September 7, 2025

Weekly Information for September 5, 2025

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Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff,

It is with great pride that I reflect on the first two weeks of our new school year. We all started new routines, embraced our new classes, and made new friends. Congratulations on a terrific launch!


Parker was founded on the belief we could do school differently, challenging students to use their minds well in a culture of decency and trust. It starts with knowing our students well, as learners and human beings. We believe that all students can succeed and thrive – and we provide the personalized support and encouragement that students need. Our students and staff work incredibly hard to meet these high standards.


As our founders Ted and Nancy Sizer wrote in The Students Are Watching, “What we need to consider and then to create is the kind of environment [that convinces young people that they] are in a place which believes in them – and from which they can, therefore, learn well and deeply.” Through the 10 Common Principles and their leadership as co-principals, Ted and Nancy set the standards for academic rigor, student engagement and community that define Parker today.


We are proud of all the ways that our students embrace and live these values every day at Parker. For example, our student Ambassadors and Peer Leaders came in over the summer to welcome and support new students and families. Their kindness and positive energy created a welcoming environment for our newest students. Many of these same students are serving as Peer Mentors to Division 1 advisories. They serve as role models, leading different games and facilitating discussions about school culture. They also run the Halloween party, Mirror Lake trip, Film Festival, and Field Day for Division 1.


Our Teaching Assistants (TAs) provide similar support within our academic classes. TAs in 7th Seminar, Spanish, Wellness, and MST provide wisdom, small group facilitation, and one-on-one support. They help set the tone for the class, model appropriate participation and collaboration skills, and make connections with individual students. For example, this week in 7th Seminar, our TAs helped students learn some of the technology that we use to communicate while reflecting on the importance of connecting with their teachers.


Finally, our Division 3 students served as leaders and role models during the first Super Advisory yesterday, leading their cross-divisional groups in activities to help build community and connection. They modeled taking risks and the importance of building community.


Thank you to everyone who makes Parker a special place to learn and grow up. Together, we are off to a great start!



Brian

This week’s topics: 
  • Back to School Night on September 18th
  • Join Community Congress!
  • Join the Parker Concert Band!
  • Surplus Furniture Available
  • Middle School Art Program in Groton
  • Technology Repair/Replacement Fees
  • Reminders for Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors!
  • Phone Free Reminders
  • Parker Life Reminders
  • Drop-off and Pick-up
  • MART Shuttle
  • Meal Information
  • Updated Carpool List
  • Athletics Schedule
  • Upcoming Dates of Note
Save the Date!

Back to School Night is Thursday, September 18th! Please plan to attend as you are able! Divisional orientations start at 6 PM and “classes” start at 7 PM! More details will be provided next week. Please Note: This event is for parents/guardians—not for students. We ask students to stay at home. If your child or children must join you, they must be always with you under your supervision. Thank you!


Join Community Congress!

Are you excited to influence the Parker community this year? Are you interested in student government? Do you want to have a voice in developing policies for the Student Handbook and deciding how to spend student funds? If so, you should join the Community Congress (CC)! The CC is the legislative branch of student government, and it meets during Community Block Electives on Fridays. Each Division elects 6 individuals to represent them – these 18 individuals (plus the 3 Moderators) are the ones who vote on policy/handbook proposals (such as updating how elections are run) and fund grant proposals (such as buying new furniture for the lobby, equipment for the volleyball club, and storage shed for theater materials). If you want to run for one of the 6 positions for your Division, you need to send an email or chat to Matt Smith (matt@theparkerschool.org) by Wednesday, September 10th. Speeches and elections for CC will happen before Friday, September 19th (the first meeting of Community Block Electives. If you want to be a part of the CC and be a part of conversations/debates, but not have voting power, you can still sign up for the Community Block Elective. If you have any questions about the CC, how to run, elections, etc., please contact Matt, Molly (mmcgillicuddy@theparkerschool.org) or one of the Moderators (Audrey Bonner, Delilah Goldberg, and Lana Hanyaloglu)!


Join the Parker Concert Band (a call to all brass, woodwind, and percussion players)!

Parker invites band instrument players from all grades, 7-12, to join our concert band. We hold band rehearsals after school on Tuesdays and Thursday from 3:30 to 4:30 PM. The band runs for the semester, culminating with a performance at Parker’s student-led coffeehouse, “Café Wednesday”. The activity fee for each semester is $100 and need-based assistance is available. If you have learned the basics of any band instrument, please join us this fall! No auditions are necessary: you just need to have learned the basics of playing your instrument. Need an instrument? Parker has the following instruments available for loan at no charge: trumpet, trombone, baritone (euphonium), French horn, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute, and clarinet. We also have concert drums for percussion players. Students who are interested should plan to come by our informational lunch meeting on Tuesday, September 9 in room 13 to learn more and sign up. If you can’t make the meeting, stop in to chat with Jim Desmond in room 13 or Marena Cole in room 43. Get your lunch first and then come join us! If you don’t know how to play a band instrument but still want to make music, consider joining the Parker Singers during community elective block. We meet about every other Friday to sing fun songs together. Signups will happen in the coming weeks.


Surplus Furniture Available

Parker received a generous donation of furniture over the summer from Penguin Solutions in Maynard. We are thrilled to have some updated office spaces. The result of this donation is a number of surplus desks. We would like to offer the desks to family and friends of Parker. The desks are outside on the left side of the building. Please feel free to stop by and take a look: (photos).  If you think you or someone you know could use them, please feel free to take one (or two, even) and give it a new home. We will be looking into other donation options next week. Contact Michelle McKenna mmckenna@theparkerschool.org with questions.


Middle School Art Program in Groton

In partnership with the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, the Prescott Community Center in Groton is excited to offer a unique program for middle school students: Me, Myself, and Art: Exploring One's Identity Through Art. Click here to find out more  Me, Myself & Art - Prescott Program.pdf


Technology Repair/Replacement Fees

Parker provides a variety of items (such as laptops and related technology, phone pouches, and IDs) to students each year. Students are responsible for maintaining and protecting these items. Loss or damage results in a fee being charged. Please see the Parker Technology Fee Schedule for more information about replacement and repair fees, should they become relevant for your child.


Reminders for Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors
  • PSAT will be Wednesday, October 22nd. Sign up with Jinnee by Friday, September 12th. See your email and Jinnee's bulletin board for more details. (November PACT info coming soon.)
  • You are invited to come to the NEACAC College Fair on Thursday, September 25th. See your email and Jinnee's bulletin board to sign up. The deadline to sign up is Friday, September 12th.
  • SATs will be Wednesday, October 22nd. ACTs will be October 28th. Sign up with Jinnee by Friday, September 12th. See your email and Jinnee's bulletin board for more details.


Phone Free Reminders

The following documents were shared in mid-August providing information about Parker’s phone free school day and are provided here as reminders:


Parker Life Reminders

Reminder School Begins at 8:30 AM. Please plan to get your children to school by 8:15 AM so they may be present in their advisories by 8:30 AM. Breakfast can be picked up in the cafeteria and taken to advisory. Students arriving between 7:30-8:00 AM should go to the library.


Parents/Guardians must notify the school office daily of any Late Arrivals, Absences, or Early Dismissals. Please let the office know of an absence before school starts using the Attendance Line, which is available 24 hours a day at 978-772-3293 x1. In the case of a prolonged absence, the student’s parents/guardians should notify the principal or designee in a timely manner. It is not acceptable for students to call themselves in late, absent, or dismiss themselves unless 18 years of age. Parents are notified when their child is not in attendance without any prior notification regarding the absence. Teachers take attendance in every class and notify the school office if any student is missing.


Students should be in a supervised space with an adult after school. Students who are not working with a teacher, participating in an adult-supervised after-school activity, or with a coach should go to the library or lobby. Students should be picked up no later than 4:30 PM on M, Tu, Th, F and 3:00 on Wed. There is no after-school supervision on noon dismissal days although some sports may have practice or games.


Drop-Off and Pick-Up Norms

Reminder the following practices will help reduce congestion and make drop-off and pick-up times flow more smoothly:

  1. Only TURN RIGHT out of the parking lot during peak traffic times
  2. Consider an off-peak pickup time with your student: 3:45 instead of 3:30, for example
  3. Drop-off and Pick-up students on Antietam Street and have students use stairs to access school
  4. Use the lot at P-5 across Jackson Road as a “cell phone lot” to standby until your student is ready or have them walk to you there

Please refer to this page for our Traffic Flow Plan.


MART Shuttle

Reminder MART offers shuttle service from select towns (currently Bolton, Lancaster, and Leominster) for $5 per ride or $150 per month. Students must be registered and prepaid with MART to ride, as cash-paid walk-ons are no longer permitted. To register, call 978-345-7711 and select Option 3. For questions, contact maria.maldonado@mrta.us.


Meal Information

Reminder one free breakfast and one free lunch per day are available to all students this year. Children enrolled at Parker are eligible for these free meals regardless of free and reduced status. Additional information and the current menu are available on the cafeteria page of our website.

 

Updated Carpool List

An updated carpool list will be available towards the beginning of October.

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:
Fri - Sep 12 Board of Trustees Retreat
Thu - Sep 18 Back To School Night
Tue - Sep 30 Support Our Seniors Potluck
Tue - Sep 30 Community Connections Night
Wed - Oct 8 School Photo Retake Day
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

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