Chapter I: The School’s Philosophy and Purpose 

Criterion: The school has established a clear statement of philosophy.  

Francis Parker School remains invigorated by the innovative spirit that inspired its original founding nearly a century ago.  Through frequent public and self-reminders that it is an inheritor of the legacy of John Dewey, Francis Parker continues to articulate and live a mission which calls it to be at the forefront of American pre-collegiate education.  Francis Parker School articulates a set of ten basic expectations for student growth and learning at all levels and these provide the framework against which all programs are designed and measured. 

Francis Parker’s Self-Study calls for the full School community, including the Board of Trustees, to review the mission and philosophy statements in the context of the current Strategic Plan. 

The Committee commends:

1. the administration, faculty, staff and students for bringing the philosophy of the School to life through their thoughts, words and deeds.
2. the Board of Trustees and administration for including all constituencies in its 2005-2006 review of the mission and philosophy statements.
3. the Head of School and Division Principals for their frequent use of the mission statement in public gatherings and major publications as a means of articulating the key goals of the School.
4. the faculty and staff for maintaining the language and spirit, as well as implementing Colonel Francis Parker’s vision of “learning by doing.”  

The Committee recommends that:

1. the Board of Trustees, Head of School and representative constituent groups complete the process of creating a succinct “Vision Statement” which encapsulates the ideal of the Francis Parker experience. 
2. the Head of School, senior administration, and faculty continue an effort to build in all constituencies a shared understanding of the meaning of the mission statement as a whole as well as its component parts and terms. 

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