December 19, 2025

Weekly Information for 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

This week’s topics:

Thanks - Warm Wishes!
Loaves and Fishes Update
EzSports Youth Venture Update
Thank You from PPCC
Yearbook
Parker Fund
Holiday Break Reminder
Resources for Those in Need
Ski and Snowboard Club
Lost & Found Pickup

EZSports Youth Venture Update

The Ez Sports Youth Venture group was able to pass along the donations they collected for the Fitchburg/Leominster Boys and Girls Club this week. The group consists of Preston Wentrup, Hudson Wheeler, Emery Berkhout, and AJ Pietrovito. They ran a donation drive collecting sporting equipment and school supplies for the club, and as usual, the Parker community showed their immense generosity. Thank you to everyone who donated to this worthy cause. They were very appreciative!

Thank You from PPCC

Thanks to everyone in our community who donated in some way to the Staff Holiday Appreciation Breakfast and Supply Drive. Because of your generosity, it was a great success. Happy Holidays from the PPCC!

Yearbooks – Discounted Price

Order your 2025-2026 yearbook by January 31st for $5 off regular prices. Hard cover and soft cover books all have the same content while the Division 1 books contain the same whole school and Division 1 sections but not the sections for Division 2, Juniors, Seniors, and senior parent ad pages. Currently, hard cover books are $55, soft cover books are $35, and Division 1 books are $15.

Support the Parker Fund Before Year’s End

As 2025 comes to a close, we celebrate the incredible achievements of our students and the dedication of our teachers. ✨ Before December 31, we invite you to make a year‑end, tax‑deductible gift to the Parker Fund. Your support ensures that Parker continues to thrive and that our students gain the skills they need to succeed.

👉 Give to the Parker Fund today – because every gift matters, and every gift makes a difference.

Holiday Break Reminder

Classes will resume for students on Monday, January 5, 2026. If your student will miss additional days, please leave a message on the Attendance Line (available 24 hours a day) at 978-772-3293, x1, giving the dates your child will not be in school.

Resources for Those in Need

While the holidays are generally filled with cheer, there are those for whom the holidays can be difficult. If you are concerned about yourself or a loved one, please reach out to one of these resources:

DIAL 911/Go to your nearest Emergency Dept for immediate needs
DIAL 988 - Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - 24/7 coverage
National Suicide Prevention Hotline – 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) - 24/7 coverage
DIAL 211 - For food insecurity help in Massachusetts or contact Project Bread's Food Source Hotline at 800-645-8333 for expert SNAP/HIP guidance and food resource navigation
Text 741741 - Crisis Text Line - 24/ 7 coverage
Text TEEN to 839836 - Teen Line (Teens Helping Teens) – Texts are answered from 9PM-12AM EST/call 1-800-852-8336 from 9pm-1am EST. The teen line is staffed by trained volunteer teen listeners who are supervised by mental health professionals.
The Trevor Project (LGBTQ Youth) – 24/ 7 coverage: 1-866-488-7386 (4-U-TREVOR) – please note that you do not have to be in crisis to call this line. The Trevor Project is there to answer questions or support callers with a variety of struggles.
Text “Trevor” to 2023041200 - Monday - Friday, 3pm-10pm (LGBTQ youth)
Samaritans 24-Hour Crisis Hotline – 24/ 7 coverage: 1-212-673-3000
National Domestic Violence Hotline - 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) - 24/7 coverage
National Sexual Assault Hotline - 1-800-656-4673 - 24/7 coverage
SAMHSA National Helpline - 24/7 coverage: 1-800-662-4357 - confidential and free help to find substance use treatment and information.
MA Atty. General's Hate Crime Hotline: 1-800-994-3228 - Any Massachusetts resident who has witnessed or experienced incidents of bias-motivated threats, harassment or violence can call this hotline to file a report.

Ski and Snowboard Club

Check here for details and to register. Program begins 1/7.

Lost & Found Pickup

The Lost & Found Closet will be cleared on Friday, January 16, 2026. You are welcome to stop by anytime between January 2 – 16 to check for and claim any items belonging to your loved ones.

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-Wed; Dec 22-31	Holiday Break
Thu - Jan 1	New Years Day - No School
Fri - Jan 2	Faculty Planning - No Classes
Mon - Jan 5	Classes Resume
Wed - Jan 7	Young Alum Day
Thu - Jan 8	Board of Trustees

Click HERE for the Online Calendar

Click HERE for the FYI Daily Announcements

Click HERE to Support the PARKER FUND

Click HERE for the CC School Store

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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Weekly Information for February 13, 2026

By Cindy Johnson • February 13, 2026

Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, Wishing you and your family wonderful break! We hope the week off is restful and rejuvenating. We look forward to seeing everyone back at school on Monday, February 23. Stay safe and warm! Bex

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By Cindy Johnson • February 7, 2026

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Weekly Information for January 30, 2026

By Cindy Johnson • January 30, 2026

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Weekly Information for January 23, 2026

By Cindy Johnson • January 24, 2026

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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