Many Happy Returns…

The first week at Parker has flown by in a flurry of joyful reunions, warm new welcomes, and plenty of thoughtful foundation building for the year to come. Parker students are engaged, inquisitive, nurturing, and thoughtful — and nowhere was that more apparent this week than watching the care and compassion they showed for each other and their teachers as they navigated their first few days. You have every reason to be incredibly proud of your children. We certainly are.

Typically, our first week at Parker is spent building relationships and helping children to establish their identities, both individually and as a community. What would you see if you stopped by our classrooms this week? A deliberately constructed day designed to make sure every student feels welcome. Students engaged in exploring not only the question of “Who am I?”, but also, “How can I contribute to my classroom community?” Teachers taking great care to establish classroom rules and routines that include every student’s voice. Over the next few weeks, students will build the norms for their class communities, giving their own language to outline behavior expectations that lead to care and respect, and a climate conducive to learning. Here is a peek at what some of that work looked liked this week:

Fifth grade is the start of middle school here at Parker, and we are very intentional about holding space for the tightrope this age group walks between burgeoning maturity and carefree childhood. It is one of the many reasons we continue to schedule regular recess and time outdoors for our middle school students through 8th grade. Outdoor time gives our older students continued freedom to experiment, freedom to try on identities, and freedom to fail. This results in higher levels of creative thinking, problem solving, independence, and perseverance here in our classrooms.

3rd and 4th grade students delighted in their first hands on science lessons with our new K-4th grade science teacher, Erin Hinshaw. Parker students are raised to be citizen scientists, and the first step in building this identity is learning to think like a scientist. Using a salinity experiment, Erin worked with her students to form a hypothesis, conduct the experiment, observe the results, and form a conclusion. Our 3rd and 4th graders were quick to recognize that their conclusion actually introduced a host of new questions, thus underscoring the cyclical nature of the scientific method. These critical skills of noticing, questioning, and refining their conclusions will serve our Parker students across so many disciplines as they grow to be active citizens in our world.

Kindergarten students have already started digging into phonics and literacy with hands-on activities that engage both their motor skills and spirit of inquiry. Manipulating materials with their hands gives our Kindergarteners the opportunity to build the brain-body connections that cement learning. Plus, it’s FUN! When it comes to literacy, Parker’s approach emphasizes pairing foundational skills with student-interests, curiosity, and a drive to create. At the Kindergarten level, you will also see budding writers, eagerly putting pen to paper and figuring out how to express their ideas.

Parker 1-2 students enjoyed their first SEL (social-emotional learning) class with Katie this week. Here at Parker, we believe that true, important learning is integrated, holistic, and must address the child’s social and emotional journey alongside their academic growth. SEL learning is integrated into our programming and happens throughout the day at Parker. However, we also employ an SEL & Wellness position and curriculum across our K-8th grades in order to be intentional about dedicating explicit time to developing these skills. Under Katie’s guidance, Parker students have enjoy a regular, weekly SEL class, in addition to mixed-age “lunch bunches” and special-interest groups like “Nature Club”. This is what educating the whole child looks like, and it is a big part of what differentiates Parker from other schools.

Finally, our PreK students are bravely demonstrating just how capable and confident even our very youngest students can be. At this age, our youngest PreK 3 students are spending their first few days learning how to be in a classroom together. They practice sitting in a circle, saying hello to friends, sharing spaces and materials, and taking turns. For some of these students, it is their first experience making their way in the world on their own. It is heartwarming and inspiring to see what care these children take with each other and themselves as they learn so many new lessons in trust, regulation, and autonomy.

Parker students thrive year round thanks to the careful cultivation that our educators pour into these first few weeks. By nurturing an environment in which every child is known, has a voice, and recognizes the value of their contributions, Parker teachers support our students in forming their own unique learning communities where learning blossoms.