of news I get from students.
It has been so fun to see faces that I recognize from my many years of baking at Scratch Baking Co. in South Portland. It’s lovely to reconnect with those families. A lot of the babies I would see regularly at the bakery are now Middle Schoolers!
More recently, I worked for Preble Street as the Teen Center Kitchen Manager. I was lucky enough to spend a lot of quality time with Ann Dodd-Collins, a Portland Friends Meeting member, while working at Preble Street Teen Center. It was often just Ann and me in the kitchen sharing about our lives while preparing and serving lunch for about 50 youths. We talked a lot about books and knitting, and she piqued my curiosity about Portland Friends Meeting and Quakerism.
I have found Friends School of Portland to be a pretty magical place. During the quiet moments of the day, I take time to look at the pine trees that surround the building and feel a little more grounded and at peace. I’m excited to see and experience the flow of FSP in all the seasons. And I look forward to meeting you when you next stop in at Friends!