October 20, 2026

Copy of Weekly Information for October 16th, 2026

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Parker Weekly Family Email for Friday, October 16th, 2026


Dear Parker students, families and staff,


There’s a “slow hobby” movement that seems to have reached a saturation point in my online media algorithms. Some examples of slow hobbies are knitting, gardening, and reading, but there are many others. At this point, I feel like I see references to this topic or the benefits of slow hobbies relatively routinely, and it got me thinking differently about the upsides of taking time and slowing down, something that is actually quite counter cultural in our fast moving, technology-oriented world.

 

One thing I have learned through all this recent exposure to slow hobbies and their benefits is that there are actually two kinds of dopamine, a key reward chemical in our brains that relates to not only motivation but also aspects of our physical health such as sleep regulation or immune system functioning. There is fast dopamine and there is slow dopamine—and these slow hobbies release slow dopamine, which results in longer lasting, positive effects. To get these longer lasting results though, we have to be willing to put in some time and effort. We have to stick with something and sustain it.


As students and advisors wrap up their work documenting Personal Learning Plan (PLP) goals and strategies after last week’s conferences, it occurred to me that this goal setting work is an exercise in slow dopamine release. Students take time to identify real things they want to work on throughout the year, and they develop clear plans and strategies. These goals have the potential to help shape a student’s focus and attention on not just what they are doing in school but how they are developing as a person and learner through that process. At the end of the year, being able to achieve a long-term goal like those our students have just spent time setting in their PLPs also helps release slow dopamine. Along with that, we hope focusing on and achieving these big goals will also help students discover some personal reward in their learning experiences and the accomplishments that can only happen over time.


Best wishes for a restful weekend.



Bex

This week’s topics: 
  • Register for Fun Run!
  • Blood Drive Thank You!
  • Café Wednesday on October 28
  • OneNote Links, MCAS Scores, and Other Online Resources
  • SEPAC Meeting
  • Senior Project Materials Request
  • Kitchen Assistant Opening
Register Now for 2026 Parker Fun Run

Registration is open for the 2026 Parker Fun Run, which will be held on Sunday, November 22, at 10 AM. Come run, walk, skip, or jump the 5K run or 1 mile walk! Sign up by November 1 to be guaranteed a race shirt. Prizes awarded in multiple categories but all levels welcome. Join the fun and help support your school! To register or find out more, visit https://raceroster.com/events/2026/140332/parker-fun-run.


Blood Drive Thank You!

Thank you to everyone that donated (or attempted to donate) blood on PLP day! We had 16 units successfully donated, which means that up to 48 patients will be helped. We hope to have even more donations completed during spring PLP day, so keep an eye out for those signs ups in the future. Thank you!


Café Wednesday on October 28

Do you like spooky songs? Ghoulish games and riddles? Creepy or cute costumes? Then come join us on October 28th 6:30-8pm for Cafe Spookay, Parker's open mic night! Sign up to perform with the QR codes in the hallway, the green box in the lobby, or this link: Please fill out this form. It is completely free of charge for both audience members and performers, unless you want candy. All proceeds from concessions go to Youth Venture projects. Reach out to Gabby in the front office or Zi Morton with questions. It'll be a ghostly fun time OooOOoooOoooo!


OneNote Links, MCAS Scores, and Other Online Resources

Links to student OneNote pages were sent via email to parents/guardians earlier this week. The email itself has more information about what these links are for and how you might use them. You can also visit this section of the Parker website for more information about how we communicate with families about academic progress. The OneNote links are NOT the way to access daily homework/project due dates. That information comes from the Haldor app/website. More info on that app is available here.  These are all OPTIONAL resources that are available to families; you only need to use them if they are helpful to you. This section of the Parker website has more information: https://www.theparkerschool.org/students-parents/academic-communication. Finally, information about the online DESE Family MCAS Portal was sent home via US mail earlier this month, along with last year’s MCAS scores, if your child tested at Parker last spring. For help with/questions about any of these resources, please reach out to Deb Merriam at deb@theparkerschool.org.


SEPAC Meeting

Please join our Parker SEPAC virtual meeting on Monday, October 19 at 8 pm on Zoom to discuss SEPAC business. Please note the link for the meeting that follows: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82267272281?pwd=aN9BWIfS9FvKib5jvpuL1va7rSd072.1


Meeting ID: 822 6727 2281 Passcode: 927935


Thanks to a generous donation from one of our members, Parker School is now a MassPAC member. Please find this month’s calendar and all Federation of Children with Special Needs (FCSN) free workshops. https://fcsn.org/calendar/.


Senior Project Materials Request

Hi! I'm Audrey, and my senior project is on collage and mixed media art. Collage is an art form that I look forward to exploring in depth and will need to gather a large amount of paper materials to cut up and make collages with. If you or someone you know has any of the following you are willing to give to me to make art with, please drop them off in the box in the lobby during October: Magazines, Newspapers, Postcards, Printed art, Photographs, Non-sensitive mail, Catalogue, Posters, Decorative paper, and Any sort of thin material that I can cut up and glue together! Thank you very much!


Kitchen Assistant Opening

Parker is currently seeking part-time help in our kitchen. Click here for more information.


Parents of Athletes

Do you know how to find your way to Parker’s playing locations? We have a GREAT feature on our website with interactive Google maps - just enter your address to receive directions to any of our game and meet locations. Find this feature by clicking HERE.

Upcoming Dates of Note:
Wed - Oct 28 Café Wednesday
Thu-Sat - Nov 5-7 Fall Theater Show
Wed - Nov 11 Veterans Day (No School)
Wed - Nov 25 Noon Dismissal
Thu-Fri - Nov 26-27 Thanksgiving Break
Looking for help with or concerning: Please contact:
a specific class or assignment the teacher of that class (see Parker email list)
technical support email: helpdesk@theparkerschool.org
your family's or student's health email: lzick@theparkerschool.org
mental health/emotional support needs email: skelly@theparkerschool.org
food insecurity/free and reduced school lunch needs email: mmckenna@theparkerschool.org

The Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School is committed to equal employment and educational opportunity for all members of the school community and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, pregnancy, religion, gender identity, age, national origin, sexual orientation, homelessness, or disability, in the operation of the educational programs, activities, or employment policies

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By Xalli Gordon-Chavez • September 11, 2026
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Weekly Information for September 4, 2026

By Xalli Gordon-Chavez • September 8, 2026
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