October 6, 2023

Weekly Information for October 6th

Share Post

Dear Parker families, students and staff,


Thank you to everyone who joined us on Thursday evening for Community Connections and Parker 101. Community Connections is a terrific kickoff to the senior year where we celebrate our seniors as they launch their senior projects. Students shared their terrific project ideas and solicited feedback and connections. Parker 101 is an opportunity for families new to Parker to learn about our program and how best to support their child. Thanks to everyone who supported our newest and our oldest students.



As I wrote previously, this is an important year of reflection and revision, something that we do well at Parker. We invite you to share your voice and perspective across the year in a variety of ways, including interviews, surveys, focus groups and working groups. Our intent is to listen, learn and improve.


Strategic Plan


We are embarking on a strategic plan to position ourselves for long-term sustainability and growth. The result will be a five-year Strategic Plan that tells a compelling story of who we are and who we want to become, stays true to the Ten Common Principles, names our challenges and their root causes, and clearly articulates our priorities.


NEASC Self-Study


We are also launching a self-study under the guidance of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Every ten years schools undergo a self-study and NEASC accreditation process. We look closely at the elements of our educational program, including the culture, support and practice of student learning at Parker. We welcome NEASC into our school this March. Together we will highlight areas of transformative practice as well as 2-3 priorities for improvement. This is an invaluable opportunity to analyze our practice, all from a position of strength.


As part of this effort, we will be asking students to share their feedback in a survey to be administered in advisories. We are also seeking parent feedback. Please take a few moments and complete the following survey. We ask about the learning and growth opportunities for your child at Parker.


NEASC PARENT/GUARDIAN SURVEY


Finally, we are looking for a few parents and students to join the NEASC self-study committee this year, participating in 1-2 meetings per month at Parker. We generally meet on Wednesdays from 2:00 – 4:00 pm. We welcome parent and student voices to this effort. If you are interested, please complete this form by Thursday, October 12th.


NEASC Self-Study Committee


Thank you for lending your voice across the year. Enjoy the long weekend. See you on Tuesday.


Brian

This week’s topics:
  • PLP Conferences
  • T-shirts for Sale during PLPs
  • Senior Projects—offer your ideas!
  • Parker 101 Slides Available
  • Current Lottery Applications
  • OneNote Links Sent
  • Parker Band
  • Carpool List and Student Directory
  • Flu Vaccine Clinic
  • Optional COVID Testing
  • MART Transportation
OneNote Links Sent


Emails were sent to parents/guardians today 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. 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!


School Photo Retakes


Photographers will be in the lobby NEXT Monday morning, October 2nd, from 7:45-9:45 AM to take photos of anyone who missed having their photo taken on registration day or anyone who would like a retake.


PLP Conferences on October 13th


Families should have heard from their child's advisors to set up a meeting time for PLP Conferences (Personal Learning Plans). 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 13. If you have not yet received an email/booking link from your child’s advisor, you can reach out to mbeganski@theparkerschool.org and she can send the link to you (it is advisory-specific). If you cannot make any of the times on 10/13 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.


T-Shirts for Sale During PLPs


Are you a fan of this year’s hot pink Parker Faculty shirts? If yes, then you’re in luck! A limited number of hot pink Parker Community t-shirts will be on sale during PLPs for $15 each. They have a slight twist on the faculty design but follow the same theme. There will also be more green Parker EST 1995 shirts available for $10 each. Look for them in the lobby during PLPs.


Class of 2024 Senior Projects - Offer Your Ideas!


Thanks to everyone who was able to join us at the Class of 2024’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 Class of 2024 Senior Projects: CLICK HERE to share ideas, resources, and contacts!


Respond with ideas for a few seniors or all! Remember to click submit at the bottom of the form when you are done! Thanks! The Senior Seminar Teachers (Debbie, Jim, Ryan and Henry)


Parker 101 Slides Available


To new (and new-ish) Parker families: Thanks to all of you who were able to join us for one or both of the Parker 101 sessions in the last two weeks. If you were not able to join us (or if you were there but want to look more closely at the material), you can access the powerpoint slides we used in both sessions HERE to see the headlines on the topics we discussed. If you have questions, Deb Merriam will be in the lobby most of the day on PLP Friday and she would be happy to answer your questions about the program.


Current Lottery Applications


Reminder lottery applications are being accepted for current openings in grades 7 and 9 until Friday, October 20th. There are no current openings in grade 8 at this time. If more applications are received than there are available spaces, a lottery will be drawn on October 23 at 4:00 PM. Enrollment offers will be made with an intended start date of November 6, 2023. We are also accepting applications for students entering grades 7, 8 and 9 next year until Thursday, February 1st. Direct interested families to www.parker.school/enroll.


OneNote Links Sent


Reminder emails were sent to parents/guardians last week 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. 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!


Parker Band Update


Reminder if you missed the informational meeting, you are still welcome to sign up provided you know the basics of playing your woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument. Our rehearsals began on Tuesday, October 3rd in Room 13. Students can plan to come to rehearsals every Tuesday and Thursday from 3:30-4:30 PM. We will run through our concert in mid-January, and we plan to offer another term starting in the spring semester. The details for signing up are:


  1. If you filled out a survey at our meeting, we have your information, so no further info is required. Skip to step 3.
  2. If you missed the meeting, please fill out this sign-up form and then continue to step 3.
  3. To pay the $100 activity fee for the semester, just complete your payment through Parker’s Unipay webpage, clicking the “band” and “fall” options from the list. You can also bring a check or cash to the office in an envelope with your name and “Band fee” written on it.

Students can drop your instrument off in Room 13 before advisory on rehearsal days if you’d like. Please contact us with any questions: Jim jdesmond@theparkerschool.org or Marena mcole@theparkerschool.org


Updated Carpool List & Student Directory


Reminder a copy of the updated Carpool List may be picked up at the front office (hard copy only).

Also, 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.


Flu Vaccine Clinic


Reminder a flu vaccine clinic will be held during PLP Day on Friday, October 13th, from 8:00 AM – 4:00 AM. Please CLICK HERE to register!


Please register now so enough vaccines are brought for everyone. The COVID vaccine won’t be available until October. More information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine is forthcoming.


Optional COVID-19 Testing


Reminder optional symptomatic testing is available for staff and students while they are at school. Please click the link below to consent to symptomatic rapid antigen testing: https://forms.office.com/r/c1wSd55c7X


Please reach out to Nurse Lisa with any questions at lzick@theparkerschool.org.


MART Transportation


Reminder to click here for more information about a potential shuttle from Bolton, Boxborough, Littleton or Stow. MART currently provides taxi/livery service from these towns but are willing to start shuttles with enough participation. Contact Keary Connors at keary.connors@mrta.us if interested.


Click here to learn more about taxi/livery service from Bolton, Boxborough, Lancaster, Littleton, Lunenburg, Sterling, or Stow.


MART also offers shuttle service to and from the Boys and Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster. Pickup is at 7:45 AM and drop off is at 4:15 PM at BGCFL. Cost is $4/ride or $80/month. Call MART directly at 800-922-5636 Option 3 by at least 4:30 PM the day before the ride is needed. Ask for the Devens Workforce Ride Program – Parker Charter and Boys and Girls Club.

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 under “Students & Parents>Athletics>Directions to Athletic Venues” or just click HERE.

Upcoming Dates of Note:
Mon - Oct 9 Fall Holiday - No School
Fri - Oct 13 Fall PLPs - No Classes
Wed - Oct 25 PSATs
Wed - Oct 25 Café Wednesday
Thu - Oct 26 Board of Trustees
CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THE PARKER FUND!
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.

Recent Posts

Weekly Information for January 16, 2026

By Cindy Johnson • January 16, 2026
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, I often find this time of year provides a reminder to me to have hope amidst the short, dark, cold winter days we endure. By mid-January, I can start to see signs of more light, and sometimes we experience an unseasonably warm day or two—and these changes, though small or temporary, remind me that little by little, every day, tangible things are changing. The Winter Solstice had 6 hours and 12 minutes less daylight than the Summer Solstice. That’s a pretty dramatic difference—but it happened a little bit at a time. Going the other direction works the same way; first we gain only a few seconds of light each day, but by early January, we are gaining a minute of light each day, and by early February, several minutes a day. Change is funny like that—sometimes it happens so gradually we don’t see or feel its impact right away and sometimes it barrels in so we are acutely aware of it. The physical shock of greeting students at the front door this morning in much colder temperatures than yesterday morning is a fine example of the latter. This was a change not to be ignored, and even though I knew to expect it, that didn’t mitigate the jarring effects. Still, that brief respite of days edging toward 50 degrees can fuel my hope that warmer days are coming. Learning is rarely a predictable increase like the amount of light we gain daily moving from winter to summer, but it is often an incremental shift. Sometimes the slow building of skills starts to become evident only with what feels like a lot of effort and time. If you have a student about to complete a mid-year Gateway, you will soon see this sort of change and growth in their work right before your eyes. If your student is working toward a June gateway, or even a gateway next January or June, I would encourage you to look for those small, incremental changes between here and there. Those sometimes-tiny changes are like the extra moments of light in a winter day; they are adding up to something bigger that will be well worth the wait, and I hope that can give us all a little hope this time of year. Best wishes for a restful weekend and a meaningful celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday on Monday, January 19. Bex

Weekly Information for January 9, 2026

By Cindy Johnson • January 10, 2026
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, We had the rare treat of a two-week winter break this year. It was great to welcome our well-rested students back to school on Monday. We have a busy three weeks remaining of the first semester. Students are completing assessments and many are preparing for Midyear Gateways. 68 students will Gateway, in every division and domain, on January 22-23. We look forward to celebrating this important milestone with our students and their families, teachers and peers. Second semester brings new electives for Division 3 students, new Community Blocks for all students, and the anticipation of end-of-year activities. We have officially kicked off student recruiting for next year. We have five information sessions scheduled in January and February, we are about to send postcards to prospective students, and we have a terrific group of student and adult Ambassadors. Thank you to everyone who helps to spread the word about Parker and welcome new students and families. Word of mouth has always been the most effective way that we introduce Parker to new families. If you have a neighbor or friend who may be interested in Parker, please share your experiences. We’d love your help boosting our school’s visibility. When you see our posts on Facebook or Instagram , please take a moment to like and share them with your networks. Your support helps us reach more families and celebrate the great things happening in our community. Additionally, remember, younger siblings need to apply to be eligible for admission. There is a sibling preference in the lottery, but you still need to apply. For additional details and a link to the application visit parker.school/enroll . We appreciate everyone who contacted their legislator and advocated for charter schools this fall. As you may know, there are multiple pieces of legislation under consideration that would lower the cap of charter-eligible students and limit funding for charter public schools. Many families are surprised to learn that students attending charter public schools receive less state funding than their peers in district schools. As lawmakers begin shaping next year’s state budget, we have a critical opportunity to make our voices heard and push for the equitable funding that our students deserve. We are about to launch Fair Funding Week 2026 led by the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association. We hope that you will join us for this virtual week of celebration, advocacy, and collective action from February 2-6, 2026. Fair Funding Week kicks off with an inspiring virtual rally on Monday, February 2nd from 6:00–6:30 PM. Register now and stand with us Have a great weekend. Brian

Weekly Information for December 19, 2025

By Cindy Johnson • December 19, 2025
Dear Parker Students, Families and Staff, Wishing you and your family a very happy holiday! We had a busy and festive week at Parker – with hard work, holiday parties, and our community coming together for those in need. Thank you to everyone who donated food, toys, or sports equipment to our campus drives. We are proud of the Parker community for always stepping up! We look forward to seeing you in the New Year. Enjoy the long break with those who you love.  Brian

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