March 10, 2024

Weekly Information for March 8th

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Dear Parker families, students and staff,


We are looking forward to Spring and the longer days ahead, aided of course by the start of daylight savings this Sunday. We had a brief taste of Spring today. We are excited to welcome ten student visitors from the country of Georgia this week, one of two student exchanges that we are hosting this year. Thank you to the families who are hosting. We look forward to seeing all students and families at PLP conferences next Friday, March 15th. This is an important opportunity to check in on PLP goals, successes, and challenges. We will also check in on attendance and tardies, emphasizing the importance of classroom time to student learning and growth. Thank you for joining us as always.


Reminder that we have a March holiday on Monday, March 18. That is also the first day of Spring sports including Baseball, Softball, Track & Field, Ultimate Frisbee and Girls’ Co-op Lacrosse through Bromfield. All students are welcome to participate in one of these sports. Please contact Lisa Zick with registration questions and Ben Benoit with sports-related questions.


Have a great weekend.

Brian

This week’s topics: 
  • Support Our Seniors #2
  • Spring PLPs
  • Enrollment Thanks
  • IEP Research Volunteers
  • Free Trees
  • Parker Fund
  • Community Congress School Store
  • Register Now for Spring Sports!

Class of 2024 Support Our Seniors (SOS) #2 on March 13th

Seniors and their parents/guardians are invited to Support Our Seniors #2 on Wednesday, March 13th, from 7-8:30 PM in the Parker gym. SOS #2 is an evening designed to help our seniors and their families talk about the transitions that come with graduation. Please bring a dessert to share. Thanks!


Spring PLP Conferences

Spring PLP Conferences will be held on Friday, March 15. Each Division leads the Spring Conference a little differently. For some it is a time to reflect on the progress students have made toward their PLP goals. For others it is also a time to check in on the status of portfolios and/or academic standing.


Please remember there are no classes on this day, and it is specifically set aside to have these important conversations. Each family (with their student) will be asked to come to school for a 30-minute appointment, and families should make every effort to schedule their conferences on the 15th.


You should have made an appointment for each child you have in the school. If you are not able to make it for an appointment on March 15, please reach out directly to your child’s advisor to find another day/time that is mutually possible. If you can meet on March 15 but someone needs to attend remotely, please go ahead and book an appointment using the link provided by the advisor and then reach out to your child’s advisor to request a remote meeting link.


NOTE: Monday, March 18, there is no school and the school is closed for a long weekend.

 

Enrollment THANKS

MANY THANKS to everyone in the Parker Community for their support during our Annual Enrollment Period, Including our Information Sessions, Classroom Visits, Socials, and Shadow Days. A special Thank You to everyone who picked up and posted YARD SIGNS! If you still have one up, please take it down and recycle it. The waterproof coated paperboard has done its job for the season. This work is not possible without your help, and we appreciate your time and effort.


IEP Research Volunteers

Parker Parent Jennifer Stach is conducting her doctoral research with families of students who have been on an educational plan (an IEP or a 504), examining ways to inform parents how their student will access accommodations in college. She is looking for volunteers to take part in a working group which will consider what steps SEPAC might take to assist parents in this area. Participants will be asked to review several documents related to the research topic before participating in 2 Zoom meetings being held on March 11 and March 20 from 7-830PM. If you do not have a Zoom account, you will be given access to a web-based login. The total time commitment is expected to be approximately 3.5 hours. The working group will ultimately be creating a program or information source to help Parker Parents have better information about how to support their child in college.


If you are interested in participating, please complete this form: Link to sign up. Your support is greatly appreciated. If you have any questions or concerns, please email Jen at [email protected]


Free Trees

Sign up to Order FREE Native Trees for your yard or Parker’s Pocket Forest Project. Deadline is March 15th. Please sign up to receive a free tree from Neighborhood Forest! Please use the link below and they will ship them to the Hazen Memorial Library (Shirley) during Earth week (April 22nd-26th). If you don’t have space to plant the tree at home, your child can plant it at the Devens Pocket Forest near the Devens playground. More information on the Pocket Forest Project will be shared in the coming month. https://www.neighborhoodforest.org/parent-registration/?school=48673


Parker Fund

WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP! Gifts from our current families are an essential foundation to our fundraising efforts and are a show of support for Parker’s extraordinary faculty, staff, and program.  It is our goal to have 100% participation among our current families. EVERY gift matters and makes a difference!

To make your 2023-2024 school year gift, click here.


Community Congress School Store

Parker school store is back! The Community Congress (CC), which is a collection of students in all divisions, has worked hard for a few months to create a new school store which will raise funds for our group. The CC found a new vendor, sent out a survey trying to pick the best products, worked on color and design, all to return Parker’s beloved merchandise. Ten percent (10%) of the profit will be returned to the CC as we work hard to raise money to put back into the school.


A few weeks ago, we approved Composting! The people who work hard to serve lunch now will compost any extra compostable material! This was due to the idea, hard work, and money raised by the CC members! The link below will bring you to this store, not only do you support the school, but you also get some awesome clothes!


Click here to view the Community Congress School Store

 

Register Now for Spring Sports!

The following Parker sports teams will be offered this spring:

  • Baseball
  • Softball
  • Track & Field
  • Ultimate Frisbee
  • Girls’ Co-op Lacrosse through Bromfield

All practices begin on Monday, March 18th, and will be held Monday through Friday that week. Please register as soon as possible using this form: Athlete Registration. Parents must provide proof of a current physical exam at the beginning of every season of participation. Sports User Fee of $300 and is due prior to the first game. Click here 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:
Tue - Mar 12 Board of Trustees
Wed - Mar 13 Support Our Seniors Dessert Potluck
Fri - Mar 15 Spring PLPs - NO CLASSES
Mon - Mar 18 March Holiday - NO SCHOOL
Mon - Mar 18 Spring Sports Begin
Sat - Mar 23 Practice ACT
Tue - Mar 26 10th Grade ELA MCAS
Wed - Mar 27 NOON Dismissal

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.

Recent Posts

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
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
By Cindy Johnson May 23, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, The next few weeks will be very busy and meaningful for our school. Students, work hard, ask for help and finish strong. As we approach Graduation, Gateways, Junior Retreat and much more, take a moment to thank all your teachers, family and friends who have supported you and contributed to your success. We don’t do it alone. We are looking forward to tonight’s prom at Wachusett. We appreciate the Parker teachers and families who help to make prom a safe and fun evening for our students. It is one of the many ways that we come together to celebrate and build memories as a community. Next Wednesday, May 28th, we welcome Rabbi Josh Breindel as our guest speaker for a community conversation on antisemitism and hate speech. The community conversation will focus on the history and impact of the Nazi swastika, its unique impact on the Jewish community with its association to antisemitism, and its use in the normalization of hate speech more broadly towards other groups. We explore what steps young people can take to stand up and bring hope. Thank you to the Multicultural Connections student group for hosting this important discussion. We end the day with Advisory reflections and an activity. Thank you to the Parker Parent and Caregiver Community (PPCC) for hosting yesterday’s Ice Cream Social for new students and families. We had over 100 attendees. We will be hosting a series of events over the spring and summer to welcome new students and families, including a potluck dinner the night before registration day on Tuesday, August 26th. Details to come. I hope that you enjoy the long weekend with your family and friends. On Monday, May 26th we observe Memorial Day, a solemn remembrance of the 1.3 million Americans in the military who died serving our country. We appreciate the men and women in uniform for their service and ultimate sacrifice to ensure our freedoms. We pause on this day in remembrance and gratitude. Brian
By Cindy Johnson May 17, 2025
Dear Parker Families, Students, and Staff, I’m writing to invite your participation in an ongoing conversation in the Parker community about the presence and impacts – both positive and negative – of phones and other “smart” devices in school. As you may be aware, the Massachusetts State Legislature is considering a bill – co-sponsored by State Attorney General Andrea Campbell – in its current legislative session that would require public schools in the state to restrict student phone use during school hours. You may also be aware New York recently passed a similar bill, joining dozens of states who have either already passed or, like Massachusetts, are in the process of considering new legislation regarding phones in schools. They are doing this in response to the growing rate of concern about the impact phones can and do have on learning. In conversations at school over the last month, teachers and students agree: phones are distracting, and they impact class. Students appreciate the connection phones provide to their families, and faculty understand phones are an important logistical tool in everyone’s lives, so it feels like a dilemma our current practices do not acknowledge. This should not seem surprising if one knows our current phone/device practice, as described in the Community Handbook, was last revised in 2012. The capabilities, applications of, and cultural embeddedness of phone and other smart technology have evolved immensely in the United States since then. So this is an important and perhaps overdue conversation for the Parker community to be having. Since its founding, Parker has been committed both in mission and in daily practice to moving students to the center of the learning process with Ted Sizer’s 10 Common Principles as our guiding philosophy, and over the last thirty years, students and adults have consistently cited strength of community as the strongest, most positive indicator of that mission in action. Students will have continued opportunity in the coming weeks to engage in conversation about how the presence of personal devices factors into the strength of our community, and we want to hear the voices of parents, guardians, and caregivers as well. To that end, we will be holding a discussion forum on Thursday, June 5, at 6:30 for adults to hear about the discussions going on at school this spring and contribute their own thoughts and questions to the dialogue. As a kicking off point and shared experience, part of our discussion will be reacting to two articles we encourage you to read in advance: Jonathan Haidt’s article from 2023 in The Atlantic, “Phones in School Are a Disaster” Natasha Singer’s article from 2024 in The New York Times, “Why Schools are Racing to Ban Cell Phones” If you can’t access the above links, pick up a hard copy in the front office. Reading the articles is not necessary for attendance! Please RSVP - we very much hope to see you there. Sincerely, Carter What: Adult discussion about phones in school When: Thursday, June 5, 2025, from 6:30-7:30 PM Where: In-person at Parker RSVP HERE
By Cindy Johnson May 10, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, Thank you to the entire Parker faculty for sharing your time, expertise and passion. Our students are very lucky! We are nearing the end of Teacher Appreciation Week. We have been treated to gifts and goodies all week from members of the Parker Parent and Caregiver Community (PPCC). Thank you for the generosity and thoughtfulness of Parker families. This weekend, we celebrate and thank our moms. To all the moms who provide selfless love and support, in ways that only a mother can provide, we appreciate you! We turn our attention and affection towards our moms this weekend. Have a very Happy Mother’s Day. Finally, congratulations to all the Seniors who presented their Senior Exhibitions this week, with two final days next week. Senior Exhibitions have always been a celebration of our Seniors and our whole program. Visitors from the Utah Board of Education joined us this week to serve as panelists, visit classes and meet with students. At the end of their visit, they reflected that Parker strikes an appropriate balance between personalization and transferable skills with academic rigor. They were beyond impressed by our school and our students! Have a great weekend. Brian
By Cindy Johnson May 4, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, Starting this spring, students in the Multicultural Connections Community Block will host a series of community conversations around issues of importance to our school. The Multicultural Connections Community Block was created earlier this year in response to the multiple instances of antisemitic hate speech that we found on campus. The group provides a safe space for students of different races, cultures and religions to come together for reflection and celebration. We appreciate their proactive leadership and support of one another. To engage their classmates, students in Multicultural Connections are piloting a series of community conversations, by division. We are planning to invite guest speakers to visit Parker once or twice a year, engage in a discussion facilitated by students, followed by Advisory reflections. The first community conversation will focus on antisemitism and hate speech. We are pleased to welcome Rabbi Josh Breindel from Congregation Beth El in Sudbury as our guest speaker. We have been working closely with Rabbi Josh for the past two years. Rabbi Josh has provided invaluable guidance and perspective as we condemned antisemitism and hate speech, supported Jewish students and promoted the physical and emotional safety of all students and staff. Rabbi Josh comes to Parker as a friend, partner and educator. The community conversation will focus on the history and impact of the Nazi swastika, its unique impact on the Jewish community with its association to antisemitism, and its use in the normalization of hate speech more broadly towards other groups. We explore what steps young people can take to stand up and bring hope. The community conversation takes place on Wednesday, May 28. Each division will participate in the discussion and Advisory reflection. We will share additional details and the schedule to come. Next year, we will follow a similar format for community conversations on issues of importance to our diverse student body. We are proud of our students for serving as upstanders and providing leadership to live our values as a loving and inclusive community. With respect, Brian