What our parents say

Last spring the school participated in a survey by Siena College students about the value proposition of our school and other area independent and parochial schools.  The Siena students analyzed the findings and reported back on the relative strengths and weaknesses of the school according to parents, trustees and faculty.

Among the positive comments and the constructive suggestions and criticisms, areas of strength and weakness emerged.  For Parker parents, it’s all about the high quality of the teachers.  That, the individualized nature of the education, and the sense of community came across loud and clear as strengths above all others.

Areas of relative concern were the engagement of parents in the older grades and a lack of understanding about the school’s budget and financial aid practices.  We will be addressing these areas this year with help from Parent Council by adding social events for families and coordinating volunteer opportunities.  Our Board of Trustees will work to educate the parent community about how budget priorities are set and school administrators will work to help parents understand how the financial aid process works.

Parents’ quotes are powerful testimony to what they love about Parker.  The survey was anonymous, but here are some things that parents said about the strengths of a Parker education and the values of the school:

We are extremely satisfied – 8th graders complete a thesis, take 9th grade regents for several courses. Collaborative process is what colleges and the job market is looking for.

The educational process creates a confident and thoughtful learner.

I believe that Robert C. Parker School is providing the absolute best education possible in the area. I have been beyond impressed by the thoughtfulness, care and consideration that are taken by the teachers regarding the students.

I couldn’t be happier with the quality of education provided by Parker. It is beyond compare, from what I have seen, based upon the needs of my daughter and her love of learning.

My children are taught in a way that they are excited about learning.

The multi-modality approach and experiences are above and beyond what public school provides, although public schools could learn from Parker’s approach to teaching and child development.

Not only the education but the self-confidence my child gained is invaluable.

Quality of education is on par with the best schools available in Albany.

 The quality of education exceeded my expectations. It’s the way all children should be taught.

The education at RCP encompasses not only the academic challenges but social and ethical challenges as well. The hands on education paired with challenging students to be both independent and to think critically with a larger community is important for real world application.

 The project-based experiential education Parker offers works well for my child’s learning style.

The kind, caring, compassionate teachers and staff make for a wonderful environment in which to send my elementary school child off to school every day.

 The personalized attention to each student’s strengths and needs has been one of the assets of Parker education that my family values immensely.

To my knowledge, Parker utilizes best practices in education to provide a very high quality, individualized education for students. I think that is what makes the tuition dollar worth it – knowing my children are getting the very best education money can buy.

 To the extent I have observed them, the diversity of educational opportunities and commitment to stimulating intellectual curiosity in children seems outstanding.

 We appreciate that advanced and Regents courses are offered in 8th grade. We also appreciate that there is no standardized testing in the lower grades, and that the curriculum is not test-driven.

 We are very happy with the way teachers invest so much into each child.

Good job with team approach to education. Good job teaching to student strengths.

 Parker’s teaching and learning experiences have been tried and true for my family for over 13 years. For us it has always been all about the quality of our children’s teachers and Parker’s teachers are a head above the rest.

Student-teacher ratio provides individual attention; teachers are very involved in all activities and really know each student. The amount of effort they put into the assessment of the student’s progress is tangible.

On Values:

 Although not religious, RCP is a very value-based environment. They appear to place value on each individual child entrusted to them. And my child sees this, which is important to me.

We like Robert C Parker School because it is secular. However it provides a very strong character education which is really important to us. It also fosters a community of diversity and open mindedness which is crucial.

I feel they are the result of great thought, educational research, and common sense – and they resonate with me.

 I love that Parker teaches the children meditation and they spend time on that type of activity.

Parker provided my child with a reinforcement of the values stressed at home regarding responsible citizenship, environmental concerns and empathy.

 Parker transmits valuable lessons about personal responsibility and the rights of others, and inspires its community to think outside of itself.

 The independence that Parker considers and challenges each student to become. Also, that each student is allowed to discover ideas and become themselves as they change and develop.

The Peace Assembly says it all.

Their values are in line with my own –nature, community, caring.

 The values of being a contributing and respectful member of society, taking care of the earth, and respecting each other are values our family holds in high importance. Parker reflects these values in its educational philosophy, and it plays out each day in the behavior of its students and teachers.

 We agree, about the importance of community, love of learning and honoring the uniqueness of the individual.

We like the integration of the Responsive Classroom philosophy. Also, the younger children receive appropriate guidance in social skill development in a way that helps them take responsibility for the consequences of their words and actions.

The way the teachers work as a team and adjust is impressive in living the values.