Weekly Information for January 19th

Dear Parker families, students and staff,

Congratulations to the 52 students from every division and domain who gatewayed over the past two days. The students did an outstanding job, showcasing their learning, answering questions and welcoming feedback from the audience. Thanks to the peers, teachers and families who supported the students along the way and attended their gateway. It was a terrific celebration of their growth and success.

Next week will be an exciting week of transition for many students. All the students who gatewayed will start in their new division next week. Students in Division 3 begin new classes on Tuesday. We also have six new students in grades 7 and 9 joining Parker next week. They will join Parker 101 and 7th Seminar and jump right into advisory and classes. We are thrilled to welcome these new students to Parker.

So many of our students will either be new to Parker, new to the division or starting a new schedule next week. That’s a lot of change, which can be both exciting and stressful. As always, the Parker community will help students through the transition. Ask for help, say hi to someone new, invite students to eat with you at lunch. We are all better for it.



Have a great long weekend. Monday is a professional development day for teachers as we prepare for the start of second semester. See you all on Tuesday.   

Brian

Faculty Planning on Monday

There will be no school for students on Monday, January 22. Classes will resume on Tuesday, January 23, for the first day of the second semester.

Newly Formed Parent Group

Reminder that parents are welcome to join the Parker Parent and Caregiver Community group (PPCC0. 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 families new to Parker and a space where parents/caregivers from different towns can get to know each other, both online and in person, to support one another, the teachers and school.

Join the Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3718239368409629

Save the date: the PPCC will hold a remote meeting on Monday, February 5th, at 11:00 AM. Meeting link provided beforehand.

Faculty and Staff Valentine Appreciation Event Sponsored by Parker Families

Valentine’s Day is in a few weeks and it's time for the Faculty and Staff Appreciation Event to show our Parker staff a little love. The idea is simple - we are hoping to gift a book or gift card to every staff member. If you would like to participate, you will be assigned a staff member and given information on their book preferences. You would then purchase a book or gift card as a gift from the Parker community for that staff member and drop it off or have it mailed to Parker. If you're ready to sign up or have questions, please complete this form. Thank you for helping to celebrate and appreciate Parker’s stellar staff!

Parker Annual Fund

What makes Parker, Parker?

Authentic student teacher relationships. How does that happen? Small class sizes, advisory, low student teacher ratios, and adults that care!

Make a gift today to support the extraordinary things that happen at Parker. We need everyone’s help to reach our $200,00 goal!

Coach of the Year

We congratulated Athletic Director Ben Benoit earlier for being recognized as the Boys' Cross-country Coach of the Year by the United States Track and Field and Cross-country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Now we are congratulating him for being named as the MA State Track Coaches Association Coach of the Year for Boys Division 3 Cross Country 2023! Ben’s coaching peers voted him as the recipient of this honor, and he will be presented with the award at a conference in March. Congratulations, Ben!

Yearbooks

Reminder that yearbook prices will increase by $5 after January 31st. Click here to order your yearbook from Jostens.

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.

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.