October 6, 2024

Weekly Information for October 4, 2024

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Dear Parker families, students and staff,


We look forward to seeing you on Friday, October 18th for fall PLP conferences. You should have received an email with a link to register for a 30-minute in-person conference with your child’s advisor. If you are unable to attend on October 18th, please contact the advisor to reschedule. If you are available but unable to attend in person, we are happy to host the meeting online.


Why do Parker students write Personal Learning Plans (PLP) and why do we dedicate one day in October and another in March to review PLPs with families? First, it is central to the Common Principle of Personalization whereby the needs and goals of each student informs our daily work. Second, PLPs provide a structured opportunity for students to develop the Habits of Learning – skills such as perseverance, organization and reflection – that anchor student learning. Third, PLPs help students develop agency in their own learning, authoring their own goals and strategies that they personally embrace. Finally, PLPs serve as a powerful tool for teachers, students and families to work together. It is one of the many ways that we partner with families.


The Parker School's mission is “to move the child to the center of the education process and to interrelate the several subjects of the curriculum in such a way as to enhance their meaning for the child” (Charter, October 1994). Thank you for helping us to do just that. See you in two weeks!



Brian

This week’s topics: 
  • Parker in the Spotlight
  • OneNote Links Sent
  • Parker 101 for Parents/Guardians
  • PSAT & SAT Reminder
  • Class of 2025 Senior Projects
  • 5K Fun Run
  • Wellness Committee
  • PLP Conferences
  • Plea for Plants
  • Devens Mural Opening Celebration
  • LOST & FOUND Pickup
  • Updated Carpool List and Student Directory
  • Flu/COVID Vaccine Clinic
Parker in the Spotlight

Parker was recently highlighted in an article about innovative high schools by Greg Toppo for The 74. The 74 is a nonprofit news organization dedicated to examining the issues impacting the education of America’s 74 million children — and the effectiveness of the system that delivers it. The article is Competency-Based Parker Essential School Succeeds by Doing More With Less.


OneNote Links Sent

Emails were sent to parents/guardians earlier this week (10/1) with OneNote Links to student classes. These links allow parents/guardians to access class/project information as well as your own student’s rubrics. More information about what these are and how you might use them is in the email itself. We will have several drop-in sessions to help parents who want support in learning how to use this resource. The first one will be on PLP day, when help will be available all day. Plan to stop by the lobby before or after your PLP if you want a mini-lesson on how to use this resource (or the School Connection resource we gave information about in the last two Friday letters)! You can also access these two documents, which share more information about assessment at Parker ( Assessment at Parker for Parents.pdf) and how Parker communicates with families about academics across the school year ( Family Academic Communication.pdf).


Parker 101 for Parents/Guardians

Please join us for the second session of orientation to Parker especially for parents/guardians who are new (or relatively new) to the school on Tuesday, October 8th, 7-8:30 PM in Room 27. This session will focus on "everything else" about the school, including the advisory program and PLPs, home-school communication, "discipline", extracurriculars & athletics, food programs, library and technology, and other important family and cultural aspects of the Parker experience. These sessions are live and in person with no virtual link, but we will make the slideshow and handouts available once both sessions are concluded.

 

PSAT & SAT Reminder

Division 2 and 3 Students: PSATs and SATs are Wednesday, October 9th! Remember to be on time on Wednesday, get a good night’s sleep, eat breakfast, and bring your FULLY CHARGED laptop. You can also bring a small snack, and you should have something to write with for scratch work. Keep an eye on your email for logistical details!


Class of 2025 Senior Projects - Offer Your Ideas!

Thanks to everyone who was able to join us at the Class of 2025’s Community Connections Night. If you weren’t able to attend, please spend a few minutes listening to the Senior Project topics that students plan to pursue this year. The link below will give you access to each senior’s “elevator speech” and provide a space for you to offer ideas, resources, contacts or other helpful information that can push their projects forward.


Parker Senior Project Community Connections: Share your ideas, resources, contacts!


Respond with ideas for a few seniors or all. Remember to click submit at the bottom of the form when you are done. And share the link with others! Thanks!

The Senior Seminar Teachers (Debbie, Jim, Ryan and Henry)


5k Fun Run


It’s not too late to register for the 5K Fun Run happening 10/13 at 11am or virtually! There are about a dozen shirts left- register now to make sure you get one! www.parker.school/run


Wellness Committee

Parker Charter School is committed to providing wellness practices according to the Massachusetts State Regulation 105.CMR.215. The Wellness Committee, comprised of stake holders such as food services, teachers, administration, health services, students, and parents/guardians, will promote lifelong health by focusing on educating students and staff regarding healthy choices through the curriculum, after school activities, and community activities by focusing on nutrition education, school meals, nutrition standards, employee wellness, and physical education. The committee will meet at least four times per school year to evaluate the wellness policy and make changes as necessary. If you would like to be part of the Wellness Committee, please reach out to Lisa Zick at lzick@theparkerschool.org.


PLP Conferences on October 18th

Families should set up a meeting time for PLP Conferences (Personal Learning Plans) – you should have received an email from advisor(s) at this point with signup information. 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 18. 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 10/18 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.


Plea for Plants

Do you have unwanted, dead, or dying plants? A senior will make them into something beautiful! For her senior project, Margarethe is going to make paint using local ingredients and nothing artificial. Please leave plants or plant trimmings in the bin in the lobby by 10/31! Any plant works, but berries, flowers, or leaves would be most helpful. Thank you!


Devens Mural Opening Celebration

The Devens Enterprise Commission, MassDevelopment, and Artist Shara Osgood are pleased to announce the opening celebration of the Devens mural, entitled Intersections of Communities and Cultures. The event will take place on Tuesday, October 8th, at 4 PM (rain date is 10/9 @ 4 PM) at the location of the mural on Willard Field near the corner of Antietam St. and Sherman Ave. All ages are welcome, and refreshments will be served. More information on the project may be found at https://www.devensec.com/news/news.pdf. Shara has worked with Parker students in the past, providing them a guided tour of the murals in downtown Fitchburg, where she lives and has her studio.


LOST & FOUND Pickup

The Lost & Found Closet (across from Room 28) will be CLEARED OUT on Friday, October 11th. Please stop by before that date to check for and claim any items that belong to your loved ones!


Updated Carpool List & Student Directory

A copy of the updated Carpool List may be picked up at the front office (hard copy only). A printed Student Directory can be purchased at the front office for $3. If you would prefer to have a directory mailed to you, you can send $5 to Parker School or pay $5 online via UniPay under Misc, Fees, Other.


Health Office Wish List

The Health Office would appreciate donations of tissues, fabric bandages (all sizes), and menstrual products. These supplies are distributed throughout the school on a regular basis and are currently low. Thank you in advance for your donations that help care for our Parker students and staff!


Flu/COVID Vaccine Clinic

Our Flu AND COVID-19 (Moderna) vaccine clinic has been confirmed for Friday, October 18th, on PLP Day. This clinic is for staff, students, and family members (ages 5 and up). Please schedule your appointment from 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM by clicking this link.

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 - Oct 8 Parker 101, Part 2
Wed - Oct 9 PSATs & SATs at Parker
Thu - Oct 10 Board of Trustees
Sun - Oct 13 Parker 5k Fun Run
Mon - Oct 14 Fall Holiday - NO SCHOOL
Tue - Oct 15 ACTs at Parker
Fri - Oct 18 PLP Conferences - NO CLASSES
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 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 December 12, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • December 12, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, One of the magical things about working in schools is the chance to get to know students as whole people. Yes, of course, we can come to know our students well as learners because this is the work we spend much of our time on together, but the ways we get to see our students as leaders, as curious young adults with big questions, passionate interests, and developing understanding of themselves and their world is also an important part of knowing our students well. The process of watching someone grow and change over the course of their years in a school is both humbling and inspiring to me. I have been appreciating the way that each milestone in the progression of the school year and each new experience I have at Parker showcases and gives me another way to get to know our students as whole people, individually and collectively. Seeing the student leaders of the Youth Venture club introduce and facilitate the Q+A with our all-school speaker, Maria Milagros, on Wednesday is just one recent example. The students who bravely asked questions in the whole group or stayed to ask an individual question also demonstrated their interest in learning about and understanding the experiences of others and their puzzling through how the experiences of others might or might not resonate with their own. This isn’t the only example of course. I think about the Division 2 students and their Civic Action Projects. Some students shared about their work and learning in our all-school gathering last Friday—but everyone had to identify something that mattered to them, learn about the issue and the context, and then take some action to improve what they thought needed improvement. I can’t wait for you to be able to see this work from our students later this spring! These are two examples from this week—but there are many others. What do you learn about students when you see them in the school play? (Opening Night was amazing! There are additional performances tonight and Saturday at 7pm.) What do you learn about students when you see them coaching younger students about their choices in the hallway? What do you learn about students by watching them play a basketball game? I can definitively say that all of what I learn in these moments has led to new understanding and greater appreciation of both individuals and the Parker community. As we head into the final school week of 2025, I hope you have an opportunity to join us for at least one of the games, meets, plays, and presentations that happen at this time of year—and I hope you can see the magic of our students and your student/s as they grow and change right in front of our eyes each day. Best wishes, Bex

Weekly Information for December 5, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • December 5, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, Winter came very early this year. There is always something special about the first snow day of the year – a rare unscheduled day in our otherwise hectic lives. Thanks to our custodial crew of Sal, Greg and Ben for working hard through the day so that we could reopen safely on Wednesday. Calling a snow day or delayed opening can be tricky, as it was in this case. We monitor weather forecasts and assess the conditions on Devens and our neighboring communities. There may be some cases where a storm impacts some communities more than others. Because Parker students come from over forty cities and towns, it’s important for families to exercise personal judgement, based on local conditions, when deciding whether to travel to campus during inclement weather. If school is cancelled or delayed, we inform students and families using an automated text, email, local media, and our website. We will try to communicate by 6:00 AM. On delayed openings, school starts at 10:30 AM and all the classes are shortened. We heard that a few families received the email but not the text message announcing the cancelation early Tuesday morning. If you did not receive a text message, and you would like to receive future messages, please text YES to 79041. You must opt-in to receive these messages through BrightArrow. Next Wednesday, December 10th, we are delighted to welcome Maria Milagros to speak with Parker students and staff in an all-school meeting. She will share her story of transformative perseverance and deliver an empowering message to our students, “Transform your story, transform your life.” For more information, visit Maria’s website at https://www.mariamilagros.net/ . Following Maria’s presentation, advisors will lead an activity whereby students reflect on her message and express gratitude and affirmations. Thank you to Emilie Shannon and Youth Venture for sponsoring and hosting this important discussion. They have provided extraordinary leadership and voice in creating this program, one of the many ways that Youth Venture serves our community. We can’t wait for opening night of the Fall Show. Parker Theater is proud to present a double-header of Greek Tragedy: Governing Alice and Eurydice . The first play adapts Sophocles' Antigone and asks what happens when doing the right thing means breaking the rules. The second play adapts the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, a tragic story about music, words, love, and loss. There will be artwork, live music, tricycles, a house made of string, and busy, busy stones! Tickets are available at TicketStage - Parker Theater Tickets . Shows are on December 11th, 12th, and 13th at 7:00 PM. See you at the theater.  Brian

Weekly Information for November 21, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • November 22, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. I had this quote on the whiteboard in my office several years ago, and every time I thought about erasing it and putting up different words of wisdom, someone would ask about it, refer to it, connect it to something they were doing or seeing or working on and I would decide to keep it up, feeling anew its pervasive relevance to the life of a school and the work of teaching and learning. I think what I appreciate about these words is that they acknowledge the connection between practice and performance, between the daily work we must do behind the bigger, public moments that showcase our work. Certainly, for our students these ideas are present in their classes with Parker’s emphasis on practice, feedback, and revision as the path to demonstrating mastery, but if you have ever trained at something—academic, athletic, musical, etc.—you likely know this relationship well from your own experience too. I admit I also find something a little unsatisfying about this quote in that it doesn’t seem to recognize the importance of celebration in this practice to performance loop. If we don’t take time to notice, acknowledge, and appreciate the work we do and the progress we make, we lose something important in the process. Research says not only should we celebrate the performances that go well, but we can stay motivated and make more progress when we pay attention to the places where our daily practice is demonstrating and contributing to growth. The importance of the practice-to-performance loop has been really clear in the close of the fall sports season and there are some notable athletic accomplishments to celebrate! Congratulations to Senior Emma Petricca who was selected to the 2025 Central MA Senior All-Star soccer team whose game will take place this Sunday (see additional info below). Last Saturday, the boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams wrapped up their seasons with impressive performances. The girls’ team finished 11th in the MIAA State Championships and the boys’ team won the MIAA State Championship! In addition to the team’s accomplishments, Parker senior Nathaniel Henshaw won the race and became the first individual champion in school history. Please join me in celebrating these students’ accomplishments—and take a moment to think about one of your own to celebrate too.  Wishing you a restful weekend, Bex

Weekly Information for November 14, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • November 14, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, We have two exciting weekend events ahead of us. Please join us on Saturday, November 15 at noon for the State Championships of the Girls and Boys Cross Country Teams at Willard Field on Devens. The Girls finished fifth and the Boys finished first in District Championships last weekend, with both teams qualifying for States. The Boys have won the State Championship four of the last eight years. The Boys race starts at 12:30 pm and Girls race at 1:15 pm. Visit the Parker tent for snacks and hot chocolate. All are welcome! Next weekend, we host the second annual Parker Fun Run on Saturday, November 22 at 10:00 am (rain date is 11/23). All ages are encouraged to run, walk, skip, or jump and there will be category-based prizes. All proceeds benefit the school. To register or find out more, visit http://www.parker.school/funrun . Thanks to everyone in the Parker community who advocated on behalf of Parker and charter public schools statewide. The state legislature is considering multiple bills that would limit access and cut funding to charter public schools. We appreciate Luciana Hayner, Ginny Tang, and Gayane Hanyaloglu who testified on Beacon Hill; Jen Stach, Cory Stach, and Talia Bigelow who met with their representatives; and countless others who made their voices heard. As a result of our advocacy efforts, state leaders have shelved the anti-charter components of the legislation. We will continue to advocate on behalf of the thousands of students who benefit from schools like ours. If you want to become involved, please contact Katrina at ktedstone@theparkerschool.org . As we approach Thanksgiving, we want to remind families about pickup and drop-off times: When we have a noon dismissal, please pick up your child at noon. Faculty and staff also have a noon dismissal on these days, so the building closes at that time. We will post the sign board a few days before as a reminder. In the morning, the building opens at 7:30 AM and students arriving before 8:00 AM go to the library, which is supervised. After 8:00 AM, students may access the rest of the building and pick up breakfast from the cafeteria. After school, students may study in the library, which is supervised, for a short time after the end of the school day. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, families should pick up no later than 4:30 PM. On Wednesdays, families should pick up no later than 3:00 PM. After school help with teachers occurs on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday and ends at 4:15 PM. Students may wait for a ride in the library until 4:30 PM after attending after school help. The MART shuttle is available before and after school to/from Bolton, Lancaster and the Boys and Girls Club in Leominster for Parker students. Please contact MART directly to pre-register. Students who are participating in after school activities, such as athletics, theatre, and clubs will be supervised during designated activity times and should be picked up at the end of scheduled activities. Thank you. Have a great weekend. Brian

Weekly Information for November 7, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • November 8, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, As you know, the Ten Common Principles are at the heart of what we do as a school. The first of the Ten Common Principles is “Learning to use one’s mind well,” reminding us that we should prioritize fostering intellectual growth and critical thinking over teaching more “stuff.” If schools are designed to help students grow and develop their intellectual skills, it’s important that teachers have ways to talk to students not just about the final outcome or goal they are working toward, but also about their development and progress along the way. Another of the common principles is the “Demonstration of Mastery” which prioritizes students showing that they can incorporate the skills they are learning and developing in the context of important, real-world tasks. These core beliefs and a deep commitment to engaging students in their own learning and growth inform the way we share and report student progress. We focus in these reports on both Habits of Learning and the level of mastery students demonstrate in the academic skill areas through their assessments and revisions. No one’s hard work and progress is reduced to a mathematical average. Teachers and advisors celebrate strengths and areas where they have seen growth, and they offer suggestions and next steps for continued learning. On the afternoon of Wednesday, November 12, you will receive your student’s first progress report of the year via email (sent from Parker notifications). Resources to help you orient yourself and make sense of the report will be included. Students will have already seen the reports and spent time reading and reflecting on them with their Advisors on Wednesday afternoon. If you have any questions after receiving the reports, or speaking with your student about their reflection work, please do not hesitate to reach out to your student’s advisor or teachers directly with questions. We appreciate your trust in us, your on-going collaboration, and the support you provide your students every day. Thank you and have a restful weekend.  Bex

Weekly Information for October 31, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • November 1, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, We had a joyful and spirited week at Parker, highlighted by the Division 1 Halloween party and costume contest on Wednesday. Thank you to all the teachers and Peer Leaders who host this special event every year. To all our students, have fun celebrating Halloween this evening. Be safe and make good choices. We are looking forward to the start of postseason competition for Fall sports. Girls Varsity Soccer is headed to the state playoffs! We enter the playoffs with a 14-4 record. First round games are announced tomorrow. Most likely we play on Tuesday or Wednesday next week, with a chance to host the first round on Devens. Go Parker! Our Middle School Cross Country Team is competing tomorrow in the MS State Championships on Devens. Our High School XC Team will compete Saturday, November 8 on Devens with the hope of finishing high and qualifying for the MIAA All-State Championship at midday on Saturday, November 15 th on Devens. Save the date! Good luck to all our runners! In the next few days, you will be receiving a letter in your mailbox announcing the Annual Fund. In the letter, I profile the experiences and successes of one of our seniors, Wren Fountain. Thank you to Wren and her family for sharing her story of perseverance and love and the important role that Parker played in her progress. Thank you and congratulations to Wren! The letter serves as a kickoff to the Annual Fund appeal, our yearly fundraiser. As you may know, the funding model for public charter schools does not cover the costs of building or maintaining our school. As a result, we divert up to 15% of our operating budget to meet our facility costs every year. We believe that our students deserve access to the same resources as students across the state. As I write in the letter, every penny that we raise goes directly to our students – in the form of small class sizes, more direct attention and academic support, and greater access to clubs, sports and activities. We worry about our ability to maintain ratios of 8 students to every one adult. While the funding model wants us to increase class sizes, or change our hands-on, reflective and iterative approach to learning – we do more with less and we turn to our friends for help. Help us maintain our challenging and personalized model for all students. We appreciate your generosity and support! Click Here to donate Brian