Parker News

As the school year draws to a close, the Francis Parker School community looks forward to celebrating the Class of 2026. This year, we are honored to welcome a group of thoughtful and inspiring speakers who will help mark this milestone for the graduating class. From Commencement to our Affinity Group celebrations, these individuals bring a range of perspectives, experiences, and stories that reflect the values of our community.

“The drug threat respects no boundaries,” explained Rocky Herron ’85. “Economic level, racial level, education level, geographic, it doesn't matter. The drug threat is there.”

After graduating from Pomona College with a degree in political science and government, Rocky chose a path often considered non-traditional among Parker graduates: law enforcement. “As a high school kid, I decided I wanted to go into service,” he said. “I realized a lot of kids don’t get to benefit from a school like Parker, and I thought, ‘I’m going to give back.’”

When Jessica Zucker ’08 was living in South Korea on a Fulbright Scholarship, a cyberattack on the South Korean banks and broadcasting systems opened her eyes to a possible new career. “I started to think about tech in the context of what I saw as a more traditional career in foreign policy or national security,” she explained.

Marc Sherman’s ’88 shift from the corporate world to becoming a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist followed a moment of spiritual intervention. One night, a crystal clear dream inspired him to change everything.
 

Between classes and long study sessions across Parker’s campuses, students might notice bubbles drifting through the air, a therapy dog wagging its tail, or classmates gathered around a table with Play-Doh. It may look like just play, but behind it is a thoughtful effort to benefit student well-being.

Individual Lancers and student organizations recently traveled beyond our campuses to participate in competitions spanning from the STEM disciplines to the dramatic arts. Read more to see where our students competed and the accolades they received.

The 2025-2026 Winter Sports Season was a historic one for the Lancers, marked by rivalry wins, regional championship titles, state playoff runs, and All-League and all-CIF honors. Each head coach reflected on their team’s accomplishments, sharing highlights, challenges, and the moments that defined the season, and student-athletes offered reflection as well.

Annika Meurer ’15 has long been passionate about sports. “I've always grown up around football. I was the girl who watched SportsCenter at five years old. Our dog was named Romo after Tony Romo.” 

The 2025-2026 Mock Trial season has come to a close, and we couldn't be prouder of the dedication and professionalism our students brought to the courtroom. Competing against 44 teams across San Diego County, Parker made a strong showing, with the Gold Team earning seventh place and the Brown Team finishing 12th.