Weekly Information for May 9, 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

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

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

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

Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, I hope that you have a terrific April break with those who you love. Get outside, read a book, take a nap, dig in the garden, play a game, take a trip – these are some of the plans our students have for the week ahead. Whatever your plans, come back ready for a rigorous and celebratory end of the year at Parker. Have a great break! Brian