April 5, 2025

Weekly Information for April 4, 2025

Share Post

Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff,


We have a busy and exciting week ahead at Parker. It kicks off with our 30th Anniversary Gala on Saturday night. Thank you to Katrina Tedstone and everyone on the Development Committee who have worked incredibly hard for 18 months to plan and host this celebration. It will be a fitting and joyous tribute to our school and the thousands of students, families and staff who have been positively impacted by Parker.


Thank you to everyone who is joining the sold-out event. If you are unable to attend but want to contribute, please use the link below. Every penny that we raise goes directly to our students – in the form of smaller class sizes, more direct attention from teachers and counselors, and greater access to clubs, sports and activities. We appreciate your support.

Donate to Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School


Next week, we are excited to welcome the two Principal finalists to Parker, Bex Wilusz and Hannah Kehn. Both love working with students and have been principals at other schools similar to Parker. As you know, we created the new Principal position as Brian and Deb assume new leadership roles to expand our external partnerships, document the success of our students and help us grow and thrive.


Parents/guardians/families and other community members are invited to attend a virtual Q&A session with each candidate at 6:00 PM on the evening indicated below. There will be an opportunity to provide feedback on each candidate at the end of the session.


  • Rebecca (Bex) Wilusz [Bex Wilusz Resume.pdf] will be available for a virtual evening session with Parker family/community members on
    Tuesday, April 8 at 6:00 PM.
    Bex Wilusz Family/Community Q&A, Tuesday, April 8, 6-7pm
    Join the meeting now

  • Hannah Kehn [Hannah Kehn Resume.pdf] will be available for a virtual evening session with Parker family/community members on Friday, April 11 at 6:00 PM.
    Hannah Kehn Family/Community Q&A, Friday, April 11, 6-7pm
    Join the meeting now


We appreciate your partnership and support, this and every week.


Brian

This week’s topics: 
  • Spring Shows
  • Parker Expo Night
  • Junior College Fair Opportunity
  • MCAS Schedule
Spring Shows!

Parker is happy to present Everybody!   by Brandon Jacobs Jenkins and The Grumpiest Boy in the World, by Finegan Kruckemeyer.

 

Everybody! is a modern adaptation of the 15th Century morality play Everyman. It deals with eternal themes of life and death, sin, love, friendship, family, God, and the eternal mysteries of life. You know, the stuff that happens to everybody. It’s tragic, it’s funny, and it’s also got some singing in it. This show also contains strong language and themes and is recommended for those at least 16 years old. Performances are Wednesday, April 9, at 7 PM and Friday, April 11, at 7 PM.


The Grumpiest Boy in the World is a play by Finegan Kruckemeyer, who writes delightful plays for young audiences. In this one, a young boy realizes that he is not particularly unusual and this makes him grouchy. On a quest to find someone who will think he’s interesting or at least kind of weird, he meets monsters, lions, and a lot of very grumpy people. Will he find his destiny? Will he make it home in time for his mom’s red duck curry? The only way to find out is to come to show! Performances are Thursday, April 10, at 7 PM and Saturday, April 12, at 12 PM.


Tickets can be purchased online before the show for a discounted price of $10 or for $12 cash at the door. Click here to purchase your tickets now. All shows will be general seating.


Parker Expo Night: April 16
Mark your calendars to attend three different events spread across the evening of April 16:
  • Noche Sabrosa: Please join Division 1 Spanish students for Noche Sabrosa from 5:30-6:30 PM in the Spanish hallway as they showcase their speaking and cooking skills! Our talented students are bringing the heat with an evening of vibrant flavors, lively music, and great company. Expect a celebration packed with delicious cuisine prepared by our Div 1A Spanish students. Mark your calendars, bring your friends, and come support this event. See you there!

  • Division 2 Exhibition Night: Please join Division 2 students from 6:00-7:00 PM in the Div 2 MST rooms for an inspiring evening of Engineering! Division 2 students have been hard at work engineering creative solutions for a sustainable future, designing, testing, and refining their wind turbine prototypes. We invite you to join us as students showcase their designs and share the innovative processes they've used to develop prototypes that generate the highest voltage. It’s sure to be an exciting night celebrating the remarkable ingenuity and problem-solving skills of Parker students!

  • Senior Project Exhibition Night: Please join the members of the Class of 2025 from 7:00-8:30 PM in the Parker Gym as they showcase their Senior Projects! One of the most defining experiences at Parker is the Senior Project—a culminating capstone project in which seniors pursue a passion through genuine inquiry and authentic learning that results in both intellectual and personal growth. Come talk with them about the learning they have done, the experiences they have had, and the products they have created in this science-fair style event. Arrive any time and bring a friend with you!


Attention Juniors!

Do you want to come to Keene State and visit with over a hundred different college reps? Sign up for the College Fair field trip that is taking place on May 20th. The deadline to sign up is April 18th. See your email or Jinnee's bulletin board for more information.


MCAS Spring Testing Schedule

Reminder Division 1 and 2 students will be testing on various days during the months of April, and May, following the schedule listed below. Please make every effort to have students in school and on time for these testing days. All students should eat a good breakfast each day and get a good night’s rest the night before – those two things are the best “test-prep” we can recommend! Students who miss any of these testing days will make-up the tests on days following the dates listed here. Students and families will receive more details in an email about ten days before each testing session.

10th Grade:

  • MATH: May 20 & 21

7th & 8th Grade:

  • ELA: April 9
  • MATH: April 30 & May 2
  • SCIENCE (8th Grade Only): May 8 & 15
  • CIVICS (8th Grade Only): May 20 & 27

If you have any questions, please contact Deb Merriam ([email protected]). All tests are untimed, and most students finish by mid to late morning. Parents/guardians and students will get grade/test specific emails with more details that will go home as each test date approaches.

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:
Sat - Apr 5 Parker 30th Anniversary Gala
Tue - Apr 8 ACT Testing
Wed - Apr 9 7th & 8th Grade ELA MCAS
Wed-Sat; Apr 9-12 Spring Shows!
Thu - Apr 10 Board of Trustees
Wed - Apr 16 SAT Testing
Wed - Apr 16 Parker Expo Night
Fri - Apr 18 NOON Dismissal
Mon-Fri; Apr 21-15 Spring 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: [email protected]
your family's or student's health email: [email protected]
mental health/emotional support needs email: [email protected]
food insecurity/free and reduced school lunch needs email: [email protected]

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

Recent Posts

Weekly Information for April 18, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • April 18, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, I hope that you have a terrific April break with those who you love. Get outside, read a book, take a nap, dig in the garden, play a game, take a trip – these are some of the plans our students have for the week ahead. Whatever your plans, come back ready for a rigorous and celebratory end of the year at Parker. Have a great break! Brian

Weekly Information for April 11, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • April 11, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, We had an extraordinary 30th Anniversary Gala last weekend. We shared the following 30th Anniversary video that evening, showcasing the growth of Parker from 1995 to today. It is an incredible story of innovation, community and putting students first. Take a look: https://youtu.be/tecvqBwFNtA Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to the celebration. We raised over $45,000 at the Gala, every penny of which went directly to our students. We would be unable to keep class sizes small and provide individual attention to our students without the generosity of our community. Charter schools receive significantly less funding than neighborhood public schools, even though we are all public schools. We appreciate your support in addressing this inequity. Donate to Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School We were delighted to welcome our two Principal finalists, Bex and Hannah, to Parker this week. Thank you to all the students and families who joined us, asking terrific questions and sharing your feedback. We have one final interview, today at 6:00 PM virtually with Hannah. See the link below. We will review all the feedback and announce our new Principal later this month. Hannah Kehn Family/Community Q&A, Friday, April 11, 6-7 PM Join the meeting now Finally, please join us on Wednesday, April 16th for an evening of student exhibitions , including Noche Sabrosa , Division 2 Exhibitions, and Senior Exhibitions . As you know, Parker students demonstrate mastery and learn from your feedback through public exhibitions. This year, we are hosting the three events on the same evening to increase the community support for our students. While visiting with our Seniors, consider serving on a panel for their Senior Exhibitions the end of the year. Please see sign-up information below.  Brian

Weekly Information for March 28, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • March 29, 2025
Dear Parker students, families and staff, Congratulations to our Seniors for their continued progress and success on their Senior Projects. We are very proud of our Seniors. I want to highlight three students among a class of outstanding projects: Cake Lem ’s essential question is what goes into pitching and producing an animated show? Cake created the pitch, drafted the screenplay and drew the storyboard for an animated pilot. Using hand-drawn digital animation, Cake created 28 separate background designs and 6800 frames, with feedback and collaboration from a Netflix producer. We can’t wait to see Cake’s six-minute film and the process of making it. Danny Kaldestad ’s essential question is what is the process of writing a fantasy novel? Danny has been working on his novel since last June, with the support of a professional writer. Danny explores the life and experiences of Felix, a young man held in captivity against his will. It is a story of an individual finding his way in the world amidst hardship. Thank you to Danny for sharing his passion and talent for writing through the world of Felix. Harriet Cullon ’s essential question is what is Western jewelry and how do you make it? Through twelve weeks of study at the Worcester Center for the Crafts, Harriet learned how to apply authentic western and indigenous styles into the creation of jewelry. Her handmade collection includes rings, necklaces and beaded bracelets. Her favorite piece is a necklace that she cast in silver on the backbone of a cuttlefish. We invite students, families, and alums to join us for Senior Exhibition night on April 16th when Cake, Danny, Harriet and their peers share their projects and gather feedback in the style of a Science Fair. That same night we welcome you to join us for Noche Sabrosa and Division 2 Exhibitions. Thank you for sharing your feedback and supporting our students. See the details below. Finally, we invite you to serve on panels for their Senior Exhibitions in early May. Thank you for showing up! Brian

Weekly Information for March 21, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • March 21, 2025
Dear Parker students, families and staff, Feedback, reflection and revision are central to everything that we do at Parker. As Nancy Sizer wrote in Keeping School, the emphasis is on growth, on learning from one’s mistakes, cleaning up one’s prose, clearing up one’s understandings . This requires students to work hard, to be open to feedback and to try again. We are very proud of our students for engaging meaningfully in this iterative process. We take a similar approach to adult learning at Parker. Next Wednesday, March 26th, we dismiss at 12:00 NOON to welcome teachers from across the state to join us in professional development called Looking at Student Work. We engage in a protocol-based discussion of various assessments and the degree to which an individual met expectations. Teachers attend sessions from other domains and divisions, gaining and sharing perspectives as an outsider. For example, AH teachers review the Gateway portfolio in MST, Div 1 teachers discuss a research project in Div 3, and Spanish teachers review a Wellness project on social emotional learning. In each case, teachers deeply analyze student work and share their expectations of what students should be able to do at each level. By shining a light on the work in this way, we dramatically enhance our ability to define what “meeting standards” means for our students. We recognize that early dismissals can be hard for working families. We take this professional development time seriously every week, ensuring that we are prepared to meet the needs of our students. Thank you for your partnership. Brian

Weekly Information for March 14, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • March 15, 2025
Dear Parker students, families and staff, It was great to see everyone at PLP meetings today. Parker was founded by area parents who wanted to do school differently and take a hands-on approach in their child’s education. There are obviously many ways that families do that, none as important to the learning process as PLPs. Now we look ahead to Spring Gateways and the end of a very successful year at Parker. You may have seen the blacksmithing demonstration on the front lawn led by Henry Matchett. For his Senior Project, Henry studied the art of blacksmithing and asked to teach his peers and members of the community the essentials. Together, they shaped metal into nails and hooks using a coal-fired forge, anvil and hammer. Thank you to everyone who stopped by. Please join us on Wednesday, April 16th for an evening of student exhibitions , including Noche Sabrosa , Division 2 Exhibitions and Senior Exhibitions . As you know, Parker students demonstrate mastery and learn from your feedback through public exhibitions. This year, we are hosting the three events on the same evening to increase the community support for our students. Please join us! Have a great long weekend. See you Tuesday.  Brian

Weekly Information for March 7, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • March 9, 2025
Dear Parker students, families and staff, We are looking forward to Spring and the longer days ahead, aided of course by the start of daylight savings this Sunday. We also start looking forward to an exciting and busy end to the school year. That kicks off with Spring PLPs next Friday, March 14 . This is an important opportunity to review PLP goals and the successes and challenges experienced by our students. Many students will create a Gateway plan, detailing portfolio pieces and competencies needed to Gateway at the end of the year. Finally, we will review attendance and tardies, emphasizing the importance of classroom time to student learning and growth. Thank you for joining us. Reminder that we have a March holiday on Monday, March 17. Spring Sports start the following day on Tuesday, March 18 , including Softball, Track & Field, Ultimate Frisbee and Girls’ Co-op Lacrosse through Bromfield. All students are welcome to participate. Please contact Lisa Zick with registration questions and Ben Benoit with sports-related questions. Finally, we want to thank everyone who helped spread the word about Parker . We hosted the enrollment lottery yesterday for the largest class of applicants in the last ten years. There is a ton of excitement and positive energy around Parker! We will be hosting a series of Shadow Days and social opportunities for our new students and families to get to know Parker. Thank you for helping make Parker a welcoming and affirming community. Have a great weekend. See you at PLPs next week. Brian