What Friends Academy does

Friends Academy is a 150-year-old Quaker independent school located at 270 Duck Pond Road in Locust Valley, New York, providing a continuous educational pathway from Early Childhood through Grade 12. The school is organized into three vertically-aligned divisions (Lower School, Middle School, Upper School) and operates a single-campus model serving families on Long Island. Its product portfolio spans core academic programs, Arts and Athletics, College Counseling, After-school Programs, and the inclusive Little Friends Daycare (ages 6 weeks to 2+) and Summer with Friends camp programs. The institution is led by Head of School Paul J. Stellato and governed by its own board under Quaker school governance traditions.

The business model is a tuition-based subscription, with annual tuition tiered from $22,100 (Play Group) to $49,300 (Grades 9-12) delivered through an Inclusive Tuition Plan that bundles mandatory fees and meal service. Approximately one in five students receives need-based financial aid, with the school maintaining that no student is denied admission based on ability to pay. Go-to-market is admissions-driven: prospective families enter through website inquiry or by phone (516-393-4244), progress through campus tours and open houses, and apply via the Ravenna platform. The school maintains a #1 Niche.com ranking for K-12 private schools and college prep schools in Nassau County, leveraging brand heritage, third-party rankings, social media, and event-based marketing to drive inquiries.

Underlying technology consists of standard independent-school SaaS infrastructure: Veracross for the student/parent portal, Ravenna for application management, Camp InTouch for summer registration, Clarity for financial aid processing, and Flik Independent School Dining for food services. The school recently upgraded its physical plant with a new Science Center in the Kumar Wang Library and the Frost Hall Biotech Research Lab. As a private nonprofit, Friends Academy does not disclose financial statements, and no parent company, holding entity, or external equity ownership is identified in the source data.

Name

Friends Academy

Legal name

Friends Academy

Website

https://friendsacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1876

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Friends Academy is a 150-year-old Quaker independent school in Locust Valley, New York, serving families with a continuous PK-12 college-preparatory program, bundled inclusive tuition, auxiliary daycare and summer camp programs, and #1 Niche.com ranking in Nassau County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Faith-Based Early Learning Academies (EDACADAH)

Keywords

• Private K-12 education
• College preparatory school
• Quaker education
• Early childhood education
• Independent school

Headquarters

HQ city

Locust Valley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: Friends Academy is a private independent school funded primarily through tuition. The school charges tuition across multiple grade levels, with an inclusive tuition plan (ITP) that includes all mandatory fees and the meal plan. Financial aid is available for qualifying families.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Friends Academy is a private, independent, Quaker-affiliated K-12 college-preparatory school providing continuous education from Early Childhood through Grade 12 on a single campus in Locust Valley, NY. The school offers academic programs (Lower, Middle, and Upper School), comprehensive Arts and Athletics, College Counseling, After-school Programs, and ancillary offerings including the Summer with Friends day camp and the Little Friends Daycare. The educational model combines rigorous college-prep academics with a values-based whole-child approach rooted in Quaker principles of peace, integrity, community, equity, stewardship, and service.

Product overview

Friends Academy is a Quaker-independent college-preparatory school offering a unified educational experience from Early Childhood through Grade 12. The institution provides a vertically-aligned program across three divisions: Lower School (Early Childhood-Grade 4), Middle School (Grades 5-8), and Upper School (Grades 9-12). Beyond core academics, the school offers integrated Arts and Athletics programs, Summer with Friends camp, Little Friends Daycare, College Counseling, and Financial Aid services. The educational approach is grounded in Quaker values including simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equity, stewardship, and service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Summer with Friends: Summer camp program offering engaging and hands-on activities for age 3 through rising grade 10, including Explorers, Pathfinders, Trailblazers programs, and Jr. Counselor Program.
• Little Friends Daycare

Products and services

• Early Childhood Program Play-based learning program within the Lower School division for young children, focusing on developmental readiness and foundational academic skills. Targeted at the earliest enrolled students at Friends Academy.
• Lower School Program Academic program covering Early Childhood through Grade 4, building foundations of curiosity, wonder, and core academic skills within a Quaker values-based environment. For families seeking a private K-4 education on Long Island.
• Middle School Program Comprehensive program for Grades 5-8 focused on building habits of inquiry, academic rigor, and preparing students for the Upper School. For families seeking a private middle school education.
• Upper School Program College-preparatory program for Grades 9-12 designed to prepare students for higher education and lives of purpose, integrity, and impact, grounded in Quaker values. For families seeking a private college-prep high school.
• Arts Program Comprehensive arts education spanning Upper, Middle, and Lower School divisions, described by the school as the widest variety of arts programming on Long Island. For enrolled Friends Academy students.
• Athletics Program Competitive athletic program offering team sports across Upper School, Middle School, and Lower School Sports Clinics in one of the most competitive leagues on Long Island. For enrolled Friends Academy students.
• Summer with Friends Summer day camp program offering engaging, hands-on activities for children age 3 through rising grade 10, including Pre-Summer, Explorers, Pathfinders, Trailblazers, and Jr. Counselor programs. Open to the broader community, not only enrolled students.
• Little Friends Daycare
• College Counseling Comprehensive college preparation and guidance program that helps Upper School students navigate the college search, application, and selection process. For enrolled Upper School students and their families.
• After-school Programs Extended learning and enrichment activity programs available to enrolled students after regular school hours. For families needing extended-day programming on the Friends Academy campus.

Quantifiable outcome

• One in five students receives financial aid, demonstrating commitment to accessibility
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core, support and minor.

• ClaritycoreTechnology or IntegrationFriends Academy partners with Clarity to facilitate the financial aid application process. Clarity provides a user-friendly platform where families complete the financial aid application, typically taking less than 30 minutes. The partnership includes Spanish-language support and in-app help features.
• Flik Independent School DiningsupportOthersFriends Academy partners with Flik Independent School Dining for food services. Flik works in tandem with the school to promote health, wellness, and sustainability programs. Lunch is included in the inclusive tuition plan.
• Rafa Nadal AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Rafa Nadal Academy tennis camp comes to Friends Academy to offer high-performance tennis methodology and training used at the official Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain. Juniors and adults work with coaches from the Rafa Nadal Academy.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Portledge School: Long Island private school (Pre-N through 12) located minutes from Friends Academy in Locust Valley area. Direct local competitor for the same family demographic on the North Shore.
• Friends Seminary: NYC-based Friends (Quaker) school serving K-12. Closest geographic peer and a direct competitor for Long Island families considering Manhattan Quaker alternatives.
• Sidwell Friends School: Elite Washington, DC-area Quaker school (PK-12) with national brand recognition. Most directly comparable in terms of values-based, college-prep delivery model and Quaker heritage.
• Green Vale School: Long Island private school (Early Childhood through Grade 8) in Old Brookville, immediately adjacent to Friends Academy. Direct feeder-school competitor at the lower-school level.
• Friends' Central School: Philadelphia-area Friends (Quaker) school (N-12). Closely comparable in mission, structure, and Quaker heritage, providing a relevant benchmark for program and operational model.
• Poly Prep Country Day School: Premier Brooklyn-based independent school (PK-12) with strong athletic and arts programs. Comparable elite private-school positioning targeting similar NYC-area families.
• Germantown Friends School: Philadelphia-area Quaker school (PK-12) with similar values-based curriculum and college-prep focus. Comparable in pedagogical philosophy and family demographic.
• The Stony Brook School: Long Island-based private Christian college-prep school (Grades 7-12). Comparable in faith-based values integration and regional college-prep positioning.
• Friends School of Baltimore: Baltimore-area Friends (Quaker) school (PK-12). Directly comparable in Quaker heritage, college-prep mission, and small-class-size, whole-child educational model.

Broad incumbents

• The Chapin School: Elite NYC girls' independent school (K-12) with national reputation. Comparable in elite private-school positioning and premium tuition tier, though single-sex and non-sectarian.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FAtoday
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/FriendsAcademySchool
• Facebookfacebook.com/FriendsAcademyNY
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friends-academy
• Instagraminstagram.com/friendsacademy/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Friends Academy