The Advisory Program at Parker exists to enable advisors and students to know each other well so that students make the most of their experiences as members of the Parker community, a community guided by the 10 Common Principles of the Coalition of Essential Schools. The focus of advisory is on the development of the whole child, on building relationships, and on creating a safe, supportive and caring peer and school culture. The specific purposes of advisory are:
We believe that the organization of the Advisory program should be informed by the purposes to be achieved.
It is our intention that the deliberate curriculum designed by each advisor is aligned with the four stated purposes of the advisory program and supports the development of the whole child, the building of relationships, and the development of a safe, supportive and caring peer and school culture. All advisories establish a set of routines that structure their time together. Certain routines and curricular elements are common among all advisors, such as connections, reflections, and the Personal Learning Plan (PLP). We also have a common set of protocols that are drawn upon by advisors as needed. How each of these elements is actually delivered in the advisory, however, will depend on the individual advisor and the needs of her group. Often, all of the advisors in a Division will collectively design curriculum, e.g. discussion of a community norm, a skills workshop, a community event debriefed in advisory groupings. A variety of resources (electronic, paper and human) are available to all advisors as they do this work.
The core of Parker’s professional development with respect to advisory centers on helping advisors build their skills as facilitators and advocates. Typically, two-three full faculty meetings a year are devoted to advisory issues and to being reflective of our practice as advisors. Advisory issues are discussed regularly in bi-weekly Divisional meetings. Summer planning time is also dedicated to the advisory program either as a full faculty or through Divisions. All new advisors go through specific advisor training during our new teacher orientation and are provided additional support throughout the year. We continue the process of reflecting on our practice as advisors and tuning our advisory PLP process in order to make the PLP a more useful and living part of teaching and learning at Parker.
Individual students are assessed in advisory primarily in two ways: through progress made in their Personal Learning Plans (PLPs); and by meeting the stated criteria on the quarterly Advisory progress report. Advisory groups are assessed on the completion of their community service by having to submit a community service plan for the year and by providing evidence of their work. Advisors are assessed periodically though observation and through surveys completed by parents and advisees. We conduct annual community surveys, a section of which focuses on advisory, and we regularly dedicate faculty committee time to improving the advisory program.
The Advisory Program is supported by an Advisory Coordinator, Carter Cox. In consultation with the Principal and Division Coordinators, he oversees the advisory program, facilitates professional development around advisory issues, provides curricular support to advisors in meeting program purposes, and helps advisors who are struggling. Please feel free to contact him with any questions ([email protected]).
Students in all Parker Divisions serve on vitally important school operations committees (including an elected Community Congress and a student Justice Committee) and live by a Parker School Constitution which the student body wrote and approved. They offer their services to the school community in many other ways, from peer tutoring to hosting outside visitors to maintaining the school’s computer systems. In addition, advisory groups and elective classes go into the surrounding communities to work with nursing homes, shelters, and other service organizations.
All Division III students will commit two hours per week to in-school service. In addition, all adults involved in daily functioning in the Parker school will serve as mentors to one or two Division III students. Some students may work with the Technology Coordinator on computer maintenance, others may work with Division I teachers as classroom aides/tutors, or as school ambassadors in the Regional Teachers Center.
Fax: 410-242-8628