upper school
WHERE GO-GETTERS GET GOING
Parker Upper School students are passionate learners, thinkers, and doers—who are ready to dive into adulthood and make a meaningful difference in the world.
Because of Parker, I am driven, confident, and have a relentless desire to learn. I’m not just a more compassionate person, but I also feel like I’m a contributing member of my community.
cultivating curiosity & confidence
Parker’s Upper School is a cornucopia of opportunities. Students will find themselves engaging in an incredibly diverse range of AP, honors, and unique courses like Social Justice, Engineering, and Reading the Victorian Mind. Upper School schedules are uniquely structured to allow students to participate in a variety of performing and visual arts classes, and include dedicated free blocks for studying and getting a jump-start on homework.
building lifelong community
At Parker, students are known, valued, and respected. Small class sizes allow our faculty to engage students at a deeper level. Weekly advisory time encourages students to build supportive relationships with adults they trust, as well as with their peers. And numerous staff positions like grade-level deans, advisors, and learning specialists help ensure that all Upper School students receive the individual support and attention they need to thrive.
global perspective
Parker Upper School students have a yearly opportunity to travel to countries outside of the United States including Cambodia, South Africa, Croatia and Bosnia, India, and Fiji. The Global Studies Program helps students develop skills around cultural and language immersion, gain new perspectives and friendships, and discover opportunities to be stewards of the environment and active citizens of the world.
launching pad for the exceptional
Excellence across the board is what propels Parker students to attend a diverse range of universities all over the world. Our hard-working team of college counselors and grade level deans recognize the importance of leveraging each individual student’s strengths and passions in applying to schools where they’ll thrive at. Learn more about our College Counseling Department here.
Additional Resources
Meet Dr. Gillespie
Head of Upper School
What does it take to work with high schoolers? "We love teenagers," says Dr. Monica Gillespie, Head of Upper School. "We understand and appreciate adolescents—and we see their beauty when others don't. We are unswerving in our commitment to their intellectual, social, and emotional growth and well-being...At Parker, we know as faculty and staff that this is our calling."