Parker Junior High Newsletter

Thank you for taking the opportunity to review our Weekly Newsletter.

Monday, October 13, 2025 -District Closed - No School

Hispanic Heritage Celebration Assembly - Wednesday, October 15th - North Gym

6th Grade - 7th period - 12:20 pm - 1:00 pm

7th Grade - 8th period - 1:05 pm - 1:45 pm

8th Grade - 9th period - 1:50 pm - 2:30 pm

Grade Reporting Timeline

Please be sure to review the Grade Reporting Timeline and additional information in the Curriculum and Assessment section of this newsletter. If you have specific curriculum questions, please reach out to your child's teacher for assistance.

Physical Aggression

We have a recent serious concern regarding scholar behavior at our school. It has come to our attention that instances of physical aggression (fighting) among scholars have increased recently.

We want to emphasize that physical aggression is not tolerated under any circumstances. It is essential for Parker Junior High School to be a safe and supportive environment where all scholars can learn and thrive. Engaging in physical aggression not only disrupts the learning environment but also impacts the well-being of all scholars involved.

We ask for your support in discussing the importance of conflict resolution and respectful communication with your child. Encourage them to seek help from teachers, social workers, or grade level administrators when faced with conflicts rather than resorting to physical confrontations.

We appreciate your cooperation in maintaining a positive school culture. Together, we can ensure that our school remains a safe space for all scholars.

Transportation

• School Street is one way for Arrival and Dismissal

  • Braemar Street to School Street to Douglass (Optional right or left turn)

  • No stopping on School Street. Please maintain traffic flow and drop off scholars ONLY on the curb side of School Street.

Flossmoor SD 161 Elementary School Access

Parker JHS scholars are not permitted on FSD 161 Elementary School grounds until classes have been dismissed at 3:30 pm. If scholars are meeting or picking up a sibling, they must adhere to this procedure. Please reiterate this to your children as we strive to maintain safety for all schools of Flossmoor SD 161.

Educationally Yours,

Ursula Parris, Principal

Parker Junior High School

Join us tonight at HF High School for Youth Night

6:00 pm

The Parker Student Council and the Flossmoor Education Association are excited to announce Parker’s first-ever Trunk or Treat event on Tuesday, October 28th at Parker Junior High.

We would love for Parker families to join us in making this a fun and festive community event. This event is for all SD161 students (K-8). If you are interested in hosting a trunk, please complete the RSVP form by Friday, October 17th.

RSVP: https://forms.gle/LoUhfXd1d8WKYJZs5

Thank you for helping us create a memorable celebration for our students!

Parker Student Council

• Youth Night at HF High School - 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

10.13.25

• Indigenous People Day - District Closed - No Classes

10.14.25

• Gold Jazz Band Rehearsal - 3:05 p.m. - LGI

• NJHS Meeting - 3:05 p.m. - Room 102

• Fall Play Rehearsal - 3:05 p.m.

• Cheer Practice - 3:05 p.m

• Dance Practice - 3:05 p.m.

• Girls Basketball Game vs Brookwood - 4:30 p.m. - North Gym

10.15.25

• H-F Late Start Day

• Hispanic Heritage Assembly- Periods 7, 8, 9

• LEGO/STEAM Lab - 2:40 P.M. - Room 20

• Fall Play Rehearsal - 3:05 p.m.

• Dance Practice - 3:05 p.m.

• Cheer Practice - 3:05 p.m

• Girls Basketball Game vs Hart - 3:30 p.m. - Hart

10.16.25

• Blue Jazz Band Rehearsal - 3:05 p.m. - LGI

• Fall Play Rehearsal - 3:05 p.m.

• Cheer Practice - 3:05 p.m

• Dance Girls BBall Game Stand Performance

• Girls Basketball Game vs Colin Powell - 3:30 p.m. - North Gym

• Virtual Parker Falcon Dads Meeting - 6:00 p.m. - Click here

10.17.25

• Dance Practice - 3:05 p.m. - (TBA in Remind)

• Fall Play Tech Week Rehearsals Begin - 3:05 p.m. - North Gym

• Entrance and Exit - Parker Staff will be available to escort scholars to Grade Level Entrance

  • 6th Grade Scholars - Door B

  • 7th Grade Scholars - Door G

  • 8th Grade Scholars - Door J

  
  

• School Street is one way for Arrival and Dismissal

  • Braemar Street to School Street to Douglass (Optional right or left turn)

  • No stopping on School Street. Please maintain traffic flow and drop off scholars ONLY on the curb side of School Street.

  
  

• Transportation

• Bus information is available in Skyward for families. If you have any transportation questions, please contact Ms. Wanda Alexander at 708-546-7072.

The focus in October is self-direction. Read the newsletter below for ways to incorporate self-direction at home!

Upcoming Testing Window

NWEA MAP

• Winter: December 8-12, 2025
• Spring: April 20-27, 2026

Illinois Science Assessment (8th Grade Only)

• April 6 - 10, 2026

Illinois Assessment of Readiness (Math and Reading) (All Grade Levels)

• March 16 - 20, 2026

Check out these scholars hard at work in FUSE class! FUSE is hands-on, choice-based learning where learners select the challenge they want to take and conquer it! Challenges range from “The Coaster Challenge” (pictured here) to create mini-me computer generated animations!

Are you curious about Standards or Assessments provided to your child? Access the SD 161 Learning and Instruction webpage for detailed information specific to Standards Based Grading and Year Long Plans for every grade level content.

Homework Help

Grade Reporting Timeline

Community Grade Level Meeting

Deans conducted Grade Level Community Meetings and provided reminders of our PBIS expectations and criteria to participate in End of the Quarter Activity. Each grade level will provide an opportunity for scholars to participate in End of the Quarter activity based upon making positive decisions. Please reference important links below:

Upcoming Grade Level Community Meetings

6.20 School Dress Code

We expect all students to be dressed appropriately and comfortably for school each day. Students are expected to be reasonably dressed and prepared to participate in a professional and hard working school environment. Any student whose dress is deemed to be inappropriate will be provided with a shirt or shorts that will appropriately cover the dress code violation.

Clothes must be worn in such a way that the genitals, buttocks, stomach, sides, back and chest area are fully covered with opaque fabric. All undergarments must be fully covered.

The following apply to all student attire:

a) Shirts must have opaque fabric in the front, back and on the sides under the arms that extends to the waistband.

b) Pants/sweatpants/shorts/ skirt/dress/leggings must be worn at waist level and in such a way that genitals, buttocks, undergarments are fully covered with opaque fabric.

c) Shoes must be worn at all times.

The following guidance is intended to illustrate implementation of the above requirements for students, parents, and school personnel while on school property:

1. Jackets, coats, hats, hoods, gloves, and other forms of outerwear apparel are not to be worn in school. Fleece and sweatshirts may be worn in school as long as a hood is not covering a student’s head.

2. No head covering or cap may be worn in the school unless for religious or health reasons.

3. Only prescription glasses may be worn in school.

4. Attire, earrings, jewelry, pins, or any other type of wearing apparel or accessories that advertise, promote, or depict alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, drugs, gangs, weapons, nudity, obscenity, or profanity are not to be worn in school.

5. Students are not permitted to wear or advertise in any manner drug, alcohol, weapons, or any controlled substance paraphernalia.

6. Pajama attire is not to be worn in school, unless given special permission [PBIS reward, etc.].

30 day grace period for free and reduced lunch has expired. If parents have not either been confirmed by the state for SNAP/TANF or Medicaid status or have not completed a new free/reduced lunch application in Skyward, their lunch status may be back to paid. Complete a lunch form in Skyward to correct your status!

Text Message Opt-In
Signing up for District 161’s text message alerts is quick and easy. Simply text the word “YES” to 67587 from the cell phone on which you wish to receive text messages. Please make sure that your cell phone number is up-to-date in Skyward. If you need to update your phone number, please contact the office at your child’s school. Click here for more information.

Parker PTO Spiritwear Sale

Show our Falcon Pride by ordering your school Spiritwear today!

Click the link below and use access code: 9XDVQ

https://championsportswear.itemorder.com/shop/home/

We can’t wait to see you rocking that gold and blue!

Sincerely yours,

- Parker PTO

THANK YOU to all that supported the PTO DoubleGood fundraiser . With your incredible help, the PTO will receive $3,167!

Our top sellers were all 6th grade students! What a way to represent!

1st place: Bailyn Bell
2nd place: Marcus Ferguson
3rd place: Brian Stanley Jr.

Top sellers will receive a scooter, TV or a gift card!
All students that sold will receive a sweet treat soon!

6th Grade Scholars

Aubrey Wagner

Carson Woods

Allison Reyes

7th Grade Scholars

Analia Burgess

Noa Evans

Xavier Nwosu

8th Grade Scholars

Princess Bettis

JaLiyah Huisar

Alicia Fernandez

PBIS October Focus

Our PBIS focus for the month of October is Tardiness. We are consistently encouraging our scholars to be prepared, walk with a purpose in the hallways, and be on time to each class. If we accomplish our goal of lowering our tardiness referrals by a significant percentage, a small snack will be awarded.

Let’s go Falcons!

Yondr Bags were distributed to 6th and 7th grade scholars. 8th grade scholars are expected to keep cell phones in lockers and/or out of sight.

Email: uparris@sd161.org
Website: https://www.sd161.org/o/parker-junior-high
Location: 2810 School Street, Flossmoor, Illinois 60422