MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) – A fixture when it comes to education in Montgomery County is closing its doors at the end of the school year. Sandy Spring Friends School (SSFS) will shut down after more than six decades of providing students with an education rooted in Quaker principles . SSFS graduates told DC News Now that they were devastated when they heard the news. “When I saw it, I kind of gasped because Sandy Spring was such a home for me," Becky Green said. Maryland teen arrested after police pursuit on I-66 in Fairfax County leaves trooper, 3 others injured Alina Zhukovskaya shared a similar sentiment, saying, “It was just like a jab in your heart. It was just really sad because it honestly was the best school.” The school’s Board of Trustees sent a letter to parents, students and staff on Monday to let them know. The Board explained, “…we simply do not have the financial wherewithal to meet our obligations next year.” Green graduated from the school in 1987. “It just felt like home,” she said. “Everyone was accepted, everyone just flourished in their own way.” Green says she feels for everyone impacted by the closure. “Not only current students and staff,” she said, “but future students and staff who won’t get to experience the amazing school that it is and was.” Zhukovskaya graduated from SSFS in 1997. DC to implement freeze on hiring, overtime as it prepares for massive budget cuts “The slogan of the school is ‘Let your life speak,’” Zhukovskaya said. “And I think everybody who went to the school, they know how significant they are, and they can create something in this world.” She feels for students who will need to find a new school and the teachers who need to find new jobs. “Anyone with a heart who goes to Sandy Spring knows how special it is,” she said. “So to be told that you cannot come back the next year, I’m sure it’s heartbreaking. Like, where do you go?” SSFS’s last day of class is June 5, followed by graduation on June 7. Unfortunately, the closure also means the school will not host its annual summer camp. The full letter from the SSFS Board of Trustees can be found below: Dear SSFS Parents, Students, Staff, and Community: With heavy hearts, we write to share that the Board of Trustees has made the extremely difficult but necessary determination that Sandy Spring Friends School will close following completion of the 2024-25 school year. The Board does not take this decision lightly. It comes only after a thoughtful and extensive assessment of the school’s untenable financial position, as well as thorough analysis of our enrollment and fundraising picture. Regrettably, despite an immense effort to shore up the school’s financial foundation, we simply do not have the financial wherewithal to meet our obligations next year. We understand that this news comes as a shock, and that the timing of our announcement may only compound the stress of selecting a school for 2025-26 and beyond. We are committed to making this transition as smooth as possible for all involved. For students and families currently enrolled, we will provide additional information regarding 2025-2026 deposit and tuition refunds and the process of identifying and applying to another school. For faculty and staff, we will provide additional information regarding compensation, benefits and career transition support. Some general FAQs around this closure announcement are provided below.  We are incredibly grateful for the support, trust and dedication that each of you has shown to Sandy Spring Friends School over the past six decades. Our alumni have made lasting impacts across society and our faculty and staff have developed students academically and spiritually in lasting ways. Our students are daily reminders of the beauty of Quaker SPICES in an uncertain world. It is our sincerest hope that their educational journey and personal development will continue to flourish. We will share more in the coming days. Thank you for being part of the SSFS community and keeping each other in the Light. ...read more read less