News

Upper School history teacher Andrew Bigelow orchestrated his first-ever virtual “Meeting of the Minds” to dig deeper into the early 1900s

To get her students acclimated to remote learning, Upper School Spanish teacher Liz Villagomez added a video-share component to an element of her curriculum

All are welcome to enjoy the sweet sounds of Upper School Latin teacher and renaissance man Mark Aymar in this series of performances

Looking to learn more about a college remotely?

Rather than let the current COVID-19 crisis make him feel powerless, one Parker sophomore has partnered with the school to produce PPE using a 3D-printer from the TIDES Garage at home, donating the results to health care workers on the front lines at hospitals around the city

While we shelter in place for the benefit of our global community, the Colonel in each of us might yearn to do more to assist those in need during these difficult times

Being stuck at home can be boring, so the ILIS crew has put together this resource of fun and cool activities

During April Recess, Intermediate and Middle School students have a variety of optional activities in which they can choose to participate from their homes

Our Middle School performance of Matilda may not able to take the stage, but we can still share the fun, magic and energy of some fantastic rehearsal footage

Remember the film True Believer that teachers Dan Greenstone and Travis Chandler produced as part of their joint Creating Historical Documentaries class?

The Parker PM team wants to ensure everyone has a smile on their faces this April Recess. 

Using her skills as a fabric artist, Upper School science teacher Elizabeth Druger sewed face masks for her family and is now focusing on others who may be potentially at high risk

Middle School Head John Novick invited students in 4th–8th grades to share their poetry and artwork during the school closure

Parker is proud that the IHSA Sportsmanship Advisory Committee has chosen sophomore student-athlete Sammi Coleman for its Student Advisory Committee

In addition to supporting our community of teachers and learners as they work together remotely during the coming weeks, Parker’s Tech team wants to do their part to do “everything to help” as well

First grade teacher Greenie recently shared this poem, which helped put the feelings so many Parker employees are experiencing right now into words

Sophomore Tess Wayland received a Best of SNO (Student Newspapers Online) Award for her Weekly article on the coronavirus

Senior Kindergarten students recently enjoyed a musical treat when music teacher and Upper School Orchestra conductor Betty Lewis brought her students to the Kindergarten Atrium to perform for their younger peers

As Francis W. Parker School continues its efforts to be fiscally responsible and environmentally conscious, we are pleased to offer the 2018–19 annual report as an electronic document.

Two-term U.S. poet laureate, Pulitzer Prize winner and 2017 Heinz Award recipient Natasha Trethewey recently visited the school as Parker’s 2019–20 Jeanne Harris Hansell Endowed Poet

Each spring, 3rd grade students learn about industrialization, immigration, the Great Migration and present-day Chicago as part of their classroom study

Enjoy a selection of photos as our students took on this roaring American musical, Urinetown

Members of Parker’s Asian Alliance gathered on Tuesday, March 3 to make a presentation about the coronavirus, including background information on the virus, the global economic impact and microaggressions/xenophobia/racism around the virus

The Music Department has worked together for the past four years to orchestrate a Morning Ex to help students take a closer look at gender inequity in music

Recently, the 5th grade celebrated the culmination of their engineering and programming unit during STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) week

Middle and Upper School students got the straight dope on the vaping industry and its inherent risks in a recent Morning Ex with Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor Matthew Quinn

Parker parent and Avexis President David Lennon visited recently to talk about his work with gene therapy and spinal muscular atrophy

In the third year of the Joan W. Harris Visiting Music Scholar in Residence program, Parker welcomed Chicago Opera Theater (COT) to campus 

Seventh graders recently explored the important question of “Who Am I (now)?” from four different angles

On Saturday, February 22, Parker’s robotics team 3507 Robotheosis competed at the Illinois State Tournament and clinched the second consecutive Illinois State Championship

Recently, student-athlete Ana Franco was named one of field hockey’s “100 Players To Watch From The Class Of 2023” by MAX Field Hockey!

Parker students Uma Morris ’25 and Kumiko Muro ’24 were two of the Featured Poets in the most recent issue of VOICES de la LUNA

On Wednesday, Parker enjoyed a special Morning Ex performance by a quartet of Project Inclusion Ensemble Freeman Fellows from the Chicago Sinfonietta

As part of learning about examination of identity in Junior Kindergarten, teacher Jeremiah Howe has been leading his charges in a closer look at the different shades of skin that we live in

A group of Upper School students who are nimble with numbers participated in the American Mathematics Competition

On Monday, February 10, Parker welcomed Melanie Nutter, a proud member of the class of 1989 as well as a new Parker parent, to present at Morning Ex

Robotheosis (Team 3507) and Frank’s Garage (Team 9410) hosted and competed in the Chicago North League Championships this weekend

As part of this year’s Joan W. Harris Visiting Music Scholar in Residence program, members of our Middle and Upper School student choirs were invited to audition for Chicago Opera Theater (COT)

Advanced French students Lauren Hughes ’20, Lily Koltun ’20, Isabel Olesinski ’20 and Will Rantala ’20 joined French III student Bodie Florsheim ’21 to perform a short play for a DePaul University French class

Parker alumnus Amie Siegel ’92 was recently featured in the PBS NewsHour segment

Don Tate, award-winning author and illustrator of numerous critically acclaimed children’s books, visited Parker recently to share more about his work and inspire students to discover and hone their personal passions with practice

Parker hosted 250 delegates from all around Chicago for a day of debate at FWPMUN IV, Parker’s fourth-ever one-day Model UN conference

Parker freshman Shira Wein was recently selected as a member of the 2020 Amateur Hockey Association Illinois All-State Team

The Physical Education Department recently combined forces with 4th and 5th grade students on a new unit of study that focused on peer teaching, creativity, problem-solving, cooperation and new product development

On Wednesday, February 5, Parker alumnus Len Goodman ’80 spoke to students at Morning Ex

Parker’s Physical Education Department hosted a Winter Games Event for JK and SK students on Wednesday

As part of their work during the first semester, Upper School French I and II students designed elaborate Google virtual tours

Parker alumnus Regine Rousseau ’90, a businesswoman, entrepreneur, poet and author, spoke to the Parker community at Morning Ex on Monday

With 2020 at last upon us, new student artwork is on display throughout campus, showcasing a wide range of materials, processes and techniques

Beginning in the New Year, the Kovler Family Library welcomed 35 new original novels written by students in 5th–12th grades as part of this year’s National Novel Writing Month project (NaNoWriMo)

Author and educational consultant Devorah Heitner recently returned to Parker to speak with Intermediate and Middle School parents and caregivers about teaching kids to use technology in a smart way

Lower School students combined their talent, energy and enthusiasm for the life and work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in a special Morning Ex

A little cold couldn’t keep Upper School physics students from getting some firsthand experience with the principle of energy conservation, as science teacher Xiao Zhang recently led the charge across our ice-speckled turf field to launch rockets.

Parker recently welcomed author, consultant and speaker Dr. Eddie Moore Jr. and author and professor Dr. Marguerite W. Penick-Parks to the school for a special workshop.

US science teacher Ryan Zaremba worked with Taxon Expeditions last summer on a trip to Vondelpark in Amsterdam where they uncovered two new species!

Internationally recognized psychotherapist, author and speaker Lynn Lyons recently spent three days at Parker to provide differentiated strategies and interactive discussion addressing the most common concerns and issues that parents and teachers have regarding stress, worry, mood and behaviors

Students in 3rd grade recently immersed themselves in a study of European settlers in this region during the 1800s for this year’s annual Pioneer Activity Day

As they returned from December Recess, seniors and juniors gathered with recent graduates for the annual College Counseling Alumni Panel