DAILY FYI - Morning Announcements Shared With Students

Attention all Div 1 and 9th Grade Students: Get ready for the Dance of the season - the Spring Fling! Join us on May 10th from 6-8 PM for a night of fun and dancing. Tickets are only $10 and will be on sale from Wednesday, May 1st to Thursday, May 9th. Come dressed to impress in your semi-formal attire and enjoy pizza, drinks, and snacks. The dance will be held in the auditorium, but the courtyard will also be open for the beginning of the night. Then open for a quiet space or those seeking some fresh air. Get your tickets quick and join us for a night of fun! See you there!

May is Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month is observed annually in May to celebrate the contributions that generations of AAPIs have made to American history, society, and culture. This year's theme is "Advancing Leaders Through Innovation," paying tribute to the trailblazers who have shaped AANHPI history and continue to influence the future. AANHPI leaders have made lasting contributions to the United States economic prosperity, technological advancements, and social/political change while navigating significant cultural and systemic barriers. The library has a collection on display all month dedicated to this celebration.

Therapy Dogs are Coming to Parker! Sheila, Lisa, and Ellis' Advisory have coordinated a therapy dog visit with AaTs Massachusetts (Animal-assisted Therapy Services) on Wednesday, May 15th, from 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM on the front circle. Visits will be scheduled throughout the day for students to spend time with the therapy dogs.

Happy Foster Care Awareness Month! One of the struggles that youth in foster care face is they often use trash bags to travel between homes which can severely damage their mental health and overall development. Help Marena and Mark’s Advisory (the cool kids) collect items for foster children of all ages to minimize their struggle and add a smile to their face. We are asking you to rummage through the closets in your house for lightly used suitcases, backpacks, and duffel bags; and new, unused travel-sized hygiene products (give us those weird little bags of stuff you get from the dentist!). If you feel so compelled, we are also hoping to collect brand new small stuffed animals or blankets (under 5’x5’), unopened toiletries (travel sized), phone chargers, and gift cards to stores like Target and Walmart. We will have two donation boxes in the lobby through the month of May. We also have an Amazon wish list where you can purchase items for us to donate (see Friday Newsletter). Donated items will be delivered to the Greater Lowell DCF office. Thank you for helping our advisory help local children in foster care!

DIV 3 SERVICE OPPORTUNITY! End of the year, in need of hours, want to do some good for the earth and your community? Here is your chance: The planting of the 2 new pocket forest sites in Devens is well underway with students from the Ayer Shirley Regional Middle School and the Parker Charter School planting this past week. We are delighted to invite you to a public workday on Tuesday, May 7th, 4-6 PM. Pocket Forest Planting Workday at Devens Playground, near 29 Antietam Street, Devens, MA. Reach out to Molly or Brian for more details.

Sherry's House Youth Venture will have a box in the lobby from Tuesday April 30th until May 10th collecting donations. Sherry's House is a home in Worcester where kids undergoing cancer treatments can stay in a non-hospitals like environment with their families. Please donate non-perishable food items, toys (brand new), or household supplies like fabric softener, paper towels, toilet paper, napkins, paper plates, bowls, and plastic utensils. We will also accept gift cards for places like Shaw’s, Market Basket, Uber, Target, Visa, Price Chopper, Aldi, Walmart, and Big Y. Thank you in advance! If you have any questions, please reach out to either [email protected] or [email protected].

Attention Div2 and Div3 Students: Would you be interested in providing homework help to elementary school students after school once a week? This volunteer opportunity is in Ayer, about 5 minutes from Parker. If you are interested, please see Jinnee!