Francis Parker is characterized by personal attention, small class sizes, diversity, dedication to student voice, commitment to community service, student-centric extracurriculars, and outstanding teachers who are dedicated to their subject areas and to their students. Inside and outside the classroom, the atmosphere at Francis Parker is one of joy that also prepares students successfully for college and for life. The School philosophy is based on the Progressive school movement founded by John Dewey and Francis Parker in the early 1900s as a response to the assembly line, “one-size-fits-all” school model. Progressive schools, on the other hand, believe that students achieve milestones at different rates and therefore that education should be customized for individual students as much as possible. Like Francis Parker, Progressive schools are student-centered, community service-minded, diverse, experiential, and participatory; they require students to be fully engaged participants in the learning process.
Response to Assembly Line Education
Recognition
Francis Parker is fully accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS), certified by the Kentucky Department of Education, and is a member of the following organizations: the National Association of Independent Schools, Kentucky Association of Independent Schools, Kentucky Non-Public Schools Commission, and the Center for Spiritual and Ethical Education. Francis Parker is also one of approximately 100 schools in the U.S. named as a Confucius Classroom for its Chinese language program classrooms on both the Goshen and Downtown Campuses, and its Middle and High School drama programs are nationally recognized by the National Youth Arts Awards. The Preschool is recognized as an exemplary program by the Kentucky Department of Education.
Name Change
In the summer of 2021, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to explore the possibility of a name change. A Task Force was created to research all that this possibility would entail including all potential costs and benefits. A survey was conducted as well as multiple listening sessions to ensure we had broad feedback from all involved with the School. The Task Force also conducted research with college admissions officers, faculty/staff search firms, and other schools and nonprofits that have changed their names.
Based on that research, in January 2022 the Task Force unanimously recommended to the Board of Trustees that we change the name of the school; and the Board voted unanimously that same month to change the name. Next, we embarked on the process of determining a new name for the School. We hired a naming and branding firm, Bullhorn, a Louisville and Lexington firm, to guide us in the process. They spoke with numerous constituents from the school, examined all the research from the fall, and got to work. They presented 15 potential names to Board and school leaders, and the list was narrowed down to three finalist names: The Francis School, Francis Parker School, and The Bridges School. Those three names were then tested through surveys with internal and external audiences, as well as more listening sessions with internal audiences.
A Name Selection Committee was formed, including the Board Executive Committees from this and next year, as well as members of the School Leadership Team with the most tenure and expertise in advancement. The group carefully combed through the results of the recent surveys and listening sessions to determine its recommendation.
One of the most important conclusions from this recent work was that it is very important to the whole community to honor the history of the school and one of the most important ways to do that is to maintain the word “Francis” in the name. As such, the group narrowed down the options to two final names: The Francis School and Francis Parker School. In addition, the external research gave us clear feedback on “The Francis School”, which was that the majority of respondents still believed this would be a religious school.
In making our final decision, we reflected on our goals for choosing a new name for the School, which include: 1) eliminating confusion about any connection to a particular faith; 2) communicating our Mission and connection with the Progressive educational philosophy; 3) helping more Mission-appropriate families find us; 4) honoring the history of the School; and 5) positioning our school for long-term success and sustainability.
One name clearly accomplished all of the goals we set out to achieve with a name change for the School. Therefore, the name selection committee made the recommendation for changing the name of St. Francis School to: Francis Parker School of Louisville. Subsequently, the Board voted unanimously to change the name of the School to Francis Parker School of Louisville in a special meeting on May 23, 2022, with the change taking effect on July 1, 2022.
Our New Logo
Our new School logo is meant to evoke several ideas and interpretations:
It might bring to mind an abstract “F” and “P” from our name. It might remind you of leaves and our commitment to outdoor education.
You might see the talons of a Wyvern. And/or it might communicate abstract art — and the creativity and imagination we foster.
It is designed for the rigors of a contemporary logo, working both on the side of a building and also as a small social avatar.
It can repeat to create patterns; it can act like a frame for our photography. It will become shorthand for our vibrant learning community.
