December 15, 2023

Weekly Information for December 15th

Share Post

Dear Parker families, students and staff,


Bravo to the cast, crew and director of The Caucasian Chalk Circle for an incredible opening performance. We have an extremely talented group of students who should be very proud of the performance. The show is funny and creative, demanding versatility and stamina with 20 actors playing over 70 roles. As Ryan writes in his Director’s Note about the students,

I am in awe of how much of themselves they gave to bring you this performance. They are so funny, so brave, and so talented.

Thank you to the families, friends and staff who support Parker Theatre. The show runs tonight and tomorrow, December 15-16th at 7:00 PM in the Parker Auditorium. Please join us. Click the link to visit our web site for additional information and to purchase online tickets. https://our.show/parkerchalkcircle


Thank you to everyone who helped to spread the word about enrolling in Parker. The deadline for applying for January admission is today, December 15th. For additional information to share with families who may be interested in this year or next, please see Enrollment at Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School (theparkerschool.org)


Wishing everyone a joyous holiday season. Happy Hanukkah to all students and families celebrating the last night of the Festival of Lights this evening. We have a full week of school next week, with a Noon dismissal on Friday, December 22nd.

 

Brian

This week’s topics:
  • Calendars are Ready!
  • Parker Annual Fund
  • Reminder for Families of Div2 AH
  • TOYS for TOTS Thanks You!
  • Lost and Found Pickup
  • From the Library
  • Parent Organized Faculty Appreciation
  • Gift Giving Guidelines
Calendars are Ready!

If you ordered a 2024 Parker Student Art Calendar, you can stop by Monique’s office to pick it up. Thank you for supporting Parker student art!

 

Parker Annual Fund

The Parker Annual Fund supports our teachers and programs which empower our students to innovate, explore, build, and create. Your donation will help us reach our $200,000 goal ensuring our students’ continuing opportunities to exceed expectations! Click here to donate.

   

Reminder for Families of Division 2 AH

Save The Date – Tuesday, February 13, 2023 – 6:30-7:30 PM. Division 2 AH students have worked hard this semester to complete Civic Action Projects. For their projects, students chose a civic issue they are passionate about, researched their issue, and engaged in civic action to address their issue. On the evening of Thursday, February 13th, we would like to invite families and students to Parker for Division 2 Exhibition Night! This night will allow Division 2 AH students to present their civic action projects, exhibit their learning, and share their actions with other Parker students, families, and staff. If you have questions, please contact your student’s Division 2 AH teacher.


TOYS for TOTS Thanks You!

You've proven again what an amazing and generous community we have at Parker. MANY thanks for supporting the effort to bring a ray of holiday joy to a child in need.

 

Lost and Found Pickup

The Lost & Found Closet (across from Room 28) will be CLEARED OUT on Wednesday, December 20th. Please check for and claim any items belonging to your loved ones!

 

From the Library

Did you know that you can get free eBooks and audiobooks from our school library? It’s easy! Just download the free Sora app and borrow digital books with your Parker email and Student ID. You can enjoy them on all major devices and tablets. The collection has books like Heartstopper and Throne of Glass. Bonus: You can add a public library name to browse and checkout titles from their collection too! Come visit your friendly, neighborhood Parker librarian for more information or access the site 24/7 in the Sora app.

 

Parent Organized Faculty Appreciation

Reminder there are two efforts underway to celebrate the wonderful staff this holiday season.

  1. A supply drive to stock the staff break room will start on Monday 12/11 and run throughout the week. We are seeking donations such as K cups, hot chocolate, tea, snacks, etc. You can send these things in with your student, and they can be placed in the bin in the lobby. No time to shop? Feel free to Venmo (info below) a donation and supplies will be purchased and delivered to the break room.
  2. There will be a continental breakfast provided to teachers and staff on Wednesday 12/20. Monetary donations to support this breakfast can also be sent via Venmo.

Questions can be directed to Stephanie Maclary at stephaniemmac@gmail.com. Thank you for considering this opportunity to add some cheer to the Parker Community. Happy Holidays!  https://venmo.com/code?user_id=2997385634512896271


Gift Giving Guidelines

Reminder of the following guidelines on gift giving from the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission that apply to all public employees in Massachusetts:

  • Gifts where the combined value is $50 or more may not be accepted. Whether gifts are given for the holidays, end of year, or other occasion, a public school employee may not accept a gift or gifts from a current student or a parent over the course of an entire year (365 days) with the combined value of $50 or more.
  • Gifts which have a value under $50 are permitted under the law, but may be subject to reporting to the State Ethics Commission on a disclosure form to prevent the appearance of a conflict of interest. Generally, any item of monetary value gifted during the year, including the holiday period, is subject to disclosure.

A teacher may accept a gift to the classroom that is to be used for the class and it will become the property of the school district and not the property of the teacher. Gifts from individual students, parents, classes, or other groups and entities are allowed so long as the gift is to the school. These gifts are not subject to disclosure. Parker will maintain a record of the gift. Such gifts must be in accordance with Parker’s policies.

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:
Fri-Sat - Dec 15-16 Fall Show
Fri - Dec 22 Noon Dismissal
Mon-Fri - Dec 25-29 Holiday Break
Mon - Jan 1 New Years Day - No School
Tue - Jan 2 Faculty Planning - No Classes
Wed - Jan 3 Classes Resume
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

Weekly Information for January 30, 2026

By Cindy Johnson • January 30, 2026
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, We have officially started the second semester of the 2025-26 school year! This is both a measure of progress and a time of new beginnings. Here at (or really a little past) the midway point of the year, there are exciting things happening—some as small as a new unit of study in a class and maybe as big as starting new classes in a new division after a mid-year gateway. I had my first chance to join an information session for prospective students and families this week and it was a powerful reminder to me about many of the most important and unique aspects of our school. Whether it was hearing some of our older student ambassadors talk about which of the 10 Common Principles is meaningful to them, or hearing parents share stories of their student’s learning experience at Parker, or seeing our teachers introduce new students to the kinds of learning activities and thinking we ask them to do in school, each of these highlighted an element of our school’s very intentional design. We get to know our students well, we build a caring and inclusive community, and we build on those connections and relationships to challenge and support our students to take on intellectual challenges, push themselves in their thinking and work, and to become independent thinkers and learners. If you or your student have appreciated these (or other things) about Parker, and you would like state lawmakers to prioritize fair funding for all students in every type of public school, you have an opportunity to raise your voice and advocate for us. Next week, February 2-6, is Fair Funding Week, sponsored by the Massachusetts Public Charter School Association. See below for more information about how to register for events and advocate for fair and equitable funding for our students and school. Wishing you all extra warmth over this cold stretch of days. Best, Bex

Weekly Information for January 23, 2026

By Cindy Johnson • January 24, 2026
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, Congratulations to all the students who Gatewayed over the last two days. It is always a joyful and celebratory moment for our students and a testament to their hard work and perseverance. We appreciate all the friends, family and teachers who helped to make this possible. Congratulations to our whole community. We are all bracing for a big winter storm coming this weekend. As you know, Monday is a professional development day for our faculty. We will work remotely on Monday so that we are ready for the start of second semester on Tuesday. Depending on the timing of the storm and the cleanup, Tuesday morning may be impacted as well. We will communicate by text, email and through local media outlets if so. Given recent news about immigration enforcement across the country, I wanted to share the letter that I wrote a year ago. We follow the law and clear guidelines from the Massachusetts Attorney General, prioritizing student safety and parental rights. As I write in the letter, we are “committed to ensuring that students and families may come to school without fear and will comply with all applicable state laws to ensure the protection of our students and families.” January 31, 2025 letter.docx Thank you for helping to make Parker an inclusive, safe and affirming community for all our students and families. We look forward to welcoming five new students to Parker on Tuesday. We also hosted over 100 visitors at our first information session of the year last night. The energy and student questions were terrific! If you have any neighbors or friends who are considering Parker, invite them to apply for the lottery and attend one of our upcoming information sessions. See our website for more details. Enrollment at Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School Respectfully, Brian

Weekly Information for January 16, 2026

By Cindy Johnson • January 16, 2026
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, I often find this time of year provides a reminder to me to have hope amidst the short, dark, cold winter days we endure. By mid-January, I can start to see signs of more light, and sometimes we experience an unseasonably warm day or two—and these changes, though small or temporary, remind me that little by little, every day, tangible things are changing. The Winter Solstice had 6 hours and 12 minutes less daylight than the Summer Solstice. That’s a pretty dramatic difference—but it happened a little bit at a time. Going the other direction works the same way; first we gain only a few seconds of light each day, but by early January, we are gaining a minute of light each day, and by early February, several minutes a day. Change is funny like that—sometimes it happens so gradually we don’t see or feel its impact right away and sometimes it barrels in so we are acutely aware of it. The physical shock of greeting students at the front door this morning in much colder temperatures than yesterday morning is a fine example of the latter. This was a change not to be ignored, and even though I knew to expect it, that didn’t mitigate the jarring effects. Still, that brief respite of days edging toward 50 degrees can fuel my hope that warmer days are coming. Learning is rarely a predictable increase like the amount of light we gain daily moving from winter to summer, but it is often an incremental shift. Sometimes the slow building of skills starts to become evident only with what feels like a lot of effort and time. If you have a student about to complete a mid-year Gateway, you will soon see this sort of change and growth in their work right before your eyes. If your student is working toward a June gateway, or even a gateway next January or June, I would encourage you to look for those small, incremental changes between here and there. Those sometimes-tiny changes are like the extra moments of light in a winter day; they are adding up to something bigger that will be well worth the wait, and I hope that can give us all a little hope this time of year. Best wishes for a restful weekend and a meaningful celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday on Monday, January 19. Bex

Weekly Information for January 9, 2026

By Cindy Johnson • January 10, 2026
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, We had the rare treat of a two-week winter break this year. It was great to welcome our well-rested students back to school on Monday. We have a busy three weeks remaining of the first semester. Students are completing assessments and many are preparing for Midyear Gateways. 68 students will Gateway, in every division and domain, on January 22-23. We look forward to celebrating this important milestone with our students and their families, teachers and peers. Second semester brings new electives for Division 3 students, new Community Blocks for all students, and the anticipation of end-of-year activities. We have officially kicked off student recruiting for next year. We have five information sessions scheduled in January and February, we are about to send postcards to prospective students, and we have a terrific group of student and adult Ambassadors. Thank you to everyone who helps to spread the word about Parker and welcome new students and families. Word of mouth has always been the most effective way that we introduce Parker to new families. If you have a neighbor or friend who may be interested in Parker, please share your experiences. We’d love your help boosting our school’s visibility. When you see our posts on Facebook or Instagram , please take a moment to like and share them with your networks. Your support helps us reach more families and celebrate the great things happening in our community. Additionally, remember, younger siblings need to apply to be eligible for admission. There is a sibling preference in the lottery, but you still need to apply. For additional details and a link to the application visit parker.school/enroll . We appreciate everyone who contacted their legislator and advocated for charter schools this fall. As you may know, there are multiple pieces of legislation under consideration that would lower the cap of charter-eligible students and limit funding for charter public schools. Many families are surprised to learn that students attending charter public schools receive less state funding than their peers in district schools. As lawmakers begin shaping next year’s state budget, we have a critical opportunity to make our voices heard and push for the equitable funding that our students deserve. We are about to launch Fair Funding Week 2026 led by the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association. We hope that you will join us for this virtual week of celebration, advocacy, and collective action from February 2-6, 2026. Fair Funding Week kicks off with an inspiring virtual rally on Monday, February 2nd from 6:00–6:30 PM. Register now and stand with us Have a great weekend. Brian

Weekly Information for December 19, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • December 19, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, Wishing you and your family a very happy holiday! We had a busy and festive week at Parker – with hard work, holiday parties, and our community coming together for those in need. Thank you to everyone who donated food, toys, or sports equipment to our campus drives. We are proud of the Parker community for always stepping up! We look forward to seeing you in the New Year. Enjoy the long break with those who you love.  Brian

Weekly Information for December 12, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • December 12, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, One of the magical things about working in schools is the chance to get to know students as whole people. Yes, of course, we can come to know our students well as learners because this is the work we spend much of our time on together, but the ways we get to see our students as leaders, as curious young adults with big questions, passionate interests, and developing understanding of themselves and their world is also an important part of knowing our students well. The process of watching someone grow and change over the course of their years in a school is both humbling and inspiring to me. I have been appreciating the way that each milestone in the progression of the school year and each new experience I have at Parker showcases and gives me another way to get to know our students as whole people, individually and collectively. Seeing the student leaders of the Youth Venture club introduce and facilitate the Q+A with our all-school speaker, Maria Milagros, on Wednesday is just one recent example. The students who bravely asked questions in the whole group or stayed to ask an individual question also demonstrated their interest in learning about and understanding the experiences of others and their puzzling through how the experiences of others might or might not resonate with their own. This isn’t the only example of course. I think about the Division 2 students and their Civic Action Projects. Some students shared about their work and learning in our all-school gathering last Friday—but everyone had to identify something that mattered to them, learn about the issue and the context, and then take some action to improve what they thought needed improvement. I can’t wait for you to be able to see this work from our students later this spring! These are two examples from this week—but there are many others. What do you learn about students when you see them in the school play? (Opening Night was amazing! There are additional performances tonight and Saturday at 7pm.) What do you learn about students when you see them coaching younger students about their choices in the hallway? What do you learn about students by watching them play a basketball game? I can definitively say that all of what I learn in these moments has led to new understanding and greater appreciation of both individuals and the Parker community. As we head into the final school week of 2025, I hope you have an opportunity to join us for at least one of the games, meets, plays, and presentations that happen at this time of year—and I hope you can see the magic of our students and your student/s as they grow and change right in front of our eyes each day. Best wishes, Bex