Alumni Meeting – Online!

Want to connect with fellow alumni? Learn what’s been going on at Francis Parker since you graduated? Figure out ways to support the school and current students? The newly-revamped Alumni Committee is hosting a call with any and all alumni to share what they’re up to, and how you can help out. We’re looking to talk with alumni with a variety of interests, no matter where you live, no matter when you graduated. We have lots of ideas - from mentoring current students to Lunch & Learns on campus and virtual to more diverse and fun events with fellow alumni - and want to see if you’ll join in. And we want to see what ideas you have. So - take a few minutes out of your evening, join the call, learn what’s going on, connect with fellow alumni, have your voice heard, and help continue to make Francis Parker the amazing school for alumni and students it was and is. All Wyverns Welcome! We hope to see you there!

Calling All Artists!

Francis Parker School is pleased to announce its annual art auction and fundraiser, Imagine! This unique event features local, regional, and national artists partnering with Francis Parker School of Louisville to promote the arts as well as supporting our students. With Imagine!, we are committed to cultivating opportunities for the contributing artists. We are honored to have partnered with so many artists over the past 20+ years of Imagine! and hope that you will participate by submitting your work to the auction. All artists receive 50% of the selling price of the work, and are able to set the minimum bid. This year's event will be held on Saturday, October 1 from 6:30 - 11 PM at the Omni Louisville. We look forward to returning to this format and giving our guests time to sit with your work. The Imagine! art auction is the major fundraiser to support the school’s mission. One thing that sets us apart is our commitment to financial aid. We believe that any student who meets our admissions criteria should have the opportunity to attend Francis Parker, regardless of financial means. In addition, like all Progressive schools, Francis Parker believes in a well-rounded education that includes a breadth of extracurricular experiences. In order to sustain our financial aid commitment and the abundant out-of-classroom experiences that comprise a full Francis Parker education, including athletics, drama, art, academic teams, outdoor education, and community service, we rely on the support of our community and hope you will partner with us to accomplish this. Details:  All artists receive 50% [...]

Welcome Back to School!

It’s been an especially busy summer this year as we continue our work to visually transform the campuses from St. Francis School to our inaugural year as Francis Parker School of Louisville. Across both campuses, new signs have been installed, new athletic uniforms are ordered, new spirit wear has been designed, and countless other changes have been made to showcase the new Francis Parker name and brand. We’ve also been busy recruiting talented new teachers and staff members, and we are thrilled to introduce each of them to you!  Preschool Laura Wilmes is joining us as our new Preschool 4s Teacher and will be partnering with Paul Harshaw. Laura is coming to us all the way from Singapore where she and her family have been living and working since 2006. Throughout their time in Singapore, Laura has spent the majority of that time at the Canadian International School as a Senior Kindergarten teacher, a Junior Kindergarten teacher, and most recently as a Preschool teacher. She holds a B.S. in Child Development and Family Relations from Western Carolina University and an M.A. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Kentucky.  Lower School In Lower School, Katie Jordan will be joining the team as our new Lower School Math Teacher. She has over 15 years of experience teaching in Louisville Catholic schools. Katie is excited about the Origo curriculum and eager to focus on Lower School. She holds a B.A. in Elementary Education and Human Development from Boston College, an M.A. in Education from Spalding University, and a Rank 1 certificate in Mild to Moderate Learning [...]

Moving Forward

Dear friends and family,  Our thriving and supportive community has stood by us through many changes. We all have been persistent in doing what’s best for our school and our students. And we’ve come a long way. Now it’s time to keep going, to keep evolving. We want to honor the people who brought us here, reinforce our mission, and reduce confusion. And we are proud to have a new name that matches our mission and moves us forward.  Francis Parker School of Louisville is ready to welcome a new generation of students, to add to and strengthen our family. We are excited to speak more clearly and boldly about who we are and why we exist. And more than ever, we are energized by change. Our new brand identity is built on elements we already love and that still communicate who we are: our tagline, our colors, and our Wyvern mascot. While our red remains the same, we have adjusted the blue to a navy for higher contrast and visibility. Our new logo is meant to evoke a number of 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 [...]

Wyverns are Proud

Calling all, Wyvern Families! This Saturday, June 18, you’re invited to join the Middle School and High School Queer Student Association (QSA) and faculty and staff as we celebrate Pride at the Kentuckiana Pride Parade sponsored by the University of Louisville and UofL Health. If you would like to help decorate our truck and walk in the parade with us, please email sjones@stfrancisschool.org so we can plan for how many folks to expect. We will meet up at the High School parking lot at 9:00 a.m. to decorate (bringing decorations, streamers, etc.) If you would like to walk behind the truck in the parade, please meet at the High School Parking Lot at 10:00 a.m. We will depart the High School parking lot at 10:30 a.m. to head over to get in line. The parade starts at 12 Noon. Students 13 and under should have a parent/guardian along with them. Families welcome! Wear your Wyvern wear with Pride accents, and be sure to bring a water bottle. Parents/guardians of students 13 and up should make plans to pick their students up from the “Finish” area of the parade. Here is the route the parade will follow:

School Safety and Talking Points for Children

Dear St. Francis School Families: The recent news out of Uvalde, Texas hits close to home for us all, and we stand alongside the Uvalde community in mourning the devastating losses from these tragic events. We are a community of teachers and families dedicated to providing a safe, warm, joyful place for our children to learn and grow together. This news is jarring for every single one of us and threatens our sense of security. Just so you’re aware, St. Francis School personnel meet regularly with local police to go over security and safety plans for each campus, including how best to prepare for and respond to an intruder situation.  As you know, a fundamental part of our Mission is to cultivate a joyful and compassionate community. From our classroom interactions to our family-school partnership, we are on this journey together. For now, we want to share with you a few resources that you may find helpful in processing difficult news with your children should they have questions:  Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers from the National Association of School Psychologists School Shooting Resources from The National Child Traumatic Stress Network Helping Students After a School Shooting from the American School Counselor Association As we move into the summer break, please know that we are already hard at work preparing for the next school year in order to welcome your children back on campus in the most joyful and safest way possible.  We wish you a restful and relaxing summer!  Sincerely,  St. Francis School Leadership Team [...]

Our New Name Is…

To the St. Francis School community:  After nearly a year-long process, we are pleased to announce the results of our name change exploration with you. As a recap, last summer 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 [...]

Progressive Education the Wyvern Way: Preschool

This is the second article in a four-part series on Progressive education at St. Francis School. By Renee Hennessy, Preschool Director The Progressive education model allows our preschoolers to grow and develop at their own pace, while also learning to be a part of a classroom community. Within our classrooms, children learn to collaborate and to listen to the thoughts and ideas of their classmates. Our curriculum builds on activities that foster critical thinking, early literacy skills, and social and emotional growth. For our students, self-expression is cultivated through the arts and literacy. An integral part of each child’s day is devoted to play either in a group setting or independently. These play experiences are “hands-on learning” opportunities and are designed to tap into each child’s sense of curiosity to promote discovery, creativity, and problem solving. An example of how this looks for an observant four-year-old motivated to send emails while in class but without the technology to actually access email (yet), is a keyboard and computer monitor made from wooden blocks and paper. The paper keyboard was full of perfectly-lined squares and letters danced across the paper monitor taped to a larger wooden block. This “play” was supported by the child’s teacher and demonstrated the child’s knowledge of technology, and our support for imaginative, creative play. Allowing space and support for children to test their ideas, think analytically, and to be comfortable with appropriate risk-taking are hallmarks of Progressive education. Another important component to our practice is our view of nature, the environment, and outdoor play as an [...]

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