Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School
49 Antietam St, Devens, MA 01434, United States of America
(978) 772-3293
49 Antietam St, Devens, MA 01434 Phone: (978) 772-3293
December 21, 2024
Weekly Information for December 20, 2024
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Dear Parker families, students and staff,
Wishing you and your family very happy holidays! Enjoy some holiday treats and spend quality time with those who you love. We are grateful to learn, grow and connect in our extraordinary community of Parker. We look forward to seeing you in the New Year!
Brian
This week’s topics:
- Thanks, and Warm Wishes!
- Holiday Break Reminder
- Rose Bowl Parade
- Parker Annual Fund
- Spirit Wear
- Yearbooks
- COVID-19 Test Kits Available
Thanks and Warm Wishes!
How thoughtful you were to think of us!
All the goodies and treats; you made such a fuss!
Our thanks for your kindness and we wish you the best.
Have a wonderful break and enjoy an earned rest!
~
Parker extends the warmest wishes of the season to you and your loved ones.
Enjoy the break - see you in 2025! Happy New Year!
Holiday Break Reminder
Classes will resume for students on Friday, January 3, 2025. If your student will miss additional days, please leave a message on the Attendance Line (available 24 hours a day) at 978-772-3293, x1, any day/time before 9 AM of the affected day(s).
Tournament of Roses Parade
If you happen to watch the parade on Wednesday, January 1, 2025, keep an eye out for current junior Anneliese Carlson who will be marching in the color guard with other members of the New England Honor Band. While there, the band will help with the parade float construction, visit Universal City Walk and Santa Monica Beach, and march down Main Street in the Disneyland parade on New Year's Eve. Congratulations, Anneliese! Learn more about this event here:
Parker Annual Fund
This week saw the holiday season of giving continue—as of December 20th, we have received over $95,000 from Parker's Board of Trustees’ members, staff, current families, ALUMNI, parents of graduates, and friends of Parker. Thank you! During this last busy week of the holiday season, please consider a year-end, tax deductible gift to Parker by clicking here - EVERY GIFT OF ANY AMOUNT MATTERS AND MAKES AN IMPACT!
Spirit Wear
If you’re interested in purchasing Parker gear for the new year, use promo code PSAS15 until January 2nd for 15% off. A portion of sales goes to Parker’s Community Congress student group. https://teamlocker.squadlocker.com/#/lockers/parker-charter-1576254
Yearbooks
Remember to order your 2024-2025 yearbook by January 31st for $5 off regular prices. Hard cover and soft cover books have all the same content while the Division 1 books contain the same whole school and Division 1 sections but not the sections for Division 2, Juniors, Seniors, and senior parent ad pages. Currently, hard cover books are $55, soft cover books are $35, and Division 1 books are $15.
COVID-19 Test Kits Available
Reminder: COVID-19 Test Kits are free and available to students, staff, and families. They are in the main lobby to the right of the office window.
Cafeteria Menus
Sports Schedule
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: | |
|---|---|
| Mon-Tue; Dec 23-31 | Holiday Break |
| Wed - Jan 1 | New Years Day (No School) |
| Thu - Jan 2 | Faculty Planning (No Classes) |
| Fri - Jan 3 | Classes Resume |
| Fri - Jan 10 | Board of Trustees |
| Mon - Jan 20 | MLK, Jr. Day (No School) |
| Thu-Fri; Jan 23-24 | GATEWAYS |
| Mon - Jan 27 | Faculty Planning (No Classes) |
| Tue - Jan 28 | Second Semester Begins |
| 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
Dear Parker students, families and staff, Congratulations to our Seniors for their continued progress and success on their Senior Projects. We are very proud of our Seniors. I want to highlight three students among a class of outstanding projects: Cake Lem ’s essential question is what goes into pitching and producing an animated show? Cake created the pitch, drafted the screenplay and drew the storyboard for an animated pilot. Using hand-drawn digital animation, Cake created 28 separate background designs and 6800 frames, with feedback and collaboration from a Netflix producer. We can’t wait to see Cake’s six-minute film and the process of making it. Danny Kaldestad ’s essential question is what is the process of writing a fantasy novel? Danny has been working on his novel since last June, with the support of a professional writer. Danny explores the life and experiences of Felix, a young man held in captivity against his will. It is a story of an individual finding his way in the world amidst hardship. Thank you to Danny for sharing his passion and talent for writing through the world of Felix. Harriet Cullon ’s essential question is what is Western jewelry and how do you make it? Through twelve weeks of study at the Worcester Center for the Crafts, Harriet learned how to apply authentic western and indigenous styles into the creation of jewelry. Her handmade collection includes rings, necklaces and beaded bracelets. Her favorite piece is a necklace that she cast in silver on the backbone of a cuttlefish. We invite students, families, and alums to join us for Senior Exhibition night on April 16th when Cake, Danny, Harriet and their peers share their projects and gather feedback in the style of a Science Fair. That same night we welcome you to join us for Noche Sabrosa and Division 2 Exhibitions. Thank you for sharing your feedback and supporting our students. See the details below. Finally, we invite you to serve on panels for their Senior Exhibitions in early May. Thank you for showing up! Brian
Dear Parker students, families and staff, Feedback, reflection and revision are central to everything that we do at Parker. As Nancy Sizer wrote in Keeping School, the emphasis is on growth, on learning from one’s mistakes, cleaning up one’s prose, clearing up one’s understandings . This requires students to work hard, to be open to feedback and to try again. We are very proud of our students for engaging meaningfully in this iterative process. We take a similar approach to adult learning at Parker. Next Wednesday, March 26th, we dismiss at 12:00 NOON to welcome teachers from across the state to join us in professional development called Looking at Student Work. We engage in a protocol-based discussion of various assessments and the degree to which an individual met expectations. Teachers attend sessions from other domains and divisions, gaining and sharing perspectives as an outsider. For example, AH teachers review the Gateway portfolio in MST, Div 1 teachers discuss a research project in Div 3, and Spanish teachers review a Wellness project on social emotional learning. In each case, teachers deeply analyze student work and share their expectations of what students should be able to do at each level. By shining a light on the work in this way, we dramatically enhance our ability to define what “meeting standards” means for our students. We recognize that early dismissals can be hard for working families. We take this professional development time seriously every week, ensuring that we are prepared to meet the needs of our students. Thank you for your partnership. Brian
Dear Parker students, families and staff, It was great to see everyone at PLP meetings today. Parker was founded by area parents who wanted to do school differently and take a hands-on approach in their child’s education. There are obviously many ways that families do that, none as important to the learning process as PLPs. Now we look ahead to Spring Gateways and the end of a very successful year at Parker. You may have seen the blacksmithing demonstration on the front lawn led by Henry Matchett. For his Senior Project, Henry studied the art of blacksmithing and asked to teach his peers and members of the community the essentials. Together, they shaped metal into nails and hooks using a coal-fired forge, anvil and hammer. Thank you to everyone who stopped by. Please join us on Wednesday, April 16th for an evening of student exhibitions , including Noche Sabrosa , Division 2 Exhibitions and Senior Exhibitions . As you know, Parker students demonstrate mastery and learn from your feedback through public exhibitions. This year, we are hosting the three events on the same evening to increase the community support for our students. Please join us! Have a great long weekend. See you Tuesday. Brian
Dear Parker students, families 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 also start looking forward to an exciting and busy end to the school year. That kicks off with Spring PLPs next Friday, March 14 . This is an important opportunity to review PLP goals and the successes and challenges experienced by our students. Many students will create a Gateway plan, detailing portfolio pieces and competencies needed to Gateway at the end of the year. Finally, we will review attendance and tardies, emphasizing the importance of classroom time to student learning and growth. Thank you for joining us. Reminder that we have a March holiday on Monday, March 17. Spring Sports start the following day on Tuesday, March 18 , including Softball, Track & Field, Ultimate Frisbee and Girls’ Co-op Lacrosse through Bromfield. All students are welcome to participate. Please contact Lisa Zick with registration questions and Ben Benoit with sports-related questions. Finally, we want to thank everyone who helped spread the word about Parker . We hosted the enrollment lottery yesterday for the largest class of applicants in the last ten years. There is a ton of excitement and positive energy around Parker! We will be hosting a series of Shadow Days and social opportunities for our new students and families to get to know Parker. Thank you for helping make Parker a welcoming and affirming community. Have a great weekend. See you at PLPs next week. Brian
Dear Parker community: I want to recognize and thank Anaïs Delfeld, Chrys Olsen, Rory Pierce, Marz Rawlinson, Sheila Kelly and Anna Solon for their incredible work representing Parker at the Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth Conference, " Creating Safe and Supportive Environments for LGBTQ Students ," earlier this week. They were speakers at a full-day conference attended by almost 300 educators from around the state. They described Parker and shared how we promote a safe and inclusive school community for LGBTQ students. The students reflected on their experiences and shared their advice on how other schools may promote an inclusive culture, such as gender-neutral bathrooms, an active and fun GSA, and commitment to using students’ names and pronouns. One of the central themes that came from their discussion was the intentionality of our approach. It is not any ONE thing that makes Parker a safe community, but rather the combination of many things, embraced by all of us, that makes our community inclusive. Thank you to everyone who makes it so. We are so proud of our students and appreciate the outstanding leadership of Sheila and Anna. Thank you! We have almost reached the application deadline for admission next year. If you know a family that is considering Parker, or if you have a sibling who wants to come, they need to apply by March 1st. Thank you to everyone who has welcomed new students and families to Parker. Here is the link: Enrollment at Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School Please join us on Tuesday, March 4th at 6:30 PM for a discussion about the qualities, skills, experiences and dispositions that we want in our new Principal. As I wrote just before break , we are hiring a Principal to serve as the primary instructional leader for Parker and lead the day-to-day life of the school. I will become the Executive Director to focus externally on the growth and long-term viability of Parker. We invite you to share your thoughts next Tuesday and then join us again in April to meet the candidates. Principal Discussion - March 4th, 6:30-7:30 PM, Hybrid (In-person and Online) Remote: Microsoft Teams Link In-person: Room 40 Finally, we are very pleased to report that Parker has just earned our 5-year Unconditional Charter Renewal from the Massachusetts Department of Education. That means we continue to provide an outstanding education for Parker students without additional requirements from the state. This is the sixth time we have received such a designation in our 30-year history. For context, there were 18 schools that sought their five-year charter renewal this year. We were the only school rated “exemplary” in multiple categories. We appreciate the continued support and recognition of exemplary performance from the state. Have a great weekend. Brian
Dear Parker Community: I am writing to introduce changes to the leadership structure at Parker, changes designed to ensure that we continue to provide an exceptional education for every student who is lucky enough to attend Parker. Please know that the Board of Trustees, school leadership, faculty and staff have all weighed in on the decision with their own perspectives. We generally agree on the need to invest in our long-term sustainability and growth. We look forward with excitement and confidence. Parker was founded 30 years ago on the belief that students need to be known, valued and challenged as learners and human beings. Students need to use their mind well, mastering a limited number of essential skills and areas of knowledge, in a culture of decency and trust. These Common Principles are as important today as ever. Looking forward to our next 30 years and beyond, we ask ourselves “who do we want to become.” We appreciate the Senior Class for crafting such an important and timely Essential Question this year. The preface to our Strategic Plan envisions the future of Parker this way… With students at the center of everything that we do - Parker will share its voice, partner with others, and grow as a celebrated leader in progressive education. To meet these lofty goals, the Parker Board of Trustees voted last night to approve the creation of a new leadership structure, with two major changes for the 2025-2026 school year. First, we are changing my role from Head of School to Executive Director, a leadership model employed by most charter public schools in the state. As the Executive Director, I will focus externally on the growth and long-term viability of Parker. I will establish partnerships to ensure healthy enrollment, philanthropic support, and business opportunities in progressive education. I will continue to lead the organization and be a regular presence on campus. Second, we are hiring a Principal to serve as the primary instructional leader for Parker and lead the day-to-day life of the school. The Principal will serve as the main contact for students, families and staff. While Deb Merriam already provides outstanding leadership and would be an excellent Principal, she is not interested in the new role. Deb will continue to serve as the Academic Dean and will mentor the new Principal. We imagine the new Principal will be someone with personal experience learning and/or working at Parker or a school like ours. We plan to post the position this week and start interviewing candidates in March. Please join us on Tuesday, March 4th for a discussion about the ideal qualities and characteristics of the new Principal and the evolution of leadership at Parker. The session will be hybrid, in-person and online, from 6:30-7:30 PM in Room 40. Please see the login information below. By the end of March, we hope to invite 2-3 finalists to visit Parker to meet students, families and staff. We welcome your feedback and appreciate your support throughout the process. Principal Discussion March 4 th , 6:30-7:30 PM, Hybrid, In-person and Online Remote: (see weekly email for link) Meeting ID: (see weekly email) Passcode: (see weekly email) In-person: Room 40 Brian
49 Antietam St, Devens, MA 01434, United States of America
(978) 772-3293
Fax: 978-772-3295
