The Atlanta Friends Meeting was organized in 1943, and in the late 1950s, it purchased a residence on Fairview Road in the historic Druid Hills neighborhood.

Leasing space in the newly constructed Friends Meetinghouse at West Howard and Adair Streets in Decatur, the school opened in the fall of 1991 with 37 students, ages 4½ through eight, and three teachers.

A key to the early success of the school has been — and continues to be — the strong involvement of parents, whose efforts have included providing administrative and secretarial assistance in the office, coordinating a hot lunch program, building the playground, serving on committees, and taking part in policy development.

Upon taking the helm at FSA, Withers left his consulting business, where he had worked with public and private organizations in mediation, conflict resolution, and team-building.

The first floor consists of the administrative wing, the middle school cafeteria, the main lobby, an art room, an innovation lab, and a seating area.

These have included activities such as art, drama, yoga, music lessons, drones, robots, MineCrafting, textiles, and creative writing.

The school also has four competitive sports teams (the Quakes) for students in grades 5-8: basketball, ultimate frisbee, track, and volleyball.