March 1, 2026

The Buddy Bench: Justice Starts When Everyone Belongs

In March and beyond, we are teaching Justice, Fairness and Freedom from Prejudice in action through the Buddy Bench.

Justice means being fair and kind to everyone. Freedom from Prejudice means including and valuing others for who they are. Our Buddy Bench is here to help every student feel included. When a student sits on the bench, it’s a signal that they would like a friend. When we invite someone to play, we help build a school where everyone belongs. At our school, kindness is powerful- and everyone deserves a buddy.

We invite Parker families to watch the short video that inspired Parker PTO to purchase two Buddy Benches for our school. It’s a simple but powerful reminder that small acts of kindness help everyone feel included.

Talk about it at home:

Who can use the Buddy Bench?

How can you help someone feel included?

Why does including others matter?

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Susan Carlock, School Counselor

A huge thank you to our incredible Parker community for your support. Our Silent and Live Auction was a tremendous success, and every dollar raised goes right back to supporting our amazing PTO and school. We truly could not do this without you.

Friday night was so much fun, and it only happened because of an outstanding team. A very special shoutout to Kelly Ray-Landschoot for leading such an incredible Auction Gala team. Kelly, your leadership made the night seamless and so special.

Allison McCowen, our Party Chair, you brought the fun and the energy.
Loni Wallace, thank you for donating your time and talent to create the fabulous balloon decor.
Elizabeth Wingfield, the floral arrangements were absolutely gorgeous.
Jamie Porter, thank you for organizing so many amazing donations that made our auction lineup truly impressive.

And to everyone who attended, bid, volunteered, donated, decorated, planned, set up, cleaned up, and cheered us on… thank you. This community shows up in the best way. We cannot wait to share our final numbers with you soon.

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Jeanette Mueller

President, Parker Elementary PTO

www.parkerpto.org

832-978-2052 (PTO)

Music Fee Reminder

Music fee reminder letters went home this week. Thank you to the families who have already taken care of their music fees — we truly appreciate your support. We’ve worked to streamline the process from last year, but occasional discrepancies may still occur.

If you believe you received a reminder in error or have any questions about your payment status, please email me at julie@parkerfriends.org.

Only 38.6% of families — just over 1 in 3 — have paid their music fees. If you haven’t paid, you can pay online here or download a paper form here!

Thank you for supporting Parker’s music program! 🎶

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Julie Doyle-Madrid

Executive Director, Parker Friends