September 14, 2025

First, I want to thank everyone who took time to participate in our special Chat & Chew around Curriculum. I always say—and will continue to say—that all feedback is powerful, whether supportive or critical. The conversations we had were passionate, honest, and exactly what I need as a leader to grow and to serve Parker well.

One thing that really stood out to me was the reminder that while I stay focused on what happens inside our building, I also need to be mindful of how district-wide conversations and headlines shape perceptions of our work here at Parker. Sometimes the “why” behind our decisions can get clouded by the bigger picture, and that can create extra stress for families. I hear you on that, and I’m taking it to heart.

A few other big takeaways from our Chat & Chew:

• Teacher creativity matters. Our teachers do have the flexibility to adapt lessons to meet the needs of their students. The only non-negotiable is that lessons are taught at or above grade level and at the intended rigor.

• Pacing is a real challenge. This is something we’re all adjusting to together. The new master schedule and instructional model are big shifts. Teachers are finding their flow, and our leadership team is continuing to provide clarity and support so that flexibility feels real, not confusing.

• Parent communication systems. You asked for clearer ways to know what students are learning each week, how grades (especially DOLs) are documented, and more clarity around homework. Our admin team met Friday to start mapping out campus-wide systems and training to support all three.

On homework specifically: Parker does not have a campus-wide requirement for homework. Students spend nearly eight hours here each day, and many wake up before sunrise to get to school. When they go home, they deserve to just be kids—whether that’s sports, Scouts, dance, music practice/lessons, or family time. If something comes home, it’s extra practice, not a requirement, and it is never factored into a grade. That said, when students need targeted practice, teachers may recommend resources like printed skills practice or IXL, which is connected to your child’s NWEA data and helps close specific skill gaps.

Finally, I want to end with gratitude. I’ve been reminded of the power of this community—not just in what you share with me directly, but also in the way so many of you stand up for Parker and for me as your principal. There’s a quote that captures it well:

“Surround yourself with people who fight for you in rooms you aren’t in.”

I can’t always see the battles, but I feel the support. Thank you for walking this journey with me and for continuing to fight for Parker’s excellence.

-Principal Carter

We truly value the important role families play in our students’ lives. Sharing lunch with your child is a special time, and we want to continue making those moments possible while also ensuring the safety and well-being of every student on campus.

Over the past several weeks, we’ve engaged in conversations at the leadership level, during SDMC, with PTO representatives, and through parent emails. Both staff and families have voiced their perspectives, and we want to share where we are in finding a balance that works for everyone.

We understand the adjusted to lunch visits once a week on the staggered schedule caused some concerns for some. We also acknowledge the shift from five days a week to one was a drastic shift to start the year with.

• Student Safety: On some days (especially Fridays) last year, we often had close to 100 visitors in the building within the lunch window. This created challenges for monitoring movement across multiple areas (cafeteria, hallways, stairways, garden, etc.) and ensuring all students remained accounted for and safe.

• Office & Staffing Demands: During lunch, our two-person front office team is responsible for visitor sign-ins, door entry, phone calls, deliveries, and supporting staff and students. With such a high volume of traffic, this can quickly overwhelm the system.

• Instructional Transitions: Teachers have noted that some students have difficulty returning to class after visits, or are delayed getting back to instruction, which disrupts learning for the whole group.

• Campus Concerns: We’ve also observed safety risks such as visitors entering restricted areas, using student restrooms, or propping doors open. These situations create liabilities that we cannot ignore.

• Social Development: Parents and staff both shared that while visits are special, coming every day can limit students’ opportunity to socialize and build independence with their peers during one of their only unstructured times.

Some parents who have already participated have noted that the environment and traffic feels calmer and more enjoyable for both students and families. However, we also recognize that there are special circumstances—such as birthdays, divorced households, or work schedules—that may require flexibility outside of the staggered schedule. We are committed to working with you with those cases. We will be finalizing an adjusted plan that addresses those concerns.

Our intent is not to limit parent involvement, but to ensure a safe, structured, and welcoming environment for all students. We are grateful for your understanding as we refine this system and will continue to seek feedback to make it work for both families and staff.

-Parker Leadership

This month, we’re celebrating School Spirit Month at Parker! Every Wednesday in September, we encourage all students and staff to show their pride by wearing their Parker t-shirts. Let’s fill the halls with Parker blue and red!

Throughout September, we’ll also be learning what it truly means to be a Parker PROUD student. Parker PROUD students show strength of character and the courage to do what is right. Each week, we’ll focus on a different way to shine:

• Week 1: LEAD by example by following all school and classroom rules.

• Week 2: TAKE responsibility for your actions. If you make a mistake, reflect, apologize if needed, and do your best to make things better next time.

• Week 3: HELP others—show you care by lending a helping hand.

• Week 4: Show a POSITIVE attitude toward yourself, your classmates, your school, and the community.

Let’s come together to show our Parker spirit and practice being Parker PROUD all month long!

-Susan Carlock, Counselor

At Parker, the last hour of the school day (2:00–3:00 PM) is called ENCORE—just like when an audience asks for “one more song.” For our students, Encore is that “one more” opportunity to learn, grow, and shine before the day ends.

• Music Encore: On their assigned days, students go to their instrument ensembles (band, guitar, chorus, piano, strings, etc.).

• Academic Encore: On the days students are not in ensembles, they join Academic Encore—our daily time for literacy, enrichment, and project-based learning.

• 20 Minutes of Literacy
  Students are not simply sitting and reading quietly. Instead, they self-select a book that interests them (at their Lexile level), then show their comprehension in a meaningful way. They may:

  • Answer targeted questions,

  • Complete a quick writing prompt, or

  • Fill in a graphic organizer.

  Teachers may also use this time for individualized intervention or extension based on student data, so that every child is working at just the right level.

• 40 Minutes of Project Based Learning (PBL) & Learning Enrichment

  • PBL: Students work on hands-on projects that spark creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving. GT students also use this time for their special GT projects.

  • Extension/Intervention: Teachers work with small groups on specific skills using data from NWEA and DIBELS. This might look like a rotation of stations—for example, one group working with the teacher on targeted skills, another group at a project station, another finishing classwork, and another using digital tools like Zearn, Amira, or IXL.

Students are grouped by their current progress and needs (we call these tiers). Rotations are designed by teachers with support from school leadership. Each student will get at least one day of PBL per week, no matter their level (tier).

• Current Encore plans will remain in place until the end of Cycle 2 unless teachers see a major shift in data.

• If parents would like to know their child’s individualized Encore plan, they can reach out directly to their teacher.

Encore is not extra screen time or an unstructured reading block. It’s a carefully planned hour where every child is active, engaged, and supported. It’s our way of giving Parker students “one more” chance to read, explore, create, and grow every single day.

We are excited to launch a brand-new approach to Gifted & Talented programming this year! Our goal is simple: give GT students enriched, challenging, and meaningful opportunities that grow their talents and showcase their creativity.

• Encore Time (2:00–3:00 PM): For grades 1–5, Encore is where GT students will dive into special Project-Based Learning (PBL). This is their time to work on GT projects, receive above-grade-level material, and take on extension activities from their teachers.

• PreK & Kinder: Since they don’t have an Encore block, GT extension will happen during Learn & Play (PreK) and Tier I instruction (Kinder).

• Regular Instruction: GT students also receive depth-of-knowledge questions and extension activities in their everyday lessons.

During Encore, GT students aren’t just doing “extra work.” They’re engaging in hands-on projects designed to stretch their thinking, spark creativity, and solve real-world problems. While their peers are also working on projects, GT students will have differentiated themes and expectations that push them to the next level.

For example, during the literacy block of Encore, a GT student may:

• Read a text above grade level and respond with higher-level questions,

• Research and design a project that ties into our campus theme, or

• Work in small groups to problem-solve and create something new.

This fall, GT students will launch their first big project tied to our campus-wide theme, Our Wild World. Each grade level will take on a unique role in exploring the animal kingdom:

• PreK & Kinder: Explorers & Storytellers – Discovering Animal Friends

• 1st–2nd: Caretakers & Conservation – Zookeeper Stations

• 3rd: Nutritionists – Food Chains & Survival

• 4th: Habitat Engineers – Habitats & Environments

• 5th: The Animals – Research & Representation

All student projects will be displayed at our Campus GT Expo, but only GT projects will be formally judged and considered for the District GT Expo. To give students more time for project completion the Campus GT Expo is being moved from October to December. The final date will be announced next week. Families & staff are invited!

Although, GT students no longer have individualized GT plans, everyone will be supported. If you’d like more details about GT student is being supported in the classroom, please contact their teacher directly.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage month, we are inviting students and staff to dress in Latin attire, every Friday (September 19-October 10). We are also having our Annual Mercado! Please see flyers for information on shirt orders (deadline is THIS THURSDAY).

More information on volunteer opportunities can be found on the PTO website at https://parkerpto.membershiptoolkit.com/mercado

-Gina Garcia, Assistant Principal

What an unforgettable three-day celebration! Our campus was filled with joy as students welcomed their grandparents to share lunch and special time together. It was heartwarming to see generations connect, laugh, and create lasting memories across our lunch tables.

We extend our deepest gratitude to the incredible volunteers who helped organize, set up, and support this event—you made it all possible! Your efforts ensured that every student and grandparent felt celebrated and cared for.

And on a lighter note… we probably should have bought stock in Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s, and Wendy’s ahead of time—they definitely had a great week thanks to our families!

Thank you to everyone who joined us in making this Grandparents’ Day one for the books. We can’t wait to do it again next year!

We know families may worry about students having too much screen time during the school day. We are intentional about how digital resources are used. Each program has a dedicated time built into the master schedule so that digital learning supports, rather than replaces, high-quality classroom instruction.

Digital resources are not extra screen time. They are Tier 1, grade-level tools designed to accelerate learning for all students. These programs provide scaffolds, enrichment, and personalized practice aligned to classroom instruction.

• Amira (Reading): Students in K-5 use Amira twice a week (30 minutes each) to complete four stories per week—an effective dosage for building reading fluency and comprehension.

• Zearn (Math): Students in K-4 use Zearn three times per week (30 minutes each), and 5th grade uses it twice per week. This equals about 90 minutes weekly—the research-based dosage linked to strong math growth.

• Summit K-12 (English Language Development): Beginner and intermediate emergent bilingual students in 2nd-5th grade use Summit K-12 during their Amira block. This program offers leveled texts, interactive language activities, and personalized learning plans to build English proficiency.

• IXL (Math & ELA): Teachers may also assign IXL during small-group time. It provides personalized skill practice tied to NWEA MAP data, helping students grow at their own pace.

All digital platforms are available through Clever for additional at-home practice. While scaffolded below-grade-level lessons may appear, only on-grade-level or above lessons count toward weekly goals. Teachers monitor progress and adjust assignments as needed.

Scheduled and monitored
Research-based and aligned to instruction
Designed to support—not replace—teacher-led learning

Our goal is to ensure students receive the right "dosage" of digital learning each week to strengthen reading, math, and language skills—without overusing technology during core instruction.

See below for more information on each digital platform we use as a campus.

Our latest PTO newsletter is out! 🎉
Didn’t get it in your inbox? Make sure your info is up to date on the PTO Website so you don’t miss future updates. You can always catch up and read the latest newsletter here!

Upcoming Dates:

September 18th- Last Day to order El Mercado Shirts

September 25th at 6:00 pm- PTO Meeting, be sure to RSVP

September 26th- Last Day to Sign up to host a Social

October 1st - Last day to order grade-level class shirts

Jeanette Mueller

President, Parker Elementary PTO

www.parkerpto.org

832-987-2052 (PTO)

Music Fees
Thank you to the families who have already paid — 20.3% of music fees are in, which is an increase of almost 10% from last week!

Still need to pay? You have a few options:

• Complete the form and pay online: https://bit.ly/parkermusicfees
• Fill out the form online and bring your payment in person — drop it in the blue Parker Friends box in the front office
• Use a paper form — pick one up in the front office or download here: https://bit.ly/MusicFeeForm

Checks payable to Parker Friends.

Paper forms are available in the front office, or you can download one: https://bit.ly/MusicFeeForm.

Employer Matching Gifts
Does your company offer a matching gift program, or do you need an employer match letter? Email Julie@parkerfriends.org

Instrument Check-Out
If your child has or will be checking out an instrument this year, please fill out the contact form (if you haven’t already): https://bit.ly/parkercheckout

Play-a-thon
We’re only 33.3% away from our fundraising goal for Play-a-thon — the biggest Strings fundraiser of the year. Thank you to everyone who has already shown support! Donate: https://givebutter.com/play-a-thon-25

Julie Doyle-Madrid (She/Her/Hers)

Executive Director

Parker Friends

julie@parkerfriends.org

www.parkerfriends.org

832-910-7761