March 1, 2025

Weekly Information for February 28, 2025

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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

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Weekly Information for December 5, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • December 5, 2025
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Weekly Information for November 21, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • November 22, 2025
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Weekly Information for November 14, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • November 14, 2025
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Weekly Information for November 7, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • November 8, 2025
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Weekly Information for October 31, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • November 1, 2025
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Weekly Information for October 24, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • October 26, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, Have you ever heard of a root cellar? Or maybe you have one? I have found myself thinking about root cellars and how they work a lot as we head toward the late fall when the trees are bare and the days get shorter. Root cellars (and I am not an expert) are these relatively ingenious spaces that use the natural conditions of the ground below the frost line to create a stable environment that helps preserve and store food. Before we had indoor refrigeration, they were an essential tool for food storage. They helped ensure access to fresh food and healthy sustenance all year long. Certain characteristics of this time of year can make it seem like not much new is happening—that there is no growth or change. Maybe that is why things like the first snowfall can be so exciting. I like to think of this time of the year as a little bit like a root cellar—it’s a time to store up all the excitement and growth from the fall and to use it to fuel what’s next. It might have a bit more of a “keep going” feeling to it than a “look at all these new things” feeling, and it gives us a way to savor and benefit from the abundance of the fall and to look forward to the ways it might support the new growth cycle in the spring. In terms of schoolwork, this might look like repeated practice of certain skills, or it might feel like slow progress in the assessments of academic work. It might mean being asked to rethink and redo and revise work, putting in time and energy and believing in growth we might not see or feel yet. The fall sports seasons are headed toward their close and the girls’ varsity soccer team moved their record to 11-3, avenging an early season loss against Monty Tech, while the boys’ varsity soccer team also avenged an early season loss with a tie against Abby Kelley this week. The cross-country team performed well at Conference Championships, with boys’ varsity winning with a perfect score, girls’ varsity coming in second with many personal records, and boys’ and girls’ JV also winning their races. Whether it’s one of these athletic accomplishments, or the memories of the Mirror Lake field trip, the 4 Square tournament, Community Connections Night for Senior Projects, or the class of 2027 30 Gourd challenge, there are many different memories and experiences we can put into our root cellar at the moment to sustain us as we move toward what’s next. Wishing you all a restful fall weekend. Bex