Talk about coming full-circle — Francis Parker parent Noelle Ludwig sent her two young children to the Francis Parker School after she herself went through elementary and secondary school there. She said the decision was easy — her positive experience going to school there and her family’s commitment to getting the best education for their children, made the school the top choice.
“It’s affected my family in an incredibly positive way,” Noelle said. “We feel like we are in partnership with the school in raising our kids to be good citizens.”
Now is the time to apply to send your student to Francis Parker School next year. There are multiple visitor’s days for prospective students and families in the next couple months. The deadline for priority consideration is February 1, 2016.
It Takes a Village
Noelle has been a Parker parent for seven years. Her daughter is currently in Grade 5 and her son is also a Lower School student there. Noelle said while it took some convincing for her husband to get on board with sending their kids to a school outside their La Jolla neighborhood, their family has truly reaped the benefits.
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“The breadth that the special classes and variety that the kids get to experience is unparalleled,” Noelle said. “There’s so much hands-on learning and the school is excellent at being able to differentiate between different levels of kids so that every kid is challenged at their appropriate level.”
Many students come to Parker from all over San Diego County, with students representing 91 zip codes in the region. There are two campuses: the Lower School campus in Mission Hills serves students in JK to Grade 5 and the Linda Vista campus serves Middle School and Upper School students.
Noelle is the Vice President of the Parents Association of the Lower School and said getting involved as a parent has made her feel more connected to her children’s education and to the Francis Parker school community.
“One of the best things of the Lower School campus is there’s a family feel to it,” Noelle said. “I’ve gotten to know the parents better, it becomes like a second family for my daughter and me.”
Noelle said her kids really love the after-school programs, especially Show Stoppers, where students write and perform their own play. She said the kids were really satisfied by being able to take complete ownership of something from start to finish.
The Potential for Students is Limitless
Parker senior Anoushka Bose is an exemplary student who shows what is possible for students who take full advantage of the opportunities Francis Parker School offers them. Anoushka has gone to Parker since the very beginning — starting as a 4-year-old in junior kindergarten. Now she’s preparing to graduate in 2016 and go to college to study computer science and physics. Anoushka is heavily involved in the Upper School’s Robotics and Science Olympiad teams and has traveled across the country to represent Parker in prestigious competitions.
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“Parker prepares you by not just teaching you curriculum but by teaching you how to learn, how to discuss, research and face challenges in courses,” Anoushka said. “Parker helps students know who they are before they go off to a new place and show everyone else who they are.”
Anoushka said participating in National History Day has allowed her to discover and develop her interest in environmental history — her projects on the damning of the Hitachi Valley and the Clean Air Act allowed her to interview economists and people in the industry.
“I’ve been able to learn about history that isn’t so textbook-based and Francis lets me dive into something I’m passionate about,” Anoushka said.
Parker is also a family legacy for Anoushka, whose older sister graduated in the Class of 2011 and is currently getting her Master’s at MIT.
Anoushka said for families considering enrolling their children at Parker in 2016, students are welcomed into the school community with open arms.
“Parker students are different in their interests, but everyone is united in their open mindedness and willingness to listen to peers,” Anoushka said. “New students never feel like they’re being thrown into a pool of people who have known each other for a long time.”
Noelle said the community-feel of Parker does more than just prepare students for college — it prepares them for life.
“The school does a good job of making sure they’re well-rounded good citizens,” Noelle said. “They really get to know these kids so they have a great foundation and really take care of each other.”