YOUR FUTURE AT PARKER
At-a-Glance
established
1912
123 total faculty
86
faculty with advanced degrees
28% faculty of color
grade levels
JK-12
financial assistance
$7.56M 24%
Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12
awarded to
1,325
of students
70
zip codes represented
students enrolled
honors and AP courses offered
endowment
$40M 2
50+
FRANCIS PARKER SCHOOL
9:1
student-to-faculty ratio
annual operating budget
$55M
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WHO WE ARE
Root for the Underdog A student makes a drive for the hoop in the annual faculty/student basketball game.
01 MISSION Francis Parker School’s mission is to create and inspire a diverse community of independent thinkers whose academic excellence, global perspective, and strength of character prepare them to make a meaningful difference in the world.
VISION Parker’s vision is to create engaging learning environments that nurture curiosity and prepare students with the skills and knowledge they need to embrace purposeful opportunities and live joyful lives.
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY Parker believes that students learn best in an inclusive and interdependent community where they can thrive socially, emotionally, physically, and academically. Faculty create learning environments that support and challenge students to build their knowledge through interconnected and developmentally appropriate learning experiences.
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FRANCIS PARKER SCHOOL
Who We Are
PARKER STUDENTS Parker graduates students who embody those qualities essential for academic success and personal fulfillment—intellectual curiosity, creative thinking, a passion for learning, a sense of ethical responsibility, self-reliance, community engagement, and global competence—by offering a balanced, challenging, and integrated JK to Grade 12 educational program in academics, athletics, and the arts, all in a vibrant and diverse school community.
A Parker graduate... •
Strives for academic excellence while maintaining a balance of social and emotional well-being.
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Possesses the necessary skills, aptitude, and imagination to participate in the fundamental human conversation on what is right, fair, and good.
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Thinks critically, writes persuasively, and communicates confidently.
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Is familiar with the cultural, political, historical, scientific, ethical, and economic forces shaping the world.
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Develops the necessary tools to realize their individual talents and potential in their academic and professional lives.
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Embraces the larger world through meaningful, age-appropriate opportunities for experiential education.
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01 CORE VALUES Parker’s core values support the mission and vision, affirming its principles, beliefs, priorities, and philosophy shared by all members of the community.
STUDENTS FIRST
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Preparing students to make a meaningful difference in the world is the cornerstone of a Parker education. Our mission, vision, and core values collectively prioritize the student experience, which means all School decisions are guided by what is best for children. Parker’s programs provide appropriate structure and guidance for each stage of the student experience, with the end goal of graduating individuals who are self-reliant and lifelong learners.
Within a learning environment where all students are seen, known, and valued, we offer courses that move students first through foundational knowledge and then forward “as far as the mind can see.” Students experience innovative and advanced courses that inspire them to think and achieve beyond their initial expectations. We partner with families to meet students’ needs and guide their academic journey.
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
STRENGTH OF CHARACTER
We ask all members of the Parker community to become attuned to the systems—cultural, political, and economic— that create diverse backgrounds and perspectives throughout the world. Students learn from a globally focused curriculum and gain direct experience of the world through age-appropriate experiential education, service-learning, and guided international travel.
We seek to develop students who understand and value behaviors that are true and good. We expect all community members to model upstanding citizenship, appropriately express their beliefs, and understand their responsibilities as members of the larger community. We provide opportunities to explore and strengthen these characteristics and expectations for themselves.
INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY
NO LIMIT TO BETTER
We strive to create a community in which each person is given the opportunity to develop a healthy sense of self and empathy towards one another. We courageously lean into difficult conversations to cultivate an environment of inclusion and belonging. We continuously reflect on our practices to prioritize cultural competency in our curriculum, program, policies, and strategic goals.
True to our progressive legacy, we reflect and iterate on all aspects of school life to ensure that the Parker experience is distinct and serves the needs of our evolving community. There is no limit to what we can dream, do, and try. By evaluating and innovating our practice, we model the habits of lifelong learning. Striving beyond limits is the essence of a Parker education and fuels our journey “as far as the mind can see.”
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FRANCIS PARKER SCHOOL
Who We Are
All Together Now Lower School students perform in the winter concert, an annual community event and the counterpoint to Spring Arts Night on the Linda Vista Campus.
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01 SCHOOL OVERVIEW Francis Parker School is a forward-thinking, mission-driven, nationally acclaimed independent school brimming with energy, determination, and vision located in the heart of San Diego, CA. More than 1,320 students from Junior Kindergarten (JK) through Grade 12 and hundreds of faculty and staff arrive at Parker’s two large campuses each day. We vibrantly integrate academics, arts, athletics, and co-curricular activities to allow our students to design their own path to excellence. With many ways to explore and engage while at Parker, students are empowered to take ownership of their learning. Parents appreciate the School’s solid academic program and strong value system. Parker has been cultivating active learners since 1912. Parker’s founders—Clara Sturges Johnson and her husband, William Templeton Johnson—founded the school on the principles of civic engagement
MEMBERSHIPS AND ACCREDITATIONS
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FRANCIS PARKER SCHOOL
and betterment. The Johnsons emulated the approach of the school’s namesake, progressive educator Colonel Francis Parker, who founded a school in Chicago focused on teaching good citizenship and character. Parker people are experts in their fields. Our classrooms are led by experienced faculty with acute attention to centering curriculum design around students, implementing effective pedagogical practices, and fostering a sense of belonging. The work culture is positive and rigorous, with a growth mindset and a collegial, collaborative spirit. Parker’s Leadership Team (PLT) currently comprises fourteen people: Head of School, Dr. Kevin Yaley—who started as a teacher at Parker in 2001 and was appointed the School’s twelfth Head in 2010—plus 13 senior administrators. The PLT functions as a collaborative, cooperative, data-informed, and
Who We Are
consensus-driven unit in which all voices matter and everyone has an equal seat at the table. We invite you to read their individual bios on our website. Over the last 20-plus years, we have undertaken a nearly $140M capital campaign to transform the Linda Vista Campus, which houses Middle and Upper
School students. Soon, a similar campaign will begin for the historic Mission Hills Campus, which contains Parker’s elementary school. The design of our campuses follows the principles of our founders and strives to create a harmonious relationship between our students and their environment.
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01 THE PARKER DIFFERENCE We are deeply committed to building a school where everyone in our community— students, faculty, and staff alike—can take their abilities, their passions, and themselves as far as the mind can see. To do so, we invest extensive time, energy, and resources in our community, our people, and our world.
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FRANCIS PARKER SCHOOL
Who We Are
How we invest in our community...
AT PARKER
Our flagship Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) program Belonging at Parker is our school-wide commitment to creating a community in which each person is given the opportunity to develop a healthy sense of self and empathy towards one another. We encourage our community members to lean into difficult conversations and continuously reflect on our practices to prioritize cultural competency in our curriculum, programs, policies, and strategic goals.
How we invest in our people... Now in its eleventh year, the annual Day of Giving is a school-wide, one-day campaign to reward, retain, and recruit the Parker faculty and staff. Since 2014, the event has allowed us to invest an additional $4.1M towards professional development and salaries for our people. Our faculty and staff love the expert-led training, paid planning time, grants for further education, opportunities to attend conferences, and more supported by Day of Giving each year. When our faculty and staff thrive, so do our students.
How we invest in our world... Our students, faculty, and staff regularly engage with the San Diego community through projects, drives, and events with local non-profit organizations. Our curriculum includes classes like the popular elective Social Justice, in which students learn about a range of local and global issues through hands-on outings. And our students in Grade 8 and beyond travel internationally with faculty and staff advisors each year to build strong habits of critical thinking, collaboration, and empathy. EMPLOYMENT GUIDE
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OUR CAMPUSES
Parker Forward An architect’s rendering of the new Douglas Aquatic Center, new Silberman Student Life Center, and the current field hous.
MISSION HILLS CAMPUS Lower School
Parker’s historic Lower School embodies the School’s commitment to excellence and what it means to be “Parker proud.” With its quintessential Spanish-style buildings and thriving idyllic landscape, the Lower School is an educational hub for Parker’s youngest learners. As the final elements of the Linda Vista Campus master plan are completed, Parker will turn its attention to formulating similar project plans at the Mission Hills Campus. These plans will span well over a decade and result in a re-imagination and renovation of the campus.
LINDA VISTA CAMPUS Our Campuses Middle and Upper Schools
At Francis Parker School, students enjoy tremendous educational benefits from state-ofthe-art facilities. Parker is in the final phase of a two-decades-long capital improvement program to re-imagine the Linda Vista Campus, which has seen over 20 new structures built in the last 20 years. The final piece of this Campus Master Plan includes the Douglas Aquatic Center, the Silberman Student Life Center, and the Vassiliadis Athletic Center. With these new buildings comes a tangible reminder of our belief in high-quality physical education and athletic programs as an integral component of students’ well-rounded educational experience. Visit parkerforward. com for updates on these exciting campus improvements.
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STRATEGIC DIRECTION
Life in Bikini Bottom Drama Club students pose for a cast photo to promote Spongebob: The Musical, their latest production.
Strategic Direction
Pursuit of Excellence Pursuit of Excellence: Francis Parker School’s Strategic Direction is a result of the guidance from our accreditation and the essential insights we’ve gained since 2020. This guide shares our desired outcomes that will support the growth, health, and well-being of the Parker community. This strategic planning includes
One Parker Our commitment to creating and inspiring a healthy, collaborative culture, aligning Parker’s curriculum, programs, and practices.
Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies A strengthening of support for the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of Parker students, faculty, and staff.
necessary flexibility to accommodate new external influences, voices, ideas, trends, and perspectives. The five themes of Parker’s strategic direction chart our path in pursuit of excellence. These themes serve as guideposts to direct our work strategically and tactically as we move forward as a school.
The Needs of Society Answering the charge to actualize Parker’s public purpose by developing meaningful partnerships and sharing knowledge with our local communities.
Lancers for Equity and Justice Advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) through deliberate and holistic efforts.
Future Forward Our commitment to the research and design of institutional systems, processes, and plans that ensure Parker’s sustainability as a leading educational institution.
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WORKING AT PARKER
Sled Team Middle School students run along the beach in La Jolla towing a classmate during the annual “Ikidarod” race.
Working At Parker
If you love sunny 75-degree days, San Diego is the city for you. San Diego is much more than its near-perfect weather. Our beloved county has 50 sunsoaked miles of coastline, a thriving food and arts scene, dozens of museums, and a major emphasis on health and wellness activities such as cycling, yoga, hiking, kayaking, and surfing. San Diego is consistently named one of the safest big cities in America. Parker’s two campuses are located in the Mission Hills and Linda Vista neighborhoods, which are in close proximity to several of San Diego’s major freeways. Our families and faculty live in over 80 different ZIP codes across the county. No matter which way you turn, there is a neighborhood close to our school for you to call home. Parker has long been committed to providing competitive and equitable compensation for our employees, who create the special magic of curiosity, wonder, and joyful learning that is quintessential to the Parker experience. The School frequently assesses the cost of living in San Diego and regularly reviews data from peer schools in the area to ensure we offer competitive compensation within the regional independent school marketplace.
View of Torrey Pines bluffs from La Jolla Cove.
Parker’s surf team at a local competition.
To learn more about living in San Diego, scan the QR code to visit San Diego Magazine’s Newcomer’s Guide to San Diego.
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FULL-TIME STAFF BENEFITS
MEDICAL , DENTAL , & VISION INSURANCE
FREE LUNCH ON CAMPUS
Basic HMO is 100% employer-paid
including: Hot entrees & sides Salad & Soup Bar Sandwich Bar Vegan/Vegetarian options
Employees can “buy up” to PPO plans. Spouse and dependents can be added for additional cost.
GENEROUS PAID TIME OFF 23 paid holidays 2 f loating holidays 20 days paid vacation
403(b) RETIREMENT PLAN Up to 5% def ined contribution and up to 2.5% employer match Employees can contribute to the retirement plan immediately. Additional contributions by employer begin after one year of service.
10 days paid sick leave
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT including: Financial support for advanced degrees Conference opportunities Summer grants and more!
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FRANCIS PARKER SCHOOL
GROUP LIFE , AD&D, AND LONG -TERM DISABILITY INSURANCE 100% employer-paid Additional employee-paid life insurance is available.
Working At Parker
GENEROUS TUITION REMISSION PACK AGES
EMPLOYEE DISCOUNTS ON AREA ATTRACTIONS
including: Discounts on after-school and summer programs
including: SeaWorld San Diego San Diego Zoo & Safari Park Disneyland Local cruises Movie tickets and more!
FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS (FSA) Healthcare and Dependent Care
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EAP)
WILL PREPARATION SERVICES
TRAVEL ASSISTANCE
PET INSURANCE Employee-paid
FINANCIAL PLANNING
WELLNESS PROGRAMS including: Weekly wellness prizes Massage raffles All-School Meet Ups Gym discounts and more!
Group and individual sessions
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francisparker.org/employment
MISSION HILLS CAMPUS Lower School
LINDA VISTA CAMPUS Middle/Upper School
4201 Randolph Street San Diego, CA 92103 619 / 298-9110
6501 Linda Vista Road San Diego, CA 92111 858 / 569-7900
/FrancisParkerSchool
@francisparkersc