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The student news site of Francis W. Parker School

The Parker Weekly

The student news site of Francis W. Parker School

The Parker Weekly

The student news site of Francis W. Parker School

The Parker Weekly

Participants of the trip on the steps of 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama.
Learning Beyond Walls
Christina Merikas, Features Editor • June 4, 2026

From May 13 to May 16, Parker seniors traveled to Alabama for the sixteenth civil rights trip.  26 seniors, including some of whom are in...

A Final Farewell: Upper School English teacher Rex Shannon says farewell to Parker
A Final Farewell
Sascha Keller, Online Editor • June 4, 2026

Coming home: themes from the Odyssey, Exit West, and even Shakespeare texts like “The Tempest” and “Romeo and Juliet.” Going home, however,...

Annual Junior Retreat: Students bond through camp activities and traditions at Camp Duncan
Annual Junior Retreat
Madeline Brown June 4, 2026

Every April the juniors, accompanied by Mr. Bigelow, Ms. Lesinski, Mr. Bruno, and various other teachers, go on the annual junior retreat. This...

Before the Ball
Ayan Chawla June 4, 2026

Every year, upperclassmen gather for prom: the yearly rite of passage that has, since about 1900, become a tradition at many schools across the country. Normally, this night’s planning begins around March, but...

A Parker Teachers Union
Jackson Flaum June 4, 2026

As a private education institution, Parker employees are not part of the greater Chicago Teachers Union, CTU, which exclusively represents Chicago Public School, CPS, employees. Unlike CPS teachers, the salaries...

A Legacy of Laughter and Literature
Graysen Pendry, Editor-In-Chief • June 4, 2026

For nearly three decades, if you walked into the seventh-grade hallway at Francis W. Parker School, chances are you would hear laughter coming from Kate Tabor’s classroom before you even reached the door. Maybe...

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From Champion to Colonel
From Champion to Colonel
Angela Vlaovic June 4, 2026

As Parker’s junior class gathered in the auditorium on the first day of orientation, they looked out at a sea of familiar faces plus two new ones. The Class of 2027 had grown from 86 students to 88,...

Assortment of Sonny Angels and Smitskis
Sonny Angel Craze
Vada Mescudi June 4, 2026

Every year there is another popular trend that spreads through the hallways. From fidget spinners to the Renegade, Parker has become obsessed with certain online trends over the years. This school year,...

A Look Ahead into Parker Politics: Breaking down your 2026-2027 Elected Cabinet
A Look Ahead in Parker Politics
Owen Zeller, Opinions Editor • June 4, 2026

Student Government Elections for the 2026-2027 school year were held on Tuesday, May 5, closing out weeks of speeches, debates, and the installation of new wallpaper on the third floor in the form of election...

Stranahan in Focus: A deep dive into Phoebe Stranahan's art
Stranahan in Focus
Christina Merikas, Features Editor • June 4, 2026

Since her childhood, senior Phoebe Stranahan has been creating. Now on her way to Pratt Institute in New York, Stranahan has no plans to stop.  “I’ve made art forever. When I was six, I did...

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Closing the Navy Curtains
Closing the Navy Curtains
Examining the moments that defined my fourteen years at Parker
Graysen Pendry, Editor-in-Chief
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The Fashion Forecast
The Fashion Forecast
The Met Gala Reveals a New Trending Paradox of Digital Outrage
Brady Kass
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Battle of the Bowls
Battle of the Bowls
The Parker Weekly Cookie tastes Chicago through its many basins
The Parker Weekly Cookie
Read Story
Class or Classification?
Evyn Lobel June 4, 2026

Parker is one of the few schools in Chicago to not provide AP courses or Honors classes. Instead, they offer advanced classes which progress...

Inbox Inferno
John Swanson and Ayan Chawla June 4, 2026

JOHN:  As I lay on my bed, mindlessly scrolling through social media, a notification appeared at the top of my screen. I glanced up to read...

Earned or Deserved
Sascha Keller June 4, 2026

The Latin School of Chicago is supposed to be our opposite, our rival, the school we battle to be the champions of Clark Street, the institution...

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The Privilege of Feeling Safe - We must stop taking our security for granted
The Privilege of Feeling Safe
The Parker Weekly May 8, 2026

Over the past couple of months, there have been a few security related emails sent out to the Parker community. All relatively vague. It’s...

It’s a Bit Trashy
March 11, 2026
Causing Change
December 19, 2025
Celebrating Diversity
November 20, 2025
Tradition in Transition
October 29, 2025
“The Parker Weekly” Leadership

The 2025-26 school year will be ‘The Parker Weekly’s” 115th year of continuous publication.

 

Editors-in-Chief Jayden Patel ’26, Lula Notz ’26, Graysen Pendry ’26 currently lead “The Parker Weekly.” Kate Tabor and Eric Rampson serve as “The Weekly’s” faculty advisors.

 

Please contact [email protected] with any questions.

“The Parker Weekly” Online Policy

Articles and editorials published on this website do not reflect the views of the Francis W. Parker School. Our opinions do not represent those of the school. All articles undergo a thorough publication process and are edited and reviewed by the editors-in-chief of The Parker Weekly and our faculty advisors.

 

Please contact [email protected] with any questions.

Archives

View articles by month since 2015.

By The Way
Chase Wayland April 16, 2026
The Fashion Forecast
Brady Kass March 11, 2026
Dal Harrell to George Washington
Taliah Albert May 3, 2026

Senior Dal Harrell has officially committed to continue her track and field career at The George Washington University, taking the next step as a Division I athlete. Harrell has said that she first began...

Parker Student Walkout
Lila Gupta February 23, 2026

On Friday, February 13, hundreds of students from schools across Chicago and nearby suburbs staged walkouts and protested against the Trump administration and its deportation policies. Many Upper School...

Annual Visiting Scientist
Lila Gupta November 26, 2025

Every first semester of the school year, Parker hosts a visiting scientist to teach, interact, and present their studies to the whole school community. On November 20th, Dr. Elisabeth Moyer, Parker’s...

Owen Zeller
Owen Zeller
Opinions Editor

A two year Weekly veteran, Owen Zeller is absolutely elated to continue writing in his junior year. Owen began writing on "The Weekly" as a staff writer freshman year and music editor in his sophomore, and is now ready to tackle the role of Opinions Editor on the Editorial Board. Owen’s passions outside of writing for "The Weekly" include his crew team, listening to music on vinyl, and reading novels...

Graysen Pendry
Graysen Pendry
Editor-in-Chief

Graysen Pendry is beyond thrilled to serve as Editor-in-Chief for her final year on The Parker Weekly. In past years, she has loved every minute as Online Editor, Copy Editor, and Photographer, and she’s excited to see what this year has in store. When she’s not editing articles or looking over the layout in InDesign, she’s leading meetings as Executive Director of the Youth Reproductive Justice...

Madeline Boxerman is a freshman whose role on The Weekly is the Food Critic. This is her first year on The Weekly and she can't wait to start pitching new ideas and writing about all things food related, whether that be about the FWP cafeteria or restaurants in Chicago. When she is not writing for The Weekly, she can be seen passing volleyballs on the court or binging all her favorite episodes of The...

Taliah Albert
Taliah Albert
Sports Reporter

Taliah Albert is a sophomore who is so excited to be a Sports Reporter for “The Weekly!” When she isn’t writing articles or doing homework, you can find her on the tennis courts with friends or playing soccer.

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The student news site of Francis W. Parker School