Tampa Catholic High School
February 1, 2025

Weekly Information for January 31, 2025

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Dear Parker students, families and members of the Parker community,


Parker is a safe and affirming school community for all students. We have a moral and legal obligation to provide equal access to free public education and a safe and supportive school environment for all students. Today, we restate these values in support of our immigrant students and families, many of whom are feeling threatened in the current climate.


The Parker School’s Ten Common Principles set forth clear and simple goals that apply to all students. Primary among them is the belief that the tone of the school should explicitly stress the values of trust, decency and fairness, with families serving as “key collaborators and vital members of the school community.” We also believe that the school should honor diversity, demonstrate inclusive practices, and explicitly challenge all forms of inequity. These values are summarized as the Tone of Decency and Trust and Democracy and Equity.


In response to concerns expressed by members of our school community, I want to clarify how we protect and support Parker students and families. In short, we will follow the law and the clear guidelines of the Massachusetts Attorney General.


All children have the right to attend public schools regardless of their national origin or immigration status. Any requests from Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) authorities regarding our students or families will be directed to me as the Superintendent. Although we consider it to be unlikely, if immigration officials appear at the school and seek access to a student, both Parker’s legal counsel and the student’s family will be immediately notified. Immigration officials will not be provided with access to students without parental consent or a judicial warrant signed by a judge. Similarly, we will not share personally identifiable information relative to students, which includes information regarding national origin or immigration status, except with parental consent or in response to a lawfully issued court order or subpoena.


In summary, we at Parker are committed to ensuring that students and families may come to school without fear and will comply with all applicable state laws to ensure the protection of our students and families. We will continue to maintain open and timely communication with our students and families. We are in this together and we are determined to ensure a safe and welcoming school environment for our students and families.


Respectfully,

Brian

This week’s topics: 
  • MCAS Testing 10th Grade
  • Kitchen Assistant Opening
  • Norovirus Information
  • Advocacy Week Kick-off Rally
  • Parker Annual Fund
  • Seeking Creative Donations
  • Join the Dance Team!
  • Substitute Nurses Needed
  • Extending Winter Break?
MCAS Testing 10th Grade Biology

Students in the 10th Grade will take the MCAS Biology test on Tuesday AND Wednesday, February 4th & 5th. Please make every effort to have students in school and on time for these testing days. Students should try hard NOT to stress, but good test taking strategies include getting a good night’s sleep and eating a good breakfast each day. Students WILL NEED their school laptop to test and should be sure to bring those (with charging cord). Electronics/internet enabled devices are NOT allowed in testing situations. Students should be prepared to leave these at home or in their bags for the entirety of the testing periods. Students who miss any of these testing days will make up the tests in following days and will be contacted with details. If you have any questions, please contact Deb Merriam ([email protected]). All tests are untimed, and most students finish in about 90 minutes (for Biology). The MCAS Schedule for SPRING will be posted as the testing dates get nearer.


Kitchen Assistant Opening

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


Norovirus Information

Click here for information about norovirus from Nurse Lisa.


Parker will be featured in Monday’s Advocacy Week Virtual Rally!

Next week is MA Charter Public School Advocacy Week! Lianna Condon, Parker alum (’02) and current Parker parent (’27), will be speaking at the kick-off event. Let’s show our support for Parker—and Lianna—by joining Monday’s 30-minute virtual kick-off rally! If you haven’t registered yet, you can register now. Thank you in advance for your support of Parker as we advocate on behalf of our students and Charter Public Schools across the commonwealth!


Parker Annual Fund

We need your help to meet our $225,000 Parker Fund goal! One of the things the Parker Fund supports is student engagement- removing barriers to participation in clubs, activities, sports and field trips. Show your support for Parker with a gift to The Parker Fund today.


Words from current Parker Families:

  • We give to Parker out of gratitude for what the staff and administration do for our daughter. The educational experience, personal relationships, and community culture are what make the school special. We are happy to support Parker in any way we can.
  • Parker teachers have engaged and inspired our kids from day one because they take the time to know their students both as learners and as individual people. Our kids see Parker as a place where they will grow into people with interesting and important things to contribute to the world.


Seeking Creative Donations

As part of Parker's 30th celebration at the Bull Run restaurant on April 5th, we're seeking community-sourced items for the live auction and raffle baskets. Donation ideas are only limited by your imagination! Some ideas: insider access to a special venue—tickets to sports, arts, or music events—vacation home weeks/weekends—chat about your favorite topic over lunch—handmade jewelry, crafts, or art—favorite books—a day out sailing or fishing—lessons or sessions in your “thing” (massage, yodeling, golf, making jelly, writing, knitting - it’s all great!)—power-washing, carpentry, plumbing, etc. Please email your idea with a detailed description to: Dawn Van Patten ([email protected])


Join the Dance Team!

Join Parker’s new dance team! All experience and grade levels are welcome! The season will run through June and the team will develop routines to perform at various school functions. Practices are on Wednesdays from 2:00-4:00 and Saturdays from 9-12. (Saturday practices start on 2/8.) The cost to participate is $100 for the season (need-based assistance is available). Students must register and provide proof of physical prior to the first practice. Please click here to register: https://forms.office.com/r/w9iNsHZbNs. Contact Laurel with questions at [email protected].


Substitute Nurses Needed

We are looking for substitute nurses to help in the Health Office and to go on occasional field trips with the students. If you are an LPN or RN, please email Nurse Lisa at [email protected] if you are interested.


Planning an extended family trip during the WINTER BREAK in FEBRUARY?

Please LEAVE A MESSAGE on the ATTENDANCE LINE: 978-772-3293, x1 - available 24 hours a day. It is important you inform THE OFFICE that your child(ren) will miss additional days, even if you have let the teachers know. Please call and leave a single message with all the affected dates any day or time before the morning of the first affected day.

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-Wed; Feb 4-5 10th Grade Biology MCAS
Thu - Feb 13 Board of Trustees
Fri - Feb 14 NOON Dismissal
Mon-Fri; Feb 17-21 Winter Break
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.

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Weekly Information for March 28, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • March 29, 2025
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

Weekly Information for March 21, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • March 21, 2025
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

Weekly Information for March 14, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • March 15, 2025
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

Weekly Information for March 7, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • March 9, 2025
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

Weekly Information for February 28, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • March 1, 2025
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

Weekly Information for February 14, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • February 16, 2025
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
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