December 9, 2020
We're Back!
It's great to be back at school! We're staying busy: learning new holiday songs, making gifts for our families and cards for our friends at Bellingham, enjoying special snacks with friends and having plenty of outdoor fun!
DATES TO REMEMBER:

  • Now through December 24 – B&B Christmas Tree Fundraiser
  • December 23 - January 1 - Winter Break - School closed
  • Monday, January 4, 2021 – School resumes

From the Head of School:

Dear Goshen Families,
 
We are happy to be back at school! We are here for a short session between now and winter break, but we will make the most of it. We are looking forward to being with our friends during this joyous season!
 
Many thanks to all who donated hot and cold cereals for our collection for the Chester County Food Bank. We delivered 86 boxes of cereal weighing in at 121 pounds!
 
Learn more about the Food Bank and how you can get involved by clicking here.
 
Finally, do you have a pair of gently-used outdoor shoes that need a new home? We are accepting donations to be used as loaners. We spend lots of time outdoors so we appreciate shoes that are sturdy, water-proof or water-resistant. We do not need rain boots at this time.
 
That’s all from me this week. See you soon!
 
In Friendship,
Mimi
Join us for Lunch Bunch!
 
Now through Winter break, we are excited to announce that Tr. Patrice is firing up her workshop, just in time for the holidays! She and her friends will be making pretty holiday-themed treasures from 2 to 3 pm on designated days.
 
If you can only stay for lunch, that's OK too! Customize your child's afternoon so it works for you. Click on your class link below to make your reservation.
 
A quick note from the business office: invoices for November Extended Care were emailed on Sunday, December 6. There are also a few outstanding payments due for October extended care. Please make all payments no later than December 22. Thank you!

Goshen Parent Community
 
Dear Families,

Thanks to all who attended Monday’s meeting! Click here for the minutes.

There’s still time to support the B&B Tree Fundraiser! Buy a live tree from their lot at Whiteland Town Center now through December 24 and the GPC gets 15% back! Prefer to order from home? Call owner Bill DelVescovo at 484-319-1467. Tell him what you're looking for and he will deliver it to your home curbside on Saturdays and Sundays now until Christmas. Check out the store flyer for more details and browse their menu for a complete list of products.
 
In Friendship,
Marne Repetto, Clerk

Support our School!
An important function of the GPC is to raise funds for the school. In the past, our contributions have helped buy books for the library, make playground improvements and purchase items for the outdoor classroom.
 
You can help raise money for the school while you shop by making purchases through the vendors listed below. Set up these apps on your phone, shop for yourself and your family, and help earn money for Goshen Friends all year long! 
Amazon Smile

  1. Join Amazon Smile. If you are not already an AmazonSmile member: Log in to your existing Amazon account at http://smile.amazon.com and enter Goshen Friends as your charitable organization.
  2. Get the App. Download or update to the latest version of the Amazon shopping app on your phone. You can find it in the App Store for iPhone, or Google Play for Android.
  3. Turn on AmazonSmile. Open the app and find “Settings” in the main menu (=). Tap on “AmazonSmile” and follow the on-screen instructions to turn on AmazonSmile on your phone.
BoxTops for Education App

Download the BoxTops app to your phone. Sign in or create an account and register Goshen Friends School as your school. Purchase items that have the Box Top logo at your local grocery store. Then scan your receipts to earn money.

Click here for instructions.  
Oliver's Labels 

Get prepared for school and activities with these personalized labels for all your kids' gear. Dishwasher, microwave and washing machine safe, these labels are a must have!

Shop using the link: 
Goshen Friends Meeting and School Through the Years
As we approach the end of a challenging year, it seems like a good time to reflect. We are fortunate at Goshen Friends School to be learning and playing on a truly historic campus. Here's an amazing photograph from 1899.
This picture is from the book Images of America: East Goshen Township by Linda M. Gordon. Here is a bit more about the photo:

"This photograph, taken in 1899, is of the Goshen Friends Meeting House in Goshenville at Route 352 and Paoli Pike. This building was constructed in 1836 (left side of the building) and enlarged in 1855 (right side of the building). The first meetinghouse was a log building constructed in 1709 just north of this building."

The stables shown in the far right of the photo were eventually converted into Goshen Friends School's first preschool classrooms.
What we now call The Grange was built in 1849 as a meeting house "when the Goshen Friends split into two groups: the Hicksite and the Orthodox. [The Grange] was occupied by the Orthodox Friends until 1891. In 1920, it was sold to Goshen Grange No. 121, which owned it until 1990 when the Friends repurchased the building."

The school divided the main floor of The Grange into two classrooms with a library in the basement until a major renovation in 2016 opened up the former meeting room and gave us our largest indoor gathering spot.

And finally, one more from this great book. Do you recognize the scene in this 1900 photo?
"This photograph, taken in 1900, shows Route 352 looking south from Paoli Pike. On the right is the Goshenville General Store/Goshenville Post Office, and on the left is the Goshenville Wheelwright and Blacksmith Shop. (CCHS.)"

The Grange is just out of view to the left, and East Goshen Elementary School would eventually be located on the right! Looks like 352 would not be a fun road to travel in Decembers past!

SOURCE: Images of America, East Goshen Township (C) Linda M. Gordon, Arcadia Publishing 2009. www.arcadiapublishing.com