Parker Periodical - March

March 2, 2026

Principal's March Message

Parker Families!


As we step into the month of March, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for your continued partnership and support. This time of year is always full of renewed energy—students are finding their stride, classrooms are buzzing with learning, and we continue to see growth in both academics and character. March gives us the perfect opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come and to look ahead with excitement.


Our teachers are working hard to create meaningful learning experiences, and our students are showing resilience, curiosity, and pride in their work each day. Your involvement—whether through encouraging homework routines, attending school events, or simply asking your child about their day—makes all the difference.


As we move closer to spring, we look forward to several upcoming activities that help strengthen our school community. Thank you for your continued trust, collaboration, and commitment to ensuring that every child feels valued, supported, and capable of achieving great things. We value your partnership!


Wishing you and your family a wonderful month filled with growth, sunshine, and joy.

Warmly,

Ms. Kannada

Parker Elementary Goals & Collective Commitment

Snacks

Some grade levels allow snack due to their lunch times. Students will have 5 minutes to eat their snack. We do not stop instruction for snack time. The only items that we do not allow are sodas and candy. We do recommend options such as granola bars, pretzels, goldfish, or a piece of fruit. Check with your child’s teacher about snack time.

No Pets Allowed

We love animals; however, the policy at Ellis D. Parker Elementary is that no pets are allowed on campus during school hours. This includes arrival and dismissal. Pets cannot be on campus for any reason, even if on a leash. This is for safety reasons and causes a liability risk for the school as well as individual pet owners. No exceptions are made unless the pet is a documented certified service animal.

Yearbook Help Needed!

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are excited to begin work on this  year's school yearbook and can't wait to capture all of the special moments from the school year.

To purchase your child's yearbook, please scan the QR code provided or visit treering.com/validate. If you already have a TreeRing account from previous years, please be sure to use the existing account and do not create a new student profile.

In addition, we are looking for a small team of volunteer parents who are willing to work with me to help make this year's yearbook great. This is a wonderful opportunity to support our school and be involved in creating a meaningful keepsake for our students.

If you have any questions or are interested in helping with our yearbook, please do not hesitate to reach out to me via email at shannon.ma@dodea.edu.

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to a fantastic yearbook this year!

Sincerely,

Shannon Ma

Upcoming Events

Activities

Be part of our competitive Robotics Teams.  

Meets on: Mondays & Wednesdays

Meeting Time: 0700-0800

Follow us on Social Media

DoWEA School Dress Code

Image showing dress code and location of armpit and mid-thigh

Students MUST wear:

  • Tops with sleeves (sleeveless tops/dresses are permitted for school sponsored formal events such as prom)
  • Solid clothing (not transparent or translucent) that fully covers the top and bottom from armpit to mid-thigh
  • Shoes (shoes must be safe for the school environment)
    • Bedroom slippers shall not be worn, except for school activities approved by the principal
    • Open toe shoes with a strap across the heel are allowed

Students CANNOT wear clothing with:

  • Language or images promoting violence
  • Language or images that depict, promote, or advocate the illegal use or sale of drugs, alcohol or tobacco products; violent conduct; curse words; pornography; that contain threats or expressions which are violent, discriminatory, lewd or obscene; or that advocate or promote any other illegal item or activity or the use of same
  • Derogatory speech and/or imagery that targets groups based on race/color, ethnicity/national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or any other characteristic protected by law.
  • Headgear that obscures the face (except as a religious observance or health purpose); clothing items with hoods attached can be worn but must not cover the head

* Teachers/courses can require certain attire as part of the curriculum (for example: physical education, culinary) that may include specific dress

* DoWEA issued athletic uniforms and athletic practice attire outside of the DoWEA school dress code is permitted when worn by participants during athletic practices and sports events

Attendance Policy

In accordance with the policy stated in DoWEA Regulation 2095.01, “School Attendance,” August 26, 2011, as amended, school attendance is mandatory. All students are required to attend school to ensure continuity of instruction and that they successfully meet academic standards and demonstrate continuous educational progress. School attendance is a joint responsibility between the parent or sponsor, student, classroom teacher, school personnel, and, in some cases, the Command. Students with excessive school absences (or tardiness) shall be monitored by the Student Support Team to assist in the completion of all required work and successful mastery of course objectives.

Daily student attendance is identified based upon a quarter of the school day formula. Students will be identified as present or absent, based on the following criteria:

  1. Absent up to 25% of the school day = absent one-quarter of the school day
  2. Absent between 26%–50% of the school day = absent one-half of the school day
  3. Absent 51%–75% of the school day = absent three-quarters of the school day
  4. Absent 76%–100% of the school day = full-day absence

DoWEA considers the following conditions to constitute reasonable cause for absence from school for reasons other than school-related activities:

  1. Personal illness;
  2. Medical, dental, or mental health appointment;
  3. Serious illness in the student’s immediate family;
  4. A death in the student’s immediate family or of a relative;
  5. Religious holiday;
  6. Emergency conditions such as fire, flood, or storm;
  7. Unique family circumstances warranting absence and coordinated with school administration;
  8. College visits that cannot be scheduled on non-school days; and
  9. A pandemic event.

Unexcused absences may result in school disciplinary actions. An absence from school or a class without written verification from a parent or sponsor will be unexcused. Student attendance is calculated based upon the date of enrollment in a DoWEA school, which may occur anytime during the school year. Student attendance monitoring is designed to provide a continuum of intervention and services to support families and children in keeping children in school and combating truancy and educational neglect. Parents should notify the school of their child’s absence 30 minutes after the start of the school day. Too many unexcused absences may trigger the Student Support Team to convene.

School Administrators

Name Position Details Phone
Jamie Schmittendorf Webmaster 334-369-7100

School Hours

School Hours Regular Hours ERD Hours
Office Hours 7:00 am - 4:00 pm 7:00 am - 4:00 pm
K - 6 Students 8:10 am - 3:10 pm 8:10 am - 2:25 pm
Pre-K AM Students 8:10 am - 10:55 am 8:10 am - 10:55 am
Pre-K PM Students 12:30 pm - 3:10 pm 12:30 pm - 2:25 pm
     

ERD (Early Release) is the Second TUESDAY of every month

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