Francis W. Parker School (Chicago)

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Francis W. Parker School
Francis W. Parker School.JPG
Francis W. Parker's main entrance in 2007
Location
Francis W. Parker School (Chicago)
330 W. Webster Ave.

,
60614

United States
Coordinates 41°55′22″N87°38′16″W / 41.9227°N 87.6379°W / 41.9227; -87.6379
Information
School type Private school
MottoEverything to help and nothing to hinder [1]
Established1901(124 years ago) (1901) [1]
Founder Francis Wayland Parker [1]
StatusOpen
CEEB code 140830 [2]
PrincipalDan Frank [3]
Employees265
Grades Pre-kindergarten12
Gender Mixed-sex education
Age4to 18
Enrollment940 (2025–26)
Student to teacher ratio6:1
Education system Progressive education
Campus size6 acres
Campus type Urban
ColorsBlue and white
    [4]
SongWe Thy Children
Athletics conference Independent School League
SportsBaseball, Basketball, Cross country running, Field hockey, Golf, Robotics, Scholastic bowl, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Track and field, Volleyball
MascotThe Colonel
The Eagle
Team name Colonels [4]
Rival Latin School of Chicago
Accreditation North Central Association of Colleges and Schools [5]
NewspaperThe Weekly
YearbookThe Record
School fees$520–$3,690 [6]
Tuition$43,070 (Pre-kindergarten–5th)
$47,400 (6th–12th) [6]
Website www.fwparker.org

The Francis W. Parker School is a private school in Chicago, Illinois, serving students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. Located in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, the school is based on the progressive education philosophies of John Dewey and Colonel Francis Wayland Parker, emphasizing community and citizenship. [7] Tuition and fees range from $43,070 to $47,400. [6]

Contents

History

In 1899, Anita McCormick Blaine, interested in the unconventional education philosophy of Francis Wayland Parker, convinced him to establish an independent school in Chicago's North Side with her financial backing. [8]

Founded in 1901, Parker boasts the first official parents' association as well as one of the first school newspapers to be written, typeset, and printed by students: The Parker Weekly, which began publishing in 1911. [9]

Parker has 946 [10] students, and has undergone considerable physical renovation between 2000 and 2009. Parker added an AstroTurf field which started construction in June 2012, and it was finished in September 2012. During the 2008–09 school year, the Auditorium was completely renovated, with new classrooms, more seating, office space and a balcony. In the 2016–17 school year, renovation began for the new Kovler family library. The new library includes a balcony, reading nooks, a Lego table, and movable bookshelves. [11] [12]

Parker school formerly published Schools: Studies in Education, a national education journal featuring the narrative and analytic reflections of educators and students nationwide. [13]

Student activities

Athletics

Parker is part of the Independent School League (ISL) athletic conference, [14] [15] and its team name is the Colonel named after the school's founder, Colonel Francis Wayland Parker. In addition to Parker's colonel mascot, a new eagle mascot nicknamed "the Eagle" was introduced as an additional mascot as a way to better connect with younger students. [16]

Notable alumni

Daryl Hannah Daryl Hannah by Dana Fineman.jpg
Daryl Hannah
Lori Greiner LoriGrenier2023.jpg
Lori Greiner
David Mamet David Mamet 2 by David Shankbone.JPG
David Mamet
Ayanna Pressley Rep. Ayanna Pressley, 117th Congress.jpg
Ayanna Pressley

References

  1. 1 2 3 A Brief History of Francis W. Parker School, Francis W. Parker School, 2010, archived from the original on September 16, 2009, retrieved April 4, 2010
  2. High School Code Search, College Board, archived from the original on August 30, 2009, retrieved April 4, 2010
  3. From Our Principal, Francis W. Parker School, 2010, archived from the original on March 22, 2010, retrieved April 4, 2010
  4. 1 2 Chicago (F.W. Parker), Illinois High School Association (IHSA), April 1, 2010, retrieved April 4, 2010
  5. "Institution Summary for Francis W. Parker School", AdvancED profile, North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, retrieved April 4, 2010
  6. 1 2 3 "Francis W. Parker School Tuition | Located in Lincoln Park, Chicago". www.fwparker.org. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
  7. "Francis W. Parker School, Chicago". www.fwparker.org. Archived from the original on September 16, 2009. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  8. "Building for a Long Future: The University of Chicago and Its Donors, 1889-1930".
  9. The Francis W. Parker School yearbook, Volume 1
  10. "Parker | Chicago | Discover Parker". www.fwparker.org. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  11. "$5 Million New Library in Works for Francis Parker School - Lincoln Park - DNAinfo Chicago". Archived from the original on April 15, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  12. Construction Complete: North Wing Renovation, Auditorium Renovation and Fourth Floor Addition Archived March 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine , Francis W Parker School
  13. Francis W. Parker School Studies in Education, "The Individual and the Curriculum", The Elementary School Journal, September 1920
  14. "Conferences & Affiliated Schools | Schools | IHSA".
  15. Athletics
  16. "Introducing the Newest Member of the Colonel Crew!". September 22, 2017.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Akouris, Tina (February 10, 2009), "Francis W. Parker: A legacy of individual, team titles", Chicago Sun Times, retrieved April 4, 2010[ permanent dead link ]
  18. Carreno, Richard (2011). Lord of Hosts: The Life of Sir Henry 'Chips' Channon. Philadelphia, PA: WritersClearinghousePress. pp. 43–46. ISBN   978-1-257-02549-7.
  19. "Francis W.Parker School". Chicago Business. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  20. Felsenthal, Carol (July 11, 2007). "The Lost World of Kup". chicagomag.com. p. 6. Archived from the original on July 22, 2015. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  21. Dinello, Dan (October 29, 1999) "Casting Director Puts Faces in Proper Places". The Oregonian. p. E5. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
  22. March 2008 Alumni e-Newsletter Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine , Parker Alumni Community
  23. Katharine Q. Seelye, Astead W. Herndon: Ayanna Pressley Seeks Her Political Moment in a Changing Boston. In: The New York Times , 1 September 2018.