Change is inevitable. There is absolutely nothing that can escape it. Not a person, not tediously preserved traditions, and not even the thin paper sandwiched between your fingers as you read this. Even if it appears the same, even if you so desperately want it to stay the same, the oils in the ridges of your skin still seep into what you’re holding.
In the past 43 years, which is as long as beloved sixth grade science teacher Peg Zerega has been at Parker, the world has shifted dramatically. From the creation of the Apple Macintosh in 1984, to the legalization of same-sex marriage across all 50 states in 2016, to the release of ChatGPT in 2022, this planet has completely changed. Interestingly, though, amongst all of these developments, many aspects of the Parker experience have remained the same.
When asked about what it was like to be at Parker in the 1980s, Zerega reported that “The 6th grade was self-contained classrooms, like the lower grade, with one teacher. Class sizes were smaller, because there were only two homerooms in 6th grade and three sections in 7th & 8th. The school has grown in so many ways, including but not limited to, the number of students.” In addition to these minor differences, she also shared that the entirety of the eighth grade curriculum has been modified. It used to be centered around Astronomy, where students would note the position of the moon nightly, and eventually build their own planetarium. This man-made plastic dome would eventually get holes punctured in it to represent various constellations and stars. Yet, even with all of these differences considered, Zerega reflected that for her, life is “the same. Teach science, do it well, get the kids engaged… It was the same. When asked the same set of questions, Upper School English Teacher Mike Mahany, a pillar of Parker’s community since 1990, similarly believed that Parker’s culture has stayed consistent. What he thinks has had the largest impact on his students, though, is technology. “Everyone has a phone, everyone in school has a laptop,” which isn’t how it used to be. In terms of interpersonal relationships, Mahany thinks “that cell phones and social media have a social impact of bullying… and I think that’s hard. But I don’t know that students are any different, it’s just that technology is.” Regarding the differences between how focused students are during the day, which is one of the main reasons for the cell phone policy, Mahany isn’t sure how much of a difference was actually made. “I would like to say that kids weren’t distracted, but they were distracted about other things, just not their phones.” Though nearly forty-five years have elapsed, besides these examples, both Zerega and Mahany don’t seem to believe that there were more notable differences.
This past school year has contrasted the previous severely. Between the new “away all day” cell phone policy, the eight-day cycles, and the absence of spring, the 2024-2025 school year has seemed to strike several teachers as more different to years past than the last forty-five years. Rex Shannon, Upper School English teacher who joined the Parker community just this year, has many opinions of his own. This, too, was his first year operating on an eight day rotation, but that didn’t seem to be his largest takeaway. Rather, what he found more notable was how some blocks, more specifically conference, have been utilized by students for something other than the administration intended. “Because students are so desperate for free time, because the schedule is so programmed, conference is the little snorkel to social interactions that students have. So, they’ll use it, as they should. I think that if we gave free time back to students, they would come in during conference, and we could have these, ‘advancement of learning conversations,’ not just ‘let me fit in a retake.’” In contrast, Mahany felt that the eight-day cycles have been more noticeable for him. “What I like about the new schedule is that every day is not the same. Every Monday is not the same as every other Monday.” With positive impacts, though, there are often drawbacks. Mahany stated, “I teach three junior classes and I would like for them to be in the same place in the curriculum, and I can never get them in the same place. Maybe that’s on me, I think it’s kind of on the schedule. That’s kind of been a difficulty I guess. It’s like having three separate preparations for all three of my classes, although they’re doing the same things.” Interestingly, Zerega seemed to have completely separate thoughts. She said that, “The eight-day rotation is fine with me, but it’s too long of a school day for eleven-year-olds.” When asked how the length of the day affects her students, Zerega commented that, “They’re looking out the window as all of the little kids walk by… they want to be outside, too… They want to be outside playing. The minute we let them go, they’re out playing somewhere.”
Other than the eight-day rotation, the cell phone policy has also induced many thoughts.
“I don’t know about cell phones. I think that people can download on their computer what they have on their cell phones,” said Mahany.
Aside from the switch from a five-day schedule to an eight-day cycle, new periods have been introduced, and some have been dissolved. Flex, conference, and committees are a few of those that are recent additions to the day, while a set time for a passing period has been replaced for a ‘soft end and hard start.’ For these changes, though, sacrifices had to be made.
“I think kids need more time to socialize. I think they need passing periods. I think they need deeper transitions between different subjects. I think it’s very jarring to go from science to English with an invented three minute gap that your teacher may or may not adhere to. I think a lot of social energies expel in the at least 10 minute passing period that should be there.”
In conclusion, there are many mixed feelings about the recent shifts in Parker’s culture amongst faculty. What should be duly noted, though, is that those interviewed have experienced many changes in their lives outside of Parker, too. This is Zerega’s final year at Parker, and Shannon’s first. And Mahany, although planning on staying in his same position, admits that this year has felt long. “I’m exhausted,” he reported. Mahany continues by saying, “I don’t know if I’m exhausted because of the difference in the year, or because I’m older. I just feel that it’s been an exhausting year.”