Day of Giving - Francis Parker School You Power Teachers. December 2, 2025 Day. 1,000 Family Donors. $1 million for Teachers. Day of Giving is a school-wide, one-day campaign to reward, retain, and recruit the people who create the Parker experience: our teachers. In the last decade, your donations to the Day of Giving have allowed Parker to invest an additional $6 million in the areas that enhance the experience for our teachers: faculty professional development and salaries. Make A Gift now through December 2 Day of Giving 2025 Co-Chairs Nicole Baham-Gunn Ioana Brooks Birtan Cetinoz Rachel Chryssostomides Christina and St. Elmo Crawford Jennifer Cumming Erica Murphy Sean Palacios Voltaire Sterling Your Participation Matters. when we reach 1,000 family donors, a $250,000 Participation Challenge gift will be released. Give Now to help unlock the challenge Participation Challenge Donors as of October 31, 2025 $25,000 Bhumika Chhabra and Saurav Gorai Sean Joseph and Mahau Ma Jana Messerschmidt and David Richter $15,000 Lisa and George Alexander Graeme Gabriel and Simone Kanter Robert Landis ’01 and Christine Hunt Landis ’99 Benjamin and Kimberly Lee Kalpana Singh Rhodes ’90 and Jamie Rhodes Two Generous Parker Families $10,000 The Bjorg Family Michael and Lauren Buscemi Christina and St. Elmo Crawford Charles and Sophia Morris Dawn and Chris O'Brien Michael Scully and Shonnie Forstrom Two Generous Parker Families $70,000 Grandparent Match Led By Lynne McGuire and Andris Baltins The Fishman Family Kristin and Gary Gist John and Carol Landis Chaling and Kuanpin Lin Ili Nagy and Eric Lindgren Lori Moore Shari and Ralf Nielson Richard and Jennifer Schifter Susan and Alfred Smith Ned and Carol Spieker Give Now to help unlock the challenge Faculty Retention and Recruitment Competitive salaries and generous cost-of-living increases Faculty salaries were raised by 20% in 2024! 100% employer-paid healthcare coverage Generous retirement matching Stipends for leading a team/club or supervising students outside of the academic day Free Extended Day programming for students of faculty Travel expenses for nationwide candidate recruiting Investments in Excellence in Teaching In-House professional coaching through Parker's newly established Paul Esch Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Training from nationally-recognized subject area experts Visits to peer schools to observe best-in-class teaching methods Additional paid time for collaboration and curriculum innovation Grants for graduate study and professional certifications Merit-based "Excellence in Teaching" monetary awards Your Gift Supports: Day of Giving directly supports Parker's ability to retain and recruit exceptional faculty by funding investments in excellence in teaching and faculty retention/recruitment. Support Your Child's Teachers by making a gift in their honor Support Your Child's Teachers by making a gift in their honor Funding Excellence in Teaching Ms. Maggie Miller Ms. Maggie Miller Middle/Upper School Math Faculty Day of Giving dollars paid for Maggie to develop and align the new Grade 6 math curriculum, helping students to build the skills and confidence needed for more rigorous courses. This curriculum gives students room to explore, practice, and apply their skills to real-life problem solving. That strong foundation in algebra opens doors to every Upper School math course. Dr. Rai Wilson Dr. Rai Wilson Upper School Social Studies Faculty Day of Giving dollars funded a grant for Rai to design a Civil Rights history trip to Alabama and Mississippi, creating a learning experience rooted in place and perspective. We can reach people's minds, but being there—smelling a place, feeling a place—can reach their emotions too. Those are the experiences and learnings that stay with them. Ms. Lauren St. John Lopez Ms. Lauren St. John Lopez Lower School Science Faculty Day of Giving dollars paid for Lauren to integrate new interactive flat-panel technology, creating more connected, collaborative classroom experiences. Using the interactive panel helps my students collaborate because they can seamlessly build on each other’s ideas. Ms. Zuri Walker Ms. Zuri Walker PE/Athletics Faculty Day of Giving dollars subsidized Zuri's Master's Degree in Kinesiology, which led her to revamp the Life Skills curriculum. The new course guides students to take ownership of their behavior, figure out what works best for their specific environment, and have the tools to make wellness a focus throughout their lives. Mr. Joseph Kurz Mr. Joseph Kurz Upper School Social Studies Teacher Day of Giving dollars paid for Joseph to attend a working retreat to learn Harkness teaching method at the Exeter Humanities Institute. The method emphasizes students listening to each other as much as speaking their own thoughts, which helps them gain confidence, a sense of agency, and empathy for their fellow citizens Ms. Erika Assadi Ms. Erika Assadi Head of Teaching and Learning Day of Giving dollars allowed Erika to participate in the NAIS Fellowship for Aspiring School Heads, which allows her to better support every Parker teacher as they grow professionally. I’ve built deep relationships with experienced leaders at independent schools, which has helped me define and grow my leadership style and skills and implement them in my new role. Make a Donation Today. Give Now