There are so many ways to make new friends. A Mom of a new student called me this afternoon to tell me how happy her daughter was. "At Parker, everyone is so friendly." She liked the teachers and thought that everyone was respectful of one another. She was finding the academics to be very challenging - just the right level for her.

The teachers have worked hard this fall to reinforce the school culture, especially in the middle school where there are a lot of new kids. Teachers and student alike are caring of each other.

The bottom line is that you need a predictable environment to feel safe. In that kind of atmosphere kids can risk being wrong. There is a big safety net at Parker that lets kids take a chance intellectually and with new friends. It lets children be themselves and allows for real growth.