September 25, 2026

Weekly Information for September 25, 2026

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Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff,


We are committed to ensuring that Parker is a safe and supportive environment for all students. Not only does this align with our common principles of democracy and equity and establishing a tone of decency and trust, we believe it is critical to support student learning and growth. We believe that Parker should honor diversity, demonstrate inclusive practices, and explicitly challenge all forms of inequity. We believe that families are key collaborators and vital members of our school community. Today, we reaffirm these values in support of immigrant students and families, many of whom feel unsafe in the current climate.


On August 5, 2026, Governor Healey signed the PROTECT Act, a law that prohibits civil law enforcement, including federal immigration enforcement, on school grounds without a Judicial Warrant or Judicial Order. This law applies during school hours, student drop off and pick up windows, before and after-school programming and school-sponsored events, on and off campus. If you would like to read the full policy, please see the Parker Community Handbook…

COMMUNITY HANDBOOK


All children have the right to attend public schools regardless of their national origin or immigration status. We are committed to ensuring that students and families may come to school without fear and will comply with all applicable state laws to ensure protection. We continue to maintain open and timely communication with our students and families. We work together to support and live our core values. Please reach out with questions or concerns.


Respectfully,

Brian

This week’s topics: 
  • Athletics Event!
  • Parker 101
  • Community Connections Night
  • Support Our Seniors Potluck
  • PLP Conferences on October 9th
  • College Fair for Juniors and Seniors
  • PLP Day Blood Drive
  • MCAS Results and Portal Access
  • From the Wellness Team
  • From the Health Office
  • Kitchen Assistant Opening
  • Hourly Substitute Opportunity
FanFest Athletics Event

Attention Parker families: next Friday, October 2nd, Parker will have its Fall Fanfest celebrating the fall sports teams. Enjoy a hot dog and some lemonade while the girls Varsity soccer team takes on Assabet high school up on Antietam field. Parker students (and families) of all ages are encouraged to come to the game and support the panthers. Students who come to school wearing green or black and who also attend the FanFest will be entered into a raffle drawing filled with Parker swag! Hope you can make it! Email Henry Schrader (Hschrader@theparkerschool.org) 


Parker 101 for Parents/Guardians

Parker parents, guardians, and caretakers of students who are new (or relatively new) to Parker are encouraged to join us for an orientation to academics and assessment at Parker on Tuesday, September 29 from 6:30-8PM. If you missed this last year and want to come, please do! We know that how we assess student skills and evaluate student work is quite different from many schools and this program is designed to help you understand the what, why, and how of assessments and feedback.

In this session, we will explore our core beliefs about assessment, how we assess student learning including the evaluation continuum we use, and the types of assessments students will be asked to work on. You will also learn about the Habits of Learning which guide how we talk with students about the skills and dispositions of being a learner, and we will preview the upcoming PLP Conferences so you are familiar with the purpose of PLPs and have a better idea of what to expect. This session will be hosted by Parker students, parents, and teachers, each sharing their perspectives on these topics. We hope to see you there!


Community Connections Night on September 29

We invite all members of the Parker community to meet with the Class of 2026 and learn about their Senior Projects on Tuesday, September 29th from 7-8:15 PM in the Gym! We hope you will offer suggestions for:

  • resources they could access
  • people/organizations with whom they might collaborate
  • experiential opportunities they could pursue
  • product ideas they might consider.

PLEASE BRING GUESTS from inside and outside the Parker community—the more people who come to talk to our seniors, the better! You can preview the students’ topic areas in the document linked below. If you, your friends, colleagues, or relatives have expertise or interest in these or related areas, we would be so grateful for you to join us and our Seniors on Tuesday evening. Even if you don’t know about all of these areas, asking our Seniors curious and thoughtful questions can help them practice how they discuss their work with others and think about the choices they are making as they shape their project plans.

Class of 2027 Senior Project Topics


Support Our Seniors Potluck

Seniors and their families are invited to join in conversation around the expectations, excitement, and challenges of the year ahead on Tuesday, September 29th from 5:30-7 PM in the Gym. Senior Seminar teachers/advisors will provide an overview of the senior year, Senior Project, and the graduation requirements along with this year’s installment of “Dear Diary”—a not-to-be-missed crowd favorite! Please bring a dish to share!


PLP Conferences on October 9th

Families will soon hear from their child's advisors to set up a meeting time for PLP Conferences (Personal Learning Plans) – expect an email from advisors by early next week. This is a student/family/advisor conference – if you are new to Parker, your child’s advisor will give you a longer introduction to the process! PLP Conferences are one of the traditions that help us to know our students well and support them in being at the center of their own education by setting their own goals for the year. Please look for the email with a booking link from your child’s advisor and select an appointment time on Oct 9. The appointment links are advisory-specific, so be sure to use the link sent in an email by each of your child’s advisors (if you have more than one student at Parker). If you cannot make any of the times on 10/9 and/or if you need to attend remotely, please email your child’s advisor to set that up. There are no regular classes scheduled on PLP day and your student’s attendance is based on attending the conference.


College Fair

Juniors and Seniors! If you would like to attend the college fair on September 30th, please see your email for more information and links for how to sign up. See Jinnee with any questions.


PLP Day Blood Drive

Parker and our future nursing students are hosting our second PLP blood drive on October 9th! Did you know that one blood donation can save up to three lives?! Please consider donating when you're here for PLPs. To schedule an appointment, go to https://bit.ly/parkerschool109. Contact Jinnee if you have any questions.


MCAS Results and Portal Access

If you have a student in another public school district and/or follow the news, you may know that MCAS scores from last spring were just released AND DESE has created a new tool for families called the MCAS Portal where you can access MCAS information directly. We will be in touch with families next week with score information from last year and access information for the DESE MCAS Family Portal, for those who are interested. Thanks.


From the Wellness Team

Dear Parker Families or Division I and II students, 

Next week all Parker students will have the opportunity in school to complete the Fall mile run. Parker Wellness uses the amount of time it takes for an individual to run a mile as a standard measure of cardiovascular health. While it is not a complete picture, it is a measure that gives us a snapshot of the student’s cardiovascular endurance. We strongly encourage every student to try their best to run a mile, no matter how long it takes. Doing so will allow them to compare their own endurance later on as they progress through our program. 

Parent FAQ's:

Can the student run the mile outside of class? YES!! They only need to submit a screenshot of their time and copy their Wellness teacher and parents on the email.

What if my student cannot/should not/etc run a mile? Please email their wellness teacher ASAP to excuse them from this requirement if it is not suitable to their physical health!

As a parent how can I get involved? Everyone could use a little help getting motivated sometimes! Please encourage and support your teen to run a mile, if the are nervous, remind them that its okay to walk a little and run a little. Help them feel comfortable by reminding them to pack sneakers, an extra shirt and bad deodorant.

Please let us know if you have questions,

The Parker Wellness team

Div 1: Kafi kbeckles@theparkerschool.org and Henry Hschrader@theparkerschool.org

Div 2: Luke lmcintyre@theparkerschool.org and Aly AMckenna@theparkerschool.org


From the Health Office - Unauthorized 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 medical documentation is required for all medications.

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.

Email Nurse Lisa at lzick@theparkerschool.org with questions.


Kitchen Assistant Opening

Parker is currently seeking part-time help in our kitchen. Click here for more information.


Hourly Substitute Opportunity

Parker is currently seeking responsible, caring adults interested in working with middle and high school students as classroom substitutes. Familiarity with Parker’s mission and academic program is preferred. Substitutes will be called on an “as needed” basis based on their availability and will support students in following plans left by classroom teachers. Please contact Gabby at gbrummer@theparkerschool.org if interested.

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:
Tues - Sep 29 Support our Seniors Potluck
Tues - Sep 29 Parker 101
Tues - Sep 29 Community Connections Night
Fri - Oct 2 Fall FanFest Varsity Soccer Game
Mon-Wed - Oct 5-7 Div 1 Nature's Classroom Trip
Fri - Oct 9 Fall PLPs (No Classes)
Fri - Oct 9 School Photo Retakes
Wed - Oct 14 SAT/PSAT
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

Recent Posts

Weekly Information for September 18, 2026

By Gabby Brummer • September 18, 2026
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, The first month of the school year is when we start to frame the year ahead. I sometimes think about a picture or piece of art and the difference a frame can make for it. The frame I choose can add definition, it can add substance, it can connect to and expand a smaller object into a larger one; the frame establishes the outline, it directs our eye and attention to whatever is in the middle. As I see it, the frames we start to define in September help us to focus our attention on the year ahead—and all of the challenges, learning, and excitement it will hold. Last night we hosted our annual Back to School Night for families—a chance for parents and caregivers of our students to learn about their student’s division, to meet their student’s teachers, to experience an activity their students have engaged in, and to preview the year ahead. It is one of the ways that we frame the academic work of the year ahead for families and I am always impressed at how much energy we build by coming together for this event. People left here excited and engaged with each other even as we passed 9 PM! We have also been doing important work this month building connections and engaging students in thinking about our essential question. This work and the conversations we’ve had set a frame for our collaboration and how we work together to build community. We have been doing this work through Super Advisory groups: small advisory clusters of students from across different divisions. These initial conversations were led by advisors and then Division 3 students. As we move through the year, students in Division 2 and then 1 will have their own chance to facilitate some activities in Super Advisory, with each session contributing to the evolving picture that will fill the community frame we are establishing together. Please join us for some upcoming events to continue to add your contributions. We hope to see you at Parker 101 if your student is new to the school, or for Community Connections Night to learn about and share resources with the Class of 2027 for their Senior Projects. (Additional information on both events are below.) All of what we do from here will continue to paint the pictures of this year—and it is always an honor to see what the particular community members who are here in this moment contribute to that process. With appreciation for what each of you contributes to our school, Bex

Information for September 11, 2026

By Xalli Gordon-Chavez • September 11, 2026
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, As you may know, Parker was started 32 years ago by local parents who wanted to play an active role in a new kind of school. Our partnership with families is essential to the success of our students. There are many ways to get involved. First and most importantly, we appreciate that 100% of our families actively participate in Registration Day on August 26 th and PLP days on October 9 th and March 12 th . Helping students develop personalized goals and learning plans, and building a strong relationship with their advisors, provides a strong foundation for the year. We also welcome you to attend Back to School night next Thursday, September 17 th . Families will experience Parker as their child does, following an abbreviated schedule to meet their teachers and get a feel for a typical day. Back to School night begins with Divisional orientations at 6:15 pm and classes start at 7:00 pm. This is a great night to learn about your child’s classes, but not their individual performance. If you have specific questions about your child, please reach out to their Advisors. We invite families to join the Parker Parent and Caregiver Community (PPCC) and the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC). To get involved in the PPCC please send them an email at parkercaregivers@gmail.com and join their Facebook page . To get involved in SEPAC email them at parkerpac7@gmail.com . We thank the PPCC and SEPAC for their voice, support, and leadership. Families are also welcome to join one of the many committees, boards, working groups, or advocacy efforts of the school. If you are intrigued and want to learn more, see Brian or one of our staff members at Back to School Night. We are also looking for substitute teachers and some assistance in the library if you have time in your schedule. If you have questions or are interested, please reach out to Gabby ( gbrummer@theparkerschool.org or Bex ( bwilusz@theparkerschool.org . We always need families to help with key elements of the curriculum. For example, Math, Science and Technology (MST) is hoping to schedule up to six field trips for small groups of high-school aged students in the Spring to STEM-related businesses or non-profits in our region. One of our parents hosted students at Bristol Myers Squibb two years ago. Our students had an incredible experience exploring biotechnology research and development. If you may be interested in hosting a small group of Parker students and teachers, please let Brian or Diane ( dkruse@theparkerschool.org ) know. Finally, our Seniors need your help with their year-long Senior projects. On Tuesday, September 29 th at 7:00 pm we are hosting Community Connections Night, an opportunity for students to share their essential questions and ask for feedback, research ideas, and connections from Parker families. That same night, we host Parker 101 at 6:30 pm for new families to learn more about our program. Many families attend both events that evening.  I hope this is received as it was intended – an open invitation to get involved in ways that work for you and your family. We appreciate and value your partnership! We look forward to seeing you at Parker. Brian

Weekly Information for September 4, 2026

By Xalli Gordon-Chavez • September 8, 2026
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, Essential questions are rich, complex questions that don’t have single or simple answers. They invite us to wonder about big ideas, to be curious, to seek to understand our own experience in the context of the broader human experience over time and across similarities and differences with others. Good essential questions (which we often call EQs) have a way of calling us to seek out answers and every “answer” raises new questions or illuminates different perspectives, propelling deeper inquiry. Every year, our students help us choose the essential question we will focus on as a school. In the spring, the junior class works in their advisories and as a class to develop themes and rough drafts of questions before debating and discussing and narrowing the many compelling possibilities down to two. On the last day of school, our students vote and at the Big End we share the EQ for the next year. This year’s question is: How can we grow by taking accountability? When I first heard our EQ, my attention went almost exclusively to the end—to the idea of accountability. How do we foster a sense of accountability? Is accountability internally generated or externally enforced—or always both? How does being accountable help foster growth and development? But as I sat with this question and talked about it with colleagues, the richness of the question unfolded and the complexity of what our students have asked us to think about this year came into fuller view. This question focuses on community—on we, not I. This prompts us to think about what holds us together when we aren’t all the same, if we don’t agree or share a common perspective, if we feel pulled by different priorities. It compels us to look around us and generate agreements, foster collaboration, develop alliances, and even to trust. This question asks us to grow—to stretch ourselves, to change, to develop, to move from where we are to a different, hopefully improved, perhaps more complex version of ourselves as a school community. And, finally, this question asks us to consider what we are responsible for, what we might have some ownership of, how we identify and take pride in the quality of our choices, actions, and work. At the start of this year, I am appreciating the way that our students have chosen a question for us that will cause us to dig deep into the way that we both take accountability for and hold each other accountable to our values which the 10 Common Principles outline. I am confident that this EQ will push us to grow and develop together this year and I look forward to all our work together supporting the growth of our students and our school community. Best wishes for a restful holiday weekend.  Bex

Weekly Information for August 28, 2026

By Gabby Brummer • August 28, 2026
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, Welcome back to school. We are off to a terrific start! Huge welcome to the 81 new students and eight new staff members who joined us this year. As I said the everyone yesterday morning at the Big Beginning – we all made a choice to come to Parker. We chose a school that challenges students to use their mind well, sets high expectations for all students, and supports one another with a tone of decency and trust. Thank you for choosing Parker. We are all better for it. We want to recognize all the ways that students provide leadership at Parker. Our students serve as elected leaders of the JC and CC, sports captains and theatre leaders, Teaching Assistants and Student Ambassadors. These students and more make up the Parker Peer Leaders program. They played an essential role in welcoming our new students and setting the tone for a positive year ahead. It was great to see 84 students proudly wearing their Peer Leaders shirts at the Big Beginning. We appreciate all our student leaders! Please join us next Wednesday for the third annual Potluck Dinner hosted by the Parker Parent and Caregiver Community (PPCC). The dinner is next Wednesday, September 2 from 6:00-8:00 pm in the Parker auditorium. New and returning students and families are welcome. Please bring a dish and join us. It is a terrific way to kick off the school year, share a meal, and make a new friend. Thank you to the PPCC and the Parker Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) for their voice and leadership. We are looking forward to a great year. We hope to see you next Wednesday. Brian

Weekly Information for June 18, 2026

By Gabby Brummer • June 18, 2026
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, Today we hosted the Big End for the 2025-2026 school year. We gathered in the gym for the final time, and we put a punctuation mark on who we have been and what we have done this school year. It’s important that we mark the ending of each year and that we pause to celebrate what we have accomplished, to notice how we have grown, and to reflect on what we have learned. Congratulations to the 214 Parker students who completed 329 gateways this year! Completing a gateway takes a tremendous amount of dedication, commitment and time and these students deserve to be celebrated for their accomplishments. Soon enough, we will find ourselves at the next Big Beginning—and we will focus on a new essential question and set new goals and take on new challenges as a community. In the meantime, it feels important that we take the time to celebrate and appreciate this year’s accomplishments for just a little longer. We will be here over the summer if you need anything, but please note that the main office has different hours than during the school year. Those are listed below for your reference and will be on the school website as well. I wish each of you a restful, restorative summer filled with what you hope for. We look forward to seeing you in August for Registration.  Best, Bex

Weekly Information for June 12, 2026

By Gabby Brummer • June 12, 2026
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, It has been a joyful and celebratory week at Parker. 187 students successfully Gatewayed in every division and every domain. The students showcased their learning, reflected on their growth, and celebrated the demonstration of learning that defines Gateways – and as the Common Principle concludes, “the emphasis is on the students’ demonstration that they can do important things.” Congratulations to our students for doing important things at Parker, all year and this week. We are heading towards the Big End next Thursday, June 18th. That is a long tradition of saying goodbye for the summer, signing yearbooks, and having a little fun as a community. Reminder that we have Noon dismissals on both Wednesday and Thursday next week. Junior retreat starts on Monday. Div 1 and Div 2 field trips are on Tuesday. We are pleased to announce that Parker will be helping with the summer camp at the Boys and Girls Club of Leominster and Fitchburg. The camp runs for six weeks for students entering grades 1-8. Parker will be running a series of science exploration sessions. See the attached flyer below for details. We value our terrific partnership with the BGCFL. We will send the final newsletter of the school year next Thursday. Thank you for helping to make Parker a very special place.  Brian