Tampa Catholic High School
March 10, 2024

Weekly Information for March 8th

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Dear Parker families, students 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 had a brief taste of Spring today. We are excited to welcome ten student visitors from the country of Georgia this week, one of two student exchanges that we are hosting this year. Thank you to the families who are hosting. We look forward to seeing all students and families at PLP conferences next Friday, March 15th. This is an important opportunity to check in on PLP goals, successes, and challenges. We will also check in on attendance and tardies, emphasizing the importance of classroom time to student learning and growth. Thank you for joining us as always.


Reminder that we have a March holiday on Monday, March 18. That is also the first day of Spring sports including Baseball, Softball, Track & Field, Ultimate Frisbee and Girls’ Co-op Lacrosse through Bromfield. All students are welcome to participate in one of these sports. Please contact Lisa Zick with registration questions and Ben Benoit with sports-related questions.


Have a great weekend.

Brian

This week’s topics: 
  • Support Our Seniors #2
  • Spring PLPs
  • Enrollment Thanks
  • IEP Research Volunteers
  • Free Trees
  • Parker Fund
  • Community Congress School Store
  • Register Now for Spring Sports!
Class of 2024 Support Our Seniors (SOS) #2 on March 13th

Seniors and their parents/guardians are invited to Support Our Seniors #2 on Wednesday, March 13th, from 7-8:30 PM in the Parker gym. SOS #2 is an evening designed to help our seniors and their families talk about the transitions that come with graduation. Please bring a dessert to share. Thanks!


Spring PLP Conferences

Spring PLP Conferences will be held on Friday, March 15. Each Division leads the Spring Conference a little differently. For some it is a time to reflect on the progress students have made toward their PLP goals. For others it is also a time to check in on the status of portfolios and/or academic standing.


Please remember there are no classes on this day, and it is specifically set aside to have these important conversations. Each family (with their student) will be asked to come to school for a 30-minute appointment, and families should make every effort to schedule their conferences on the 15th.


You should have made an appointment for each child you have in the school. If you are not able to make it for an appointment on March 15, please reach out directly to your child’s advisor to find another day/time that is mutually possible. If you can meet on March 15 but someone needs to attend remotely, please go ahead and book an appointment using the link provided by the advisor and then reach out to your child’s advisor to request a remote meeting link.


NOTE: Monday, March 18, there is no school and the school is closed for a long weekend.

 

Enrollment THANKS

MANY THANKS to everyone in the Parker Community for their support during our Annual Enrollment Period, Including our Information Sessions, Classroom Visits, Socials, and Shadow Days. A special Thank You to everyone who picked up and posted YARD SIGNS! If you still have one up, please take it down and recycle it. The waterproof coated paperboard has done its job for the season. This work is not possible without your help, and we appreciate your time and effort.


IEP Research Volunteers

Parker Parent Jennifer Stach is conducting her doctoral research with families of students who have been on an educational plan (an IEP or a 504), examining ways to inform parents how their student will access accommodations in college. She is looking for volunteers to take part in a working group which will consider what steps SEPAC might take to assist parents in this area. Participants will be asked to review several documents related to the research topic before participating in 2 Zoom meetings being held on March 11 and March 20 from 7-830PM. If you do not have a Zoom account, you will be given access to a web-based login. The total time commitment is expected to be approximately 3.5 hours. The working group will ultimately be creating a program or information source to help Parker Parents have better information about how to support their child in college.


If you are interested in participating, please complete this form: Link to sign up. Your support is greatly appreciated. If you have any questions or concerns, please email Jen at [email protected]


Free Trees

Sign up to Order FREE Native Trees for your yard or Parker’s Pocket Forest Project. Deadline is March 15th. Please sign up to receive a free tree from Neighborhood Forest! Please use the link below and they will ship them to the Hazen Memorial Library (Shirley) during Earth week (April 22nd-26th). If you don’t have space to plant the tree at home, your child can plant it at the Devens Pocket Forest near the Devens playground. More information on the Pocket Forest Project will be shared in the coming month. https://www.neighborhoodforest.org/parent-registration/?school=48673


Parker Fund

WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP! Gifts from our current families are an essential foundation to our fundraising efforts and are a show of support for Parker’s extraordinary faculty, staff, and program.  It is our goal to have 100% participation among our current families. EVERY gift matters and makes a difference!

To make your 2023-2024 school year gift, click here.


Community Congress School Store

Parker school store is back! The Community Congress (CC), which is a collection of students in all divisions, has worked hard for a few months to create a new school store which will raise funds for our group. The CC found a new vendor, sent out a survey trying to pick the best products, worked on color and design, all to return Parker’s beloved merchandise. Ten percent (10%) of the profit will be returned to the CC as we work hard to raise money to put back into the school.


A few weeks ago, we approved Composting! The people who work hard to serve lunch now will compost any extra compostable material! This was due to the idea, hard work, and money raised by the CC members! The link below will bring you to this store, not only do you support the school, but you also get some awesome clothes!


Click here to view the Community Congress School Store

 

Register Now for Spring Sports!

The following Parker sports teams will be offered this spring:

  • Baseball
  • Softball
  • Track & Field
  • Ultimate Frisbee
  • Girls’ Co-op Lacrosse through Bromfield

All practices begin on Monday, March 18th, and will be held Monday through Friday that week. Please register as soon as possible using this form: Athlete Registration. Parents must provide proof of a current physical exam at the beginning of every season of participation. Sports User Fee of $300 and is due prior to the first game. Click here for more information.

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 - Mar 12 Board of Trustees
Wed - Mar 13 Support Our Seniors Dessert Potluck
Fri - Mar 15 Spring PLPs - NO CLASSES
Mon - Mar 18 March Holiday - NO SCHOOL
Mon - Mar 18 Spring Sports Begin
Sat - Mar 23 Practice ACT
Tue - Mar 26 10th Grade ELA MCAS
Wed - Mar 27 NOON Dismissal
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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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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By Cindy Johnson • February 8, 2025
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By Cindy Johnson • February 1, 2025
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By Cindy Johnson • January 26, 2025
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By Cindy Johnson • January 17, 2025
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By Cindy Johnson • January 10, 2025
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