March 1, 2025

Weekly Information for February 28, 2025

Share Post

Dear Parker community:

I want to recognize and thank Anaïs Delfeld, Chrys Olsen, Rory Pierce, Marz Rawlinson, Sheila Kelly and Anna Solon for their incredible work representing Parker at the Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth Conference, "Creating Safe and Supportive Environments for LGBTQ Students," earlier this week. They were speakers at a full-day conference attended by almost 300 educators from around the state. They described Parker and shared how we promote a safe and inclusive school community for LGBTQ students. The students reflected on their experiences and shared their advice on how other schools may promote an inclusive culture, such as gender-neutral bathrooms, an active and fun GSA, and commitment to using students’ names and pronouns.


One of the central themes that came from their discussion was the intentionality of our approach. It is not any ONE thing that makes Parker a safe community, but rather the combination of many things, embraced by all of us, that makes our community inclusive. Thank you to everyone who makes it so. We are so proud of our students and appreciate the outstanding leadership of Sheila and Anna. Thank you!


We have almost reached the application deadline for admission next year. If you know a family that is considering Parker, or if you have a sibling who wants to come, they need to apply by March 1st. Thank you to everyone who has welcomed new students and families to Parker. Here is the link: Enrollment at Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School


Please join us on Tuesday, March 4th at 6:30 PM for a discussion about the qualities, skills, experiences and dispositions that we want in our new Principal. As I wrote just before break, we are hiring a Principal to serve as the primary instructional leader for Parker and lead the day-to-day life of the school. I will become the Executive Director to focus externally on the growth and long-term viability of Parker. We invite you to share your thoughts next Tuesday and then join us again in April to meet the candidates.


Principal Discussion - March 4th, 6:30-7:30 PM, Hybrid (In-person and Online)
Remote: Microsoft Teams Link
In-person: Room 40


Finally, we are very pleased to report that Parker has just earned our 5-year Unconditional Charter Renewal from the Massachusetts Department of Education. That means we continue to provide an outstanding education for Parker students without additional requirements from the state. This is the sixth time we have received such a designation in our 30-year history. For context, there were 18 schools that sought their five-year charter renewal this year. We were the only school rated “exemplary” in multiple categories. We appreciate the continued support and recognition of exemplary performance from the state.


Have a great weekend.

Brian

This week’s topics: 
  • Clothing Swap
  • Spring PLPs
  • Medications at School
  • Spring Sports Registration
  • Lost and Found Pickup
  • Donations Needed
  • Principal Discussion
  • Limited Yearbook Quantities
  • Sibling Lottery Applications
  • Volleyball Club
Clothing Swap

As part of a current senior project, there will be a clothing swap in the gym after school on Wednesday, March 5th. Bring lightly used clothing to swap for fresh styles and ask any questions you have about sustainability and the fashion industry. Clothing swaps are an excellent way to refresh your wardrobe for free while reducing the amount of textile waste in landfills. Thank you in advance for your support of this event! Email Cece with questions at Cecelia.Rowan@theparkerschool.org.


Spring PLPs

Spring PLPs are on Friday, March 14. See below for more information about how to book your appointment!


  • On that day, there will be NO CLASSES for students; instead, teachers spend that day in conferences with families/students to check in on student goals, progress, and PLPs. Each family (with their student) will be asked to come to school for a 30-minute appointment. Your child’s advisor has been in touch with more information and details along with a LINK to sign up. These links are customized by each advisor, so you do need to use the specific link that was sent by the advisor to sign up. Email your child’s advisor if you do not have a link from them yet.
  • If you are not able to make it for an appointment on March 14 (and need another day or time of day), please reach out directly to your child’s advisor to find another day/time that is mutually possible. If (on March 14 or any other day), you need to attend remotely, please reach out to your child’s advisor to request a remote link for the scheduled slot.


Medications at School

Students should not carry over-the-counter or prescription medications at school. With proper authorization from their medical provider, parents, and the school nurse, some students may carry an EpiPen, inhaler, diabetic supplies, or other emergency medicine.

All other medications should be kept and administered by the school nurse. Proper documentation is required for all medications. Email Nurse Lisa at lzick@theparkerschool.org with questions.


Please make sure your student isn’t carrying any medication during school, and more importantly, please speak to your student about not ever accepting any medication from other students.


Spring Sports Registration

The sports being offered this season:

  • Track & Field
  • Ultimate Frisbee
  • Girls' Lacrosse - Co-op by Bromfield
  • Softball

The season will start on Tuesday, March 18th. Register by Monday, March 17th using this link: Spring Sports Registration


Proof of Physical REQUIRMENT for Student Athletes: Parents must provide proof of a current physical at the beginning of EVERY SEASON their student is participating in. A current physical is valid for 13 months from the day of the physical. Students with expired physicals will be ineligible to participate until a current physical form is submitted. Even if you have submitted proof of physical for a previous season, you must submit it for subsequent seasons. Upload proof of current physical to the Health Portal.


Sports User Fee of $300 and is due prior to the first game. It is preferred that the fee be paid online using an electronic check or credit card at: https://unipaygold.unibank.com/transactionInfo.aspx?CustomerID=1093. If writing a check, make it payable to Parker School and send it to the Main Office. There will be a family cap of $1,200 for the school year. Financial support is available for those who qualify. Please contact Michelle McKenna in the Business Office at mmckenna@theparkerschool.org for more information.



Lost & Found Pickup

The next pickup of lost & found items will be on Tuesday, March 18th. You may stop by any time to see if there is anything that belongs to your loved ones. Spring PLP Day (March 14) would also be the perfect time to check and claim any items left behind.


Donations Needed

The Health Office is in need and would appreciate donations of new or gently used t-shirts with no design or logos, gym shorts, and lounge pants/sweatpants. All sizes are needed. Thank you!


Principal Discussion

Reminder to join us on Tuesday, March 4th, for a discussion about the ideal qualities and characteristics of the new Principal and the evolution of leadership at Parker. The session will be hybrid from 6:30-7:30 pm. Join in-person in Room 40 or remotely on Teams at this link: Meeting Link, Meeting ID: (see weekly email), Passcode: (see weekly email).


Limited Yearbook Quantities

Last call for a guaranteed copy of the yearbook! Order now to ensure a copy is printed for your student. 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 $60, soft cover books are $40, and Division 1 books are $20.


Sibling Applications for Next Year

Siblings of current students who would like to come to Parker next year MUST complete an application by March 1, 2025. Current students do not need to reapply. Siblings receive preference in the lottery but must complete an application here: https://forms.rediker.com/FPCES. You are welcome to call our front office prior to March 1 to verify your application has been received. The lottery will be held on Thursday, March 6, at 4 PM. Please send interested friends to parker.school/enroll for more information.


Volleyball Club

Reminder Parker’s BRAND-NEW volleyball club is open for signups! We will be having our first practice on Thursday, March 20th, from 4:00-5:15 PM after school. The season will last for 8 Thursday's and involve a variety of skill drills and scrimmage playing. Everyone is welcome to join, no matter their level of experience playing volleyball or division. The fee for joining will be $25, and we ask you to fill out permission forms and the fee as soon as possible to claim your spot! Thank you, and we’ll see you on the court soon! Register here at: https://forms.office.com/r/3XRb6gUSpw.

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:
Thu - Mar 6 Enrollment Lottery
Fri - Mar 7 Drag Ball
Wed - Mar 12 Support Our Seniors Dessert Potluck
Fri - Mar 14 Spring PLPs - NO CLASSES
Mon - Mar 17 March Holiday - NO SCHOOL
Wed - Mar 19 Café Wednesay
Thu - Mar 20 Board of Trustees
Tue - Mar 25 10th Grade ELA MCAS
Wed - Mar 26 NOON Dismissal - Faculty Planning
Thu - Mar 27 10th Grade ELA MCAS
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

Recent Posts

Weekly Information for September 12, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • September 13, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, I love the start of a new school year—not just because the empty building comes back to life with the presence of the students, faculty, and families and not just because it is a chance for a new beginning—though I do appreciate those things. What I enjoy most about the start of the school year is the way it sets the important foundation for everything that comes next. The thing about foundations is that they are not particularly glamorous, they are rarely the star of the show. Not many of us notice the foundations of buildings we enter or live in—unless there are problems with them. A good, solid foundation does its job without calling attention to itself, and the foundational ideas and beliefs at the core of what we do and believe at Parker is what I am noticing and appreciating in the foundation building I see happening every day. Here at Parker, the Common Principles are the ideas that matter most to our foundation and the most important work in our classrooms, hallways, clubs, and teams is teaching, practicing, and holding ourselves accountable to the ways we live those out in the day to day work. What does that look like? It looks like extra time in advisory and divisional gatherings in these first few weeks, fostering relationship building with new teachers and new classmates. It looks like learning about the advisory routines for Academic Advising and Academic Block. It looks like reviewing and learning about divisional norms and expectations. When I think about how this translates to classrooms, I am struck by the foundation building in the classes that book-end a student’s academic experience at Parker—7th Seminar which introduces key concepts like the Habits of Learning* , self-advocacy, and the process of revision, and Senior Seminar which challenges students to apply all their Habits and Skills to a year-long independent project they design. Some of what we work really intentionally to build with our students across their years with us is the willingness to try hard things, the perseverance to keep going, and the ability to reflect and revise based on feedback. We intentionally revisit these foundations every year. We intentionally ask our students to apply them to new and more challenging tasks as they progress from division to division. We intentionally shift more and more of the work involved in these tasks to students so that they each build their own solid foundation. Like all good foundations, these might not feel like the most exciting or glamorous work we do. Certainly, big demonstrations of learning like Gateways and Senior Exhibitions get more fanfare—but what I want to celebrate and call to your attention is how every little thing we do now enables those “bigger” things later. So, as we wrap up our first five-day week of the school year, I invite you all to notice and appreciate the foundations you might see being built for the year ahead. Happy Friday and happy weekend! Bex *The eight habits of learning at Parker are Inquiry, Expression, Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Organization, Attentiveness, Involvement and Reflection.

Weekly Information for September 5, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • September 7, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, It is with great pride that I reflect on the first two weeks of our new school year. We all started new routines, embraced our new classes, and made new friends. Congratulations on a terrific launch! Parker was founded on the belief we could do school differently, challenging students to use their minds well in a culture of decency and trust. It starts with knowing our students well, as learners and human beings. We believe that all students can succeed and thrive – and we provide the personalized support and encouragement that students need. Our students and staff work incredibly hard to meet these high standards. As our founders Ted and Nancy Sizer wrote in The Students Are Watching, “What we need to consider and then to create is the kind of environment [that convinces young people that they] are in a place which believes in them – and from which they can, therefore, learn well and deeply.” Through the 10 Common Principles and their leadership as co-principals, Ted and Nancy set the standards for academic rigor, student engagement and community that define Parker today. We are proud of all the ways that our students embrace and live these values every day at Parker. For example, our student Ambassadors and Peer Leaders came in over the summer to welcome and support new students and families. Their kindness and positive energy created a welcoming environment for our newest students. Many of these same students are serving as Peer Mentors to Division 1 advisories. They serve as role models, leading different games and facilitating discussions about school culture. They also run the Halloween party, Mirror Lake trip, Film Festival, and Field Day for Division 1. Our Teaching Assistants (TAs) provide similar support within our academic classes. TAs in 7th Seminar, Spanish, Wellness, and MST provide wisdom, small group facilitation, and one-on-one support. They help set the tone for the class, model appropriate participation and collaboration skills, and make connections with individual students. For example, this week in 7th Seminar, our TAs helped students learn some of the technology that we use to communicate while reflecting on the importance of connecting with their teachers. Finally, our Division 3 students served as leaders and role models during the first Super Advisory yesterday, leading their cross-divisional groups in activities to help build community and connection. They modeled taking risks and the importance of building community. Thank you to everyone who makes Parker a special place to learn and grow up. Together, we are off to a great start!  Brian

Weekly Information for August 29, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • August 30, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families 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. Everyone at Parker experienced changes this year, as we walked through the renovated walkway, welcomed our new Principal, Bex Wilucz, and adjusted to new schedules and routines. We are so proud of all our students for embracing these changes, for doing your best work and for being supportive of your classmates. Parker is an extraordinary place because of you! Thank you and congratulations for a terrific first week. We are all looking forward to another great year at Parker. Enjoy the long weekend. Brian

Weekly Information for June 13, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • June 14, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, Thank you for a great year! We are so proud of our students for your hard work and tremendous growth all year. Congratulations to all the students who Gatewayed over the past two weeks. Gateways are a public exhibition and celebration of learning for our students and our whole community. It is also a terrific way to end the year. We look forward to our last day of school – the Big End – on Monday. We welcome the Juniors back from their retreat and unveil the Essential Question for next year. It is a fun and aspirational way to transition. We also start the front walkway construction project later that day, to be finished in time for the start of school in August. The Main Office will be in Room 28 all summer. Have a great summer. Take advantage of the break to try something new, read a good book, work a summer job. We will be back together soon enough. Brian

Weekly Information for June 6, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • June 7, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, Congratulations to students in the Class of 2025. We are very proud of our Seniors! As I said on Wednesday night, graduation is a big deal for the graduates, their families and our school. 30 years ago, a small group of local families and educators were bold enough to imagine this little school, to draft a charter, find a building, and convince enough families and staff to give Parker a chance. From the very beginning, we put students at the center of all learning, challenged them to use their minds well in a community of decency and trust. 30 years later, we conferred diplomas to 56 exceptional young people in the Class of 2025. Congratulations to our students – to their families and their teachers – and to everyone who played a role over the last 30 years! Best of luck to all the students participating in Gateway presentations today and next week. This can be a stressful and exhilarating moment for our students, an authentic opportunity to reflect on their learning as they progress to the next level. Our students are focused and determined to do their best work – and then we celebrate their learning and success. It is a very meaningful way to end the year. We also look forward to Junior retreat and divisional trips next week and the Big End on Monday, June 16th. Summer vacation starts at Noon on June 16th. Thank you for your hard work, positive attitude and for supporting one another. We look forward to a strong end to a terrific year.  Brian

Weekly Information for May 30, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • May 31, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, This week we were joined by Rabbi Josh Breindel for a conversation about antisemitism and hate speech. It was a powerful discussion about the Nazi swastika, its impact on the Jewish community and what young people can do as upstanders. The Multicultural Connection student group did an extraordinary job framing and facilitating the discussion. We thank the students for their outstanding leadership and vision. We ended the day with Advisory discussions and a project that asked us to affirm, as a Parker community, what we stand for. Here are a few of the responses: At Parker, we… Value individual voice Are a community Value “we” over “me” Stand up for others Are kind Strive to be inclusive Make room for everyone Support each other In that spirit, we honor our Seniors who celebrated their last day of classes today. Thank you to the Class of 2025 for welcoming us to school today! They continued the joyful tradition of their senior prank, a dinosaur themed party to start the school day. Parker’s 26th Commencement Ceremony takes place on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at 6:00 PM on the Parker front lawn. All are welcome. There will also be a live video feed of the ceremony available on the Parker website on Wednesday. We are very proud of students in the Class of 2025 for helping to make our school and our world a better place. We appreciate your hard work and authentic contribution to Parker every day for the past 4-6 years. High school graduation is a big deal for you and those who helped you along the way. This week, show some gratitude for your family, friends and teachers who contributed to your success. Your successes are theirs too! Brian