The Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School (usually referred to as the Parker Charter School by the public, or simply Parker by students) is a public charter school in Devens,

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

, United States that serves students in grades 7 to 12. It was established in 1995 under the

Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993 The Massachusetts Education Reform Act (MERA) of 1993 was an act of legislation passed in Massachusetts that "greatly increased the state's role in funding public education and in guiding the local education process."Driscoll, L., et al, (2005), ...

, and serves about 400 students from 40 surrounding towns in north central Massachusetts, including Ayer, Shirley, Littleton, Leominster, Lunenburg, and Worcester. As a member of the

Coalition of Essential Schools The Coalition of Essential Schools is a US organization created to further a type of whole-school reform originally envisioned by founder Ted Sizer in his book, ''Horace's Compromise.'' The group began in 1984 with twelve schools and grew to 600 m ...

, a leading organization for

education reform Education reform is the name given to the goal of changing public education. The meaning and education methods have changed through debates over what content or experiences result in an educated individual or an educated society. Historically, t ...

, Parker is known for its nontraditional educational philosophy. The school takes its name from

Francis Wayland Parker Francis Wayland Parker (October 9, 1837March 2, 1902) was a pioneer of the progressive education, progressive school movement in the United States. He believed that education should include the complete development of an individual — mental, p ...

, a 19th-century pioneer of the progressive school movement.

History

Parker was one of the first charter schools created under the

. Started by area parents and teachers, it received its charter on March 15, 1994, opening for the 1995–1996 school year as an Essential School dedicated to the principles of the Coalition of Essential Schools. CES founder

Ted Sizer Theodore Ryland Sizer (June 23, 1932 – October 21, 2009) was a leader of educational reform in the United States, the founder (and eventually President Emeritus) of the Essential school movement and was known for challenging longstanding practi ...

was involved in its founding, and he served as co-principal with his wife Nancy in the 1998–1999 school year. Every five years the school is reviewed by the state to see whether the school's charter should be renewed. Parker's charter was renewed in 2014. In 1999, the

New England Association of Schools and Colleges The New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC) is a United States' regional accreditation association providing educational accreditation. NEASC serves over 1500 public, independent schools, and technical/career institution ...

selected Parker as a "candidate member school" for accreditation, and it was accredited in 2002. Parker also is home to the Regional Teachers center (renamed the Theodore R. Sizer Teachers Center on the school's tenth anniversary in 2005). Teachers provide professional help to other teachers, give workshops, and take part in educational conferences.''The Parker Way'', Winter 2007
The New Teachers Collaborative is a program that allows beginning teachers to earn their teacher certification in one school year. In addition to Parker, NTC places teachers at Innovation Academy Charter School in Chelmsford, Massachusetts.Parker School 2006–2007 Annual Report
As with all Commonwealth Charter Schools in Massachusetts, Parker receives its funding from the local aid accounts of its students' sending school districts. Because Massachusetts charter schools cannot receive state or local funding for facilities acquirement or improvement, Parker has had to find other solutions to its housing issues. From its opening in 1995 to 2000, Parker was located in a former Army spy-training building leased from MassDevelopment, a semi-private base redevelopment authority. While this facility provided sufficient space, it lacked windows, a cafeteria, or a gym. In 2000, the school moved to its current residence, a 1950s-era elementary school, also leased from MassDevelopment, until it was acquired in August 2007.''The Parker Way'', Fall 2007

Principals

*James Nehring (1996–1998) * Theodore and Nancy Sizer (1998–1999) *Gregg Sinner (1999–2001) *Teriann Schrader (2001–2010) *Diane Kruse (Interim Principal 2010-2011) *Todd Sumner (2011–2022) *Brian Harrigan (2022-Present)

Notable faculty

* Suzy Becker (born 1962), author, entrepreneur, and social activist

Extracurricular activities

Parker has numerous clubs and activities. There is a student

jazz band A jazz band (jazz ensemble or jazz combo) is a musical ensemble that plays jazz music. Jazz bands vary in the quantity of its members and the style of jazz that they play but it is common to find a jazz band made up of a rhythm section and a ...

and there have several student bands over the years, most notably The Demons of Stupidity, Schmendrique, Crevice, Federal Meat Inspection, and Cageboys (stylized as "cageboys"). Every year Parker had multiple teams compete in CoMap a 36-hour math competition. In 2016 a

CyberPatriot CyberPatriot is a national youth cyber education program created in the United States to help direct students toward careers in cybersecurity or another computer, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. The program was cre ...

team was approved. Several times a year, students and teachers showcase their music and poetry skills at Café Wednesday. There are usually about two play productions a year. Parker also had a Destination ImagiNation team. Other groups include a Mock Trial team and a rocket club that reached the 2006 and 2007 national finals of the Team America Rocketry Challenge. In the past, there was a math team that participated in the

Worcester County Mathematics League The Worcester County Mathematics League (WOCOMAL) is a high school mathematics league composed of 32 high schools, most of which are in Worcester County, Massachusetts. It organizes seven mathematics competitions per year, four at the "varsity" le ...

Athletics

Athletics have become an important part of the Parker identity over time.Parker programs flourish
Worcester Telegram and Gazette. October 6, 2007. The school now fields teams in cross country,

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

, and

softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...

and is a member of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association. About half of the student body participates in at least one sport. Parker also has a cross country program. They compete in the Colonial Athletic League.

References

External links

Parker School official website
{{authority control Educational institutions established in 1995 Charter schools in Massachusetts Public high schools in Massachusetts Public middle schools in Massachusetts 1995 establishments in Massachusetts