DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS T-SHIRT!
Register for the Parker 5K Fun Run by 9/25 to be guaranteed a t-shirt! www.parker.school/run
This will be a fun community event- come run, walk, skip, or jump the 5K- in a Halloween costume or not!
September 2, 2024
Weekly Information for August 29, 2024
Share Post
Dear Parker families, students and staff,
Welcome Back! We are delighted to be back to school, to welcome almost 100 new students and families, and to begin another school year together. Thank you to our Peer Leaders, PPCC and everyone on staff who helped to welcome new students and families to Parker. We are a joyful, loving and supportive community because of all of you. Thank you for choosing Parker.
The Essential Question this year is “Who do we want to become?” Thank you to our Seniors for posing this thoughtful question. It asks us to consider who we are right now and where we want to go. As I shared with students in our kickoff to the year, my hope is that we all become the fullest and truest versions of ourselves. You be you. We are all better when everyone has the courage to be their authentic self.
Looking forward to another great year at Parker. Enjoy the long weekend.
Brian
This week’s topics:
- Parker 5K Fun Run
- Meet and Greet with Anita McDowell
- Asbestos Notice
- Parker Life Reminders
- Drop-off and Pick-up
- MART Shuttle
- Meal Information
- Directory and Carpool List
- Health Office Wish List
- Thank You!
- School Store
- Calendar
- Athletics Schedule
Meet and Greet with Anita McDowell
Please help us welcome our new Special Education Director, Anita McDowell, on Thursday, September 5, 2024 from 6:00-7:00 PM in-person or online. Anita is a committed and passionate special educator and director, serving in these capacities for many years. Anita looks forward to building authentic relationships, providing rigorous support and helping students thrive at Parker. Anita has joined us after just recently earning her doctorate in Educational Leadership at Southern New Hampshire University.
- Meet Anita McDowell, new Special Education Director
Thursday, September 5, 2024
6:00-7:00 PM
Room 40 and online (see your weekly email for the link and Meeting ID)
Asbestos Notice
Please see the required annual notification regarding our Asbestos Management Plan.
Parker Life Reminders
School Begins at 8:30 AM. Please plan to get your children to school by 8:15 AM so they may be present in their advisories by 8:30 AM. Breakfast can be picked up in the cafeteria and taken to advisory. Students arriving between 7:30-8:00 AM should go to the library.
Parents/Guardians must notify the school office daily of any Late Arrivals, Absences, or Early Dismissals. Please let the office know of an absence before school starts using the Attendance Line, which is available 24 hours a day at 978-772-3293 x1. In the case of a prolonged absence, the student’s parents/guardians should notify the principal or designee in a timely manner. It is not acceptable for students to call themselves in late, absent, or dismiss themselves. Parents are notified when their child is not in attendance without any prior notification regarding the absence. Teachers take attendance in every class and notify the school office if any student is missing.
Students should be in a supervised space with an adult after school. Students who are not working with a teacher, participating in an adult-supervised after-school activity, or with a coach should go to the library or lobby. Students should be picked up no later than 4:30 PM on M, Tu, Th, F and 3:00 on Wed. There is no after-school supervision on noon dismissal days although some sports may have practice or games.
Drop-Off and Pick-Up Norms
The following practices will help reduce congestion and make drop-off and pick-up times flow more smoothly:
- Only TURN RIGHT out of the parking lot during peak traffic times
- Consider an off-peak pickup time with your student: 3:45 instead of 3:30, for example
- Drop-off and Pick-up students on Antietam Street and have students use stairs to access school
- Use the lot at P-5 across Jackson Road as a “cell phone lot” to standby until your student is ready or have them walk to you there
Please refer to this page for our Traffic Flow Plan.
MART Shuttle
MART currently offers shuttle service with stops in Bolton at the Country Cupboard, Lancaster at the Library, and Leominster at the Boys and Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster.
Students pay $4 per ride or $120 per month. Students are welcome to use the service every day, one or both directions, or as needed. To schedule, call 978-345-7711 and select Option 3. For questions, contact keary.connors@mrta.us.
To participate in the after-school Teen Program at the Boys and Girls Club, students will need to join the club for $30 per month. For additional details, see their website at Boys and Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster. We will also be running our co-op Robotics program with the BGCFL again this year.
Meal Information
Reminder one free breakfast and one free lunch per day are available to all students this year. Children enrolled at Parker are eligible for these free meals regardless of free and reduced status. Additional information and the current menu are available on the cafeteria page of our website. https://www.theparkerschool.org/news#Cafeteria
Student Directories and Updated Carpool List
The student directory and an updated carpool list will be available towards the beginning of October.
Classroom Wish List
If you would like to donate these items for Div. 1 MST, we will use them:
- Tape (duct tape, blue painter’s tape, clear tape in individual dispensers)
- Paper (graph paper, lined paper)
- Pencils
- Zip-top quart or gallon bags
Health Office Wish List
Throughout the year, the Health Office appreciates donations of tissues, cough drops, fabric bandages (all sizes), and feminine products as these particular supplies are distributed throughout the school on a regular basis. Thank you in advance for your donations that help care for our Parker students and staff!
THANK YOU!
Thank you to everyone who donated various supplies at the start of this school year. We appreciate our generous community!
Lunch Menu
Sports Schedule
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: | |
|---|---|
| Mon - Sep 2 | LABOR DAY - No School |
| Thu - Sep 13 | Board of Trustees |
| Tue - Sep 19 | Back to School Night (PARENTS) |
| Wed - Sep 25 | School Photo Retakes (morning) |
| 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 the basis of race, color, gender, pregnancy or pregnancy status, religion, gender identity, age, national origin, sexual orientation, homelessness, or disability, in the operation of the educational programs, activities, or employment policies.
Recent Posts
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, Today we hosted the Big End for the 2025-2026 school year. We gathered in the gym for the final time, and we put a punctuation mark on who we have been and what we have done this school year. It’s important that we mark the ending of each year and that we pause to celebrate what we have accomplished, to notice how we have grown, and to reflect on what we have learned. Congratulations to the 214 Parker students who completed 329 gateways this year! Completing a gateway takes a tremendous amount of dedication, commitment and time and these students deserve to be celebrated for their accomplishments. Soon enough, we will find ourselves at the next Big Beginning—and we will focus on a new essential question and set new goals and take on new challenges as a community. In the meantime, it feels important that we take the time to celebrate and appreciate this year’s accomplishments for just a little longer. We will be here over the summer if you need anything, but please note that the main office has different hours than during the school year. Those are listed below for your reference and will be on the school website as well. I wish each of you a restful, restorative summer filled with what you hope for. We look forward to seeing you in August for Registration. Best, Bex
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, It has been a joyful and celebratory week at Parker. 187 students successfully Gatewayed in every division and every domain. The students showcased their learning, reflected on their growth, and celebrated the demonstration of learning that defines Gateways – and as the Common Principle concludes, “the emphasis is on the students’ demonstration that they can do important things.” Congratulations to our students for doing important things at Parker, all year and this week. We are heading towards the Big End next Thursday, June 18th. That is a long tradition of saying goodbye for the summer, signing yearbooks, and having a little fun as a community. Reminder that we have Noon dismissals on both Wednesday and Thursday next week. Junior retreat starts on Monday. Div 1 and Div 2 field trips are on Tuesday. We are pleased to announce that Parker will be helping with the summer camp at the Boys and Girls Club of Leominster and Fitchburg. The camp runs for six weeks for students entering grades 1-8. Parker will be running a series of science exploration sessions. See the attached flyer below for details. We value our terrific partnership with the BGCFL. We will send the final newsletter of the school year next Thursday. Thank you for helping to make Parker a very special place. Brian
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, I don’t always think about the origin of that word “milestones”, but likely because I have been using that word frequently lately, I have been thinking about its history. The word originally (and sometimes still) referred to large stones that were placed on roads to help travelers find their way and mark their progress in ancient times. Of course, transportation was different then. People traveled in slower ways and without the many devices we have which tell us how fast or how far we have gone, how to get where we are going, and if there are any dangers ahead. When we are on familiar journeys, in addition to the mile markers and signs customary on our roads, we also have all the familiar sights to help us understand our progress. Given Parker’s educational philosophy and unique academic program, many of our milestones are similarly distinctive. We spend a lot of time helping students understand and prepare for their milestone moments. It starts as early as 7th grade when students go to see Senior Project Exhibitions and the gateways of friends moving into division 2—or even earlier when they complete oral presentation assignments (OPs) is class. It happens when we include the Juniors in the graduation ceremony, not only to acknowledge the transition from one class to another, but also so that they know what to expect at a Parker graduation. They hear different examples of student speeches, and we hope they can start to think about if they want to speak and what they might say at their own graduation. Milestones, whether literal or metaphoric, help us to understand and recognize where we are on our path and to think about the next bit of progress we want to make. That is as true of the Division 1 and 2 gateways that will start next week as it is for the Graduation of the Class of 2026 which we celebrated on Wednesday evening. I hope you have had and will have an opportunity to celebrate and witness some of these important milestones with us in these last few weeks of the school year. I would also invite you to join us in celebrating the last Parker milestone for our most recent graduates. Congratulations and best wishes to the Class of 2026! We are excited for you and so proud of what you have already accomplished. Wishing you a restful weekend, Bex
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, The last month of the school year brings a mix of emotions for all of us. We are excited, tired, and hopeful. We are busy preparing for Senior Exhibitions and Gateways, authentic demonstrations of learning that are both celebratory and stressful. We are so proud of all our students for whom this is a major milestone and capstone experience. We just set up the tent and staging for graduation, the final milestone on their Parker career. Congratulations to our Seniors and their friends, family and teachers who supported them. Graduation is a celebration for our whole community and an important moment to say thank you. This will be our 27 th Commencement exercises on Wednesday, June 3 rd . We will miss our Seniors as they head off to life after Parker. Thank you for making us proud. Many times across the school year, we have asked our students to represent Parker to the outside world. Whether welcoming prospective students and families, competing in athletics, robotics, math team or other co-curriculum competitions, speaking at conferences, or welcoming visitors – our students show the value of a Parker education. We are sad to say goodbye, but honored to share our graduates with the rest of the world! Later next week, we welcome everyone to join us for an end-of-year celebration. There will be live music, fundraiser raffle baskets, and good cheer for families and friends of Parker. Join us on Friday, June 5 th at 4:30 pm at Sterling Street on Devens. Please RSVP here so we know you’re coming. Thank you for celebrating our students! Brian
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, This is a busy and exciting time of year—in schools generally, and certainly here at Parker. On Wednesday night alone, we hosted Noche Sabrosa, where our 8 th graders made and shared an important dish and spoke about their choice and why it was meaningful to them in Spanish, there was an art competition sponsored by Youth Venture and we capped off the evening with the final Café Wednesday of the year. Busy is not bad. There is a sense of excitement and momentum that can come with busy. It means we are still moving forward, that there is progress to make, that we can be productive. At the same time, there are events at this time of year that have us looking ahead to the future; we are planning celebrations for the end of this year and even looking ahead to the start of next. Seniors are in the final days of portfolio piece revisions, reflection writing, and making decisions about their graduation ceremony. On Tuesday afternoon, thanks to the help of the PPCC, incoming students and families to the Parker community joined us for ice cream and had an opportunity to make connections with each other and with current Parker students and families. Finding the ways to both be in the here-and-now and to stay focused on what we are doing, while also looking ahead to what’s next and getting excited to mark accomplishments with meaningful celebrations creates a dynamic tension in the busyness of this season of the school year. These weeks can be about dedication and hard work. They can be about joyful celebration and reflection. They can be everything in between. I hope you each can experience and appreciate the full blend of the “here-and-now” and “what’s next” in the weeks to come. Wishing you all a restful holiday weekend. Bex
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, At last night’s Board meeting, I reflected on the many ways that Parker shares our model and learns from other schools and school leaders. Charter schools were designed to be laboratory schools, pockets of innovation from which others could learn. Every charter school writes a mission statement and does school a little bit differently, so new ideas may flourish. That certainly describes Parker, our Ten Common Principles, and the many ways that we put students at the center of all learning. Last year, Parker went through our sixth Charter Renewal, a process led by the Department of Education to ensure that charter schools are honoring their mission, ensuring student success, and sharing their learning. We did exceedingly well in our charter renewal. Of the many schools that went through the process at the same time, we were the most highly rated school in the state. One of the highlights was our personalized approach to learning and exemplary dissemination efforts. Over the course of the year, we have welcomed Fulbright teachers from twenty different countries and school leaders from the countries of Georgia and the Netherlands. We hosted aspiring teachers from Harvard College and educators from all around New England. We welcomed state representatives and state senators from our 40 towns, sharing our educational model and asking for their support. We presented at conferences and led workshops, focusing on student engagement, portfolio-based assessment, Senior Exhibitions and more. We showcase our students and their work at each of these sessions. We are typically the only school who attends conferences with our students, providing a platform for students to share their portfolios and reflect on their learning. Our students are always the highlight of the day! These are always rich learning experiences for us. As we reflect on our own struggles and success at Parker, and consider how other schools approach similar challenges, we are better able to meet the current needs of our students. Thanks to these efforts, we are never alone in the hard work of educating our students. Brian
