Tampa Catholic High School
Jan 12, 2024

Weekly Information for January 12th

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Dear Parker families, students and staff,


We are looking forward to Midyear Gateways next Thursday and Friday, January 18-19, 2024. This is an exciting time for our students to share their learning and celebrate a very significant accomplishment. There are 52 students scheduled to gateway across every domain and division. Good luck to all our students!


As we explain on our website…


Students demonstrate mastery of curricular standards in each Division through "Gateway Exhibitions" in which they present and defend their academic portfolios. They carefully examine past assignments and consider their performance on past assessments, review teacher comments, and rate themselves as to whether they meet the expectations for their division. They select a number of pieces that show progress over their time in the division to put in their portfolio, which serves as the permanent record of their learning.


Students present their Gateway Portfolio in a Public Exhibition, before a small audience made up of their advisor, teachers, their parents, other students, and members of the community. The students answer questions about their work and talk about what matters most in their learning, their progress, their struggles, and their goals in the next division. Students' ability to reflect on their work and respond to audience questions is an important element of their demonstrating readiness for promotion.



The Gateway Exhibition is a moment of celebration. Parents often bring food or flowers to make the occasion personal and special. Upon the successful completion of this exhibition, students gateway into the next division. 


Brian

This week’s topics: 
  • Newly Formed Parent Group
  • Youth Venture Update
  • Advocacy Week
  • COVID-19 Reminder
  • Yearbooks
  • Don’t Miss the Application Deadline (March 1st)!
Newly Formed Parent Group

Hello Parker Families! We want to share with you the exciting news of the creation of a new group for Parker families: The Parker Parent and Caregiver Community (PPCC). The goal of this informal group is to foster communication and explore ideas for future events related to teacher appreciation and parent/caregiver socializing. We hope to be a resource for new to Parker families as well as a space where parents/caregivers from different towns can get to know one another, both online and in person, to support one another as well as the teachers and school.


The PPCC will hold monthly meetings to discuss and plan different events for families and teachers. Our next meeting will be via Zoom on Monday, February 5th, at 11:00 am. We'd love to have you join us! Future meetings will happen at different times of day so if this time doesn't work there will be other opportunities. Attending a meeting doesn't mean a big commitment, just an interest in building community with Parker families. We’ll post a link closer to the date, but please feel free to contact any of us if you have questions. And keep an eye out for news of upcoming events!


Want to connect with other Parker families and caregivers now? Are you new to Parker and have questions, like what’s a COW or what is a gateway? If so, please consider joining the newly created Parker Parent and Caregiver Community Facebook group. Parents and caregivers across all divisions are welcome to join. Please note the group is not intended for student participation.


The Parker Parent/Caregiver Community FB group is private. To request group membership, please use the following link: https://www.facebook.com/share/puHLCESpQtXhRKhC/?mibextid=K35XfP. There are a few questions to answer for membership approval and all member requests will be cross referenced to verify current Parker attendance.


We look forward to connecting with you!

Youth Venture Update

The newest Youth Venture group, Shelter Helpers, recently launched their first venture (see photo above). The group consists of Stellan Ogilvie, Zephyr Schermerhorn, Cormac Hildreth, Jaxon Liles, and Gabby Briggs. They will hold a drive in the form of an advisory competition in the spring to collect donations for the Worcester Animal Rescue League. They were awarded more seed money than they requested to help launch their project. Congratulations to the group!


Advocacy Week

On Monday, February 12th from 6-6:30 p.m., the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association (MCPSA) will host a virtual kick-off rally via Zoom to usher in the start of its annual Charter Public School Advocacy Week! Advocacy Week is an opportunity for charter public school families from all across the state to come together to raise their voices to ensure every child in Massachusetts has access to the education and resources they need to succeed.


All Parker families are invited to join this event and represent our school! The event will feature charter public school alumni and families from across the state, and it promises to be an inspiring evening! Register now and tune in on February 12th to learn more about how you can get involved throughout the week.


COVID-19 Reminder

Reminder COVID-19 Symptomatic testing is no longer available at Parker. As with other illnesses, if your student has a fever, they must stay home until they are without fever for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication. If they are presenting with symptoms that make it difficult for them to be in school, please keep your student home. If your student is presenting with COVID-19 symptoms, please test them before sending them to school. Two boxes of free COVID-19 Rapid Antigen test kits labeled with the student’s name were distributed to each student to bring home this week. Lastly, we are requesting that staff, students, and families wear masks to protect others while they are ill at Parker. Please reach out to Nurse Lisa at [email protected] with any questions.


Yearbooks

Click here to order your yearbook from Jostens. Prices will increase by $5 after January 31st. Make sure to scroll the page to find the correct version of the book you’d like to order. Yearbook ($55) is the hard cover book, while the soft cover ($35) and Division 1 ($15) books are listed lower on the page as Exclusive Offer. Division 1 books contain everything but sections for Division 2, Juniors, Seniors, and senior parent ad pages.


Seniors: Don’t forget to submit your baby photo and senior portrait by January 31st!

 

Don't Miss the Application Deadline (March 1st)!

Parker is currently accepting applications for students entering grades 7, 8 and 9. Siblings of current students planning to attend the Parker School for the 2024-2025 school year MUST complete an application and return it to Parker no later than March 1, 2024. Current students do not need to reapply. You are welcome to call our front office prior to March 1, 2024, to verify your application has been received. You may click here to sign up any of the remaining Information Sessions. The Lottery will be held on Thursday, March 7, at 4 PM. Please send interested friends to parker.school/enroll for more information.

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 - Jan 15 MLK, Jr. Day - No School
Thu-Fri Jan 18-19 Gateways
Mon - Jan 22 Faculty Planning - No Classes
Tue - Jan 23 Second Semester Begins
Tue-Wed Feb 6-7 10th Grade Biology 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: [email protected]
your family's or student's health email: [email protected]
mental health/emotional support needs email: [email protected]
food insecurity/free and reduced school lunch needs email: [email protected]

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.

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Weekly Information for April 26th

By Cindy Johnson • 27 Apr, 2024
Dear Parker families, students and staff, Thank you to Parker families for launching the new Parker Parent/Caregiving Community Group. Parker was founded by local families who envisioned a different type of school and community. We value and appreciate the tremendous support and leadership of Parker families. There are many ways to get involved in the PPCC, including joining the Facebook group , helping with Teacher/Staff Appreciation, welcoming new families to Parker and more. See the details below. We are planning many fun community events for new and returning families this Spring and summer. Please mark your calendars for a Parker community event kicking off our celebrations of our 30th year of school. This event will be held on June 14th at 5 pm at the Sterling Street Brewery on Jackson Road in Devens, MA . We hope to see you there. Thank you for helping to make Parker a strong and vibrant community. Brian

Weekly Information for April 12th

By Cindy Johnson • 14 Apr, 2024
Dear Parker families, students and staff, Thank you to the teachers and students in the Spanish domain and the Senior Seminar who, this last Wednesday night, pulled off the annual double-header of Noche Sabrosa and Senior Project Exhibition Night ! Thank you, as well, to all the families and community members who took time out of their evening to support the many students whose projects and hard work – either in Spanish class or in their Senior Projects – were on display. The Spanish hallway corridor was jam packed with sweet and savory smells – and lots of Spanish language discussion – and the Gym had the energy and buzz of a convention hall. It was a lovely evening of community in our building, and it wouldn’t have been possible without long hours of staff planning, setting up, and cleaning up; it also would not have been possible without all the love and support of families and friends. I hope that you have a terrific April break. Brian

Weekly Information for April 5th

By Cindy Johnson • 07 Apr, 2024
Dear Parker families, students and staff, Dear Parker Students, Families, and Staff, Thank you for your flexibility and resilience with the delayed opening on Thursday. With students coming from 40 towns, the storm impacted students and families very differently. As always, we encourage you to make the decision that is right for your family based on local conditions. Thank you for your partnership. A huge shout out to the cast and crew of 13 Roses , Parker’s Spring show that opened Thursday. Join us on Friday or Saturday night for the last two shows. 13 Roses features multiple short vignettes about love, directed and performed by Parker students. It is funny, sweet and wildly entertaining. Please see two notes below regarding the solar eclipse on Monday, April 8th and student attendance at Parker building off a recent NT Times article. Thanks to Diane, Carter and Jon Churchill for their leadership and reflections. Have a great weekend, Brian Solar Eclipse Note On Monday, April 8, we will have the rare and exciting opportunity to view the solar eclipse. While we will not be in the zone of totality, we will see almost 95% of the sun blocked by the moon. We have ordered eclipse-viewing glasses for every student, which we will distribute on Monday, and we plan to use Monday’s academic advising time from 3:10-3:30 to go to the Outback for viewing. Div 1 MST classes will definitely be spending some time on Monday learning about eclipses as a part of our current space unit! Because the eclipse will peak at 3:29, this will bump right up against our normal 3:30 dismissal time. Students can depart at 3:30 if they wish, but realistically, we anticipate that many will still be watching and carpool will likely be impacted. Please consider delaying pickup by 10 or 15 minutes, or parking in P5 and joining us at 3:20 in the outback to watch as well. Diane Student Attendance Note Last week, the New York Times ran an article titled, “ Why School Absences Have ‘Exploded’ Almost Everywhere .” The crux of the article deals with the claim that the COVID-19 pandemic and the ways in which schools across the country changed their operations during the pandemic – including remote schooling, changes in how teachers assess learning, and changes in attendance tracking - have “changed families lives and the culture of education.” This article is not the first of its kind in recent months, and it is not saying anything that hasn’t already been in the national discussion, via various media outlets and research centers; it does, however, share some fascinating statistics and anecdotes, and is worth the read if you have a few minutes. In that same vein, here are a couple notes regarding absenteeism at Parker in recent years: Parker is not special in the context of this national conversation. Our chronic absenteeism numbers (defined in the article as having missed 10% or more of school days to date – 18 days or more over a full school year) have increased as follows: prior to the pandemic, 1 in 8 Parker students missed more than 10% of the year. Following the pandemic, that proportion has grown to 1 in 6 students. What feels most notable is that the change happened over the course of only two school years, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021, and has held steady since. Though the numbers are not the same in every district in the region – some are lower than ours and others are higher – this pattern of a sharp, significant increase that then holds is consistent everywhere across Massachusetts. The above article suggests it’s consistent just about everywhere in the U.S. So how do we feel about this, and what should we do? At Parker, our policy on attendance reflects our belief that “regular, timely attendance is vital to ensure academic progress” and “each student’s interaction with her or his classmates and advisory peers on a daily basis is a critical component of the learning process.” Every student and every family faces significant challenges in the course of their lives, and we know that some challenges are so great they unavoidably conflict with a child’s ability to attend school regularly. Yesterday morning, while leading a session with visiting prospective students for next year and group of current Parker “host” students, Carter spoke about our Advisory program and said, “The whole point of Advisory at Parker revolves around the fact that you, the student, are the leader of your own education, but there are a lot of people, including those in your advisory group, who are on your team, backing you up.” Families are, of course, key players on that team, and as your teammates, we want to join you in encouraging your kids to come to school so they can learn with their peers, build and maintain community friendships, and help keep Parker the great place it is. And, of course, when they have a fever, we hope they get plenty of rest and feel better soon.  -Carter Cox & Jon Churchill

Weekly Information for March 29th

By Cindy Johnson • 31 Mar, 2024
Dear Parker families, students and staff, We appreciate your support for the culture of adult collaboration and continuous learning that defines the Parker faculty. We are lucky to work with thoughtful and committed professionals who embrace this team approach. We meet as teaching teams every day, with extended opportunities on early release Wednesdays. We use that time to plan lessons and design curriculum, learn and grow as a faculty, and discuss ways that we can better support students individually and collectively. These opportunities for professional development are important in every school, none more so than Parker. This past Wednesday was a great example of how our commitment to professional growth supports student learning at Parker. Once a year, we invite secondary educators from around the region to join us for a workshop called Looking at Student and Adult Work. This is not only an opportunity to disseminate our work, a requirement of all charter schools, it also helps to shine a light on key elements of our program and welcome feedback. During the session, Parker teachers shared the goals and expectations for standards-based assessments in their class. Participants used protocols to make observations and build meaning, referring to Parker’s articulated Criteria for Excellence, associated rubrics, and the work itself. This represents an essential opportunity to ask for feedback, reflect and revise – just like our students. All the best, Brian

Weekly Information for March 22nd

By Cindy Johnson • 23 Mar, 2024
Dear Parker families, students and staff, It was a blustery start to the Spring sports season, but we are excited to kick off the season. We have over 100 students participating in Baseball, Softball, Girls Lacrosse with Bromfield, Ultimate Frisbee, and Track and Field. We are looking forward to a fun and competitive spring. Students are still welcome to sign up for any of these sports. Please see Ben Benoit or Lisa Zick to register. Please join us for the upcoming Spring Show at 7:00 PM on April 4, 5 and 6 . Our students are hard at work and making great progress. This year’s Spring Show is entitled 13 Roses . As the title implies, each student-directed play is a short love story - some silly, strange or a little dark. No tickets will be sold in advance, so please arrive early to buy your ticket at the door for $10 . We look forward to seeing you! We are excited to experience the upcoming solar eclipse on Monday, April 8th as a school community. On Devens, we will experience 94% totality at 3:29 pm. We are planning to spend the last block of the day outside as an extended Advisory, dismissing at 3:30 pm as normal. We will provide every student with certified eclipse glasses to ensure safety. We look forward to this exciting and rare learning opportunity. Have a great weekend. Brian

Weekly Information for March 15th

By Cindy Johnson • 15 Mar, 2024
Dear Parker families, students and staff, It was great to see everyone in the building today for PLP conferences. It is an important moment of reflection for our students as they review their progress on their personal goals for the year. Among the topics of conversation today for some students was daily attendance and tardies. This has been an area of focus statewide, led by the Governor and Secretary of Education. It is obviously essential for students to show up on time and ready to learn every day. We appreciate that many absences are the result of documented health concerns. We take a hands-on and personal approach to attendance, informing and partnering with families across the year. Please talk to your advisors or Carter with specific concerns about your child’s attendance. Good luck to our Seniors and all students preparing to Gateway at the end of the year. Thanks to those who attended the Support our Seniors potluck this week. To all our students, work hard, reflect, revise and take a few risks. We look forward to a busy and exciting Spring ahead. Thank you to everyone who welcomed our visitors from Georgia this week, particularly the Parker families who hosted Georgian students in your home. It was fun to learn and share alongside our international guests. Congratulations to the Green team for a huge win at the buzzer in this week’s Student-Faculty Basketball game. The event was immensely fun including when Kafi, our referee, declared herself in charge and decreed Monday to be a school holiday (which it was already scheduled to be). Have a great (long) weekend! Brian
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