Join us today for the Flossmoor School District 161 End-of-Year Party! Enjoy music, games, and delicious food available for purchase. Rain or shine — we’ll see you at Parker Junior High from 5 to 7 p.m.!
Mekhi McGruder is a dedicated athlete and, as of last night, a proud graduate of Parker Junior High. At 14, he plays wheelchair basketball with the Lincolnway Special Recreation Association’s team and continues to impress with his passion and competitive spirit.
During the final week of school, Mekhi and his teammates led a special assembly, showcasing the fast-paced sport of wheelchair basketball to their fellow 8th graders.
Last night, Mekhi celebrated the end of his junior high journey as he received his certificate of promotion. Next stop: high school!
Mekhi McGruder is a dedicated athlete and, as of last night, a proud graduate of Parker Junior High. At 14, he plays wheelchair basketball with the Lincolnway Special Recreation Association’s team and continues to impress with his passion and competitive spirit.
During the final week of school, Mekhi and his teammates led a special assembly, showcasing the fast-paced sport of wheelchair basketball to their fellow 8th graders.
Last night, Mekhi celebrated the end of his junior high journey as he received his certificate of promotion. Next stop: high school!
Congratulations to our outstanding Parker Junior High students on their promotion to high school! We are so proud of each and every one of you. Your hard work, growth, and determination have brought you to this exciting milestone, and we can’t wait to see what you’ll accomplish next!
A big shoutout to the proud families who filled the room with love (and many camera clicks )—the parent paparazzi was out in full force, and rightfully so!
Here's to new adventures, big dreams, and the bright future. Go show high school what you're made of!
Join us this THURSDAY for the Flossmoor School District 161 End-of-Year Party!
Enjoy music, games, and delicious food available for purchase.
Rain or shine — we’ll see you at Parker Junior High from 5 to 7 p.m.!
Kudos to the Parker Junior High Band for their heartfelt performance at this morning’s Memorial Day ceremony in Homewood. Their music provided a fitting tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
Today, we pause to remember and honor the brave individuals who gave their lives in service.
#ICYMI
What a day! Huge thanks to our awesome friends at the Village of Flossmoor Police and Fire Departments, and Mayor Nelson for helping us give a hero’s welcome to our PJH state champion track stars!
We’re bursting with pride over this incredible team and everything they’ve accomplished this season. Way to go, champs! ⭐️
🚨 Record Breakers Alert! 🚨
Big shoutout to our Parker Junior High Falcons 4x100 relay team for making history and breaking the state record! These incredible athletes blazed across the finish line with speed, teamwork, and heart.
Congratulations to
Djimon Johnson-Shakoor
Martell Clay
K'Shawn Jones
Mason Kwaza
Mark Clayton
Julian Smith
Your hard work, dedication, and lightning-fast handoffs have made the entire Falcon family proud.
Keep soaring, Falcons! The sky isn’t the limit, it’s just the beginning! 🏆💪💨
Reminder: There will be no school on Monday, May 26, in observance of Memorial Day. As we honor and remember those who gave their lives in service to our country, we wish everyone a safe and meaningful holiday. We invite you to join members of the Parker Junior High band at the Veterans Memorial, located at 18161 Morris Avenue in Homewood, for a ceremony honoring our fallen heroes. The ceremony will begin at 10:15 a.m.
‼️ Breaking News!
Congratulations to 7th grader Mark Clayton and his second place finish and K'Shawn Jones and his 6th place finish in the 100 m race.
🚨 More breaking news from the state track competition!
Congratulations to 7th grader Kayla Collier and her 5th place finish in the girls Long Jump AND her 3rd place finish in the 100 m Hurdles!
Congratulations to the entire team at PJH for an amazing first day at the state track meet!
A special shout out to 8th grader Fallon Alsberry for her amazing 6th place finish in the 400 m race!
WELL DONE!!!!!
📸 Dr. Wisniewski
:
🚨 STATE ALERT! 🚨
Parker Junior High is heading to STATE! 🏃🏽♀️🏃🏽♂️ Let’s give a HUGE shoutout and tons of Falcon pride to our incredible student-athletes representing us on the big stage! 💪👏
Competing at state are:
Kayla Collier
Nyla Whittier
Cambri Dumetz
Zoey Tillman
Alana Cook
Savannah Taylor
Ryan Thompson
Djimon Johnson-Shakoor
Martell Clay
KShawn Jones
Mason Kwaza
Mark Clayton
Julian Smith
Fallon Alsberry
Chase Foster
Karter Pillows
Theodore Williams
Martez Harding
Michael Lucas-Wolfe
Jaylen Roberson
Mekhi Hall
Tejon Beals
Geremiah Redfield
Eric Lumpkin
None of this would be possible without our dedicated coaches — Mr. Wright, Ms. Bratlien, Ms. Lewis, and Ms. Hill — thank you for your leadership and support! 🙌
Let’s go, Parker Falcons! We can’t wait to hear the good news from Assistant Principal Dr. Wisniewski about your performances. Bring the heat to state! 🔥 🔥
The countdown is on — Graduation for our PJH 8th graders is just 6 days away
Your tickets are ready and waiting!
Swing by the front foyer TODAY or TOMORROW to pick up your graduation tickets, panoramic photo, and frame orders during these times:
8:00 am to 11:30 am
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Let’s get ready to celebrate this amazing milestone.
Questions? Call the main office at 708-647-5400.
A reminder that the school will be closed on Monday in observance of Memorial Day.
Join us for Multicultural Literacy Night!
All Flossmoor School District 161 families are invited to our final BPAC meeting of the year—a special celebration of multiculturalism in our bilingual program!
📅 Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025
🕕 Time: 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
📍 Location: Parker Junior High Media Center
Enjoy children’s literature and cultural artifacts from around the world, light refreshments, and a chance to connect with other families. We can’t wait to see you there!
#ICYMI
Broadway dreams came true for three of our incredible 7th graders thanks to EduHam, an educational program that connects students to history through the lens of Hamilton: An American Musical!
Congratulations to Isabella Avendano, Minah Bobb, and Tabitha Waita for being named one of the top 20 teams in the nation for their original poem about Philip Hamilton, inspired by a primary source from the era. Their outstanding work earned them an all expense paid trip to New York City to see Hamilton on Broadway and explore the city alongside their chaperones, Mrs. Emily Nicotra and Ms. Linda O’Dwyer.
This is the second year in a row that one of our teams has won, and we've only been participating for two years. EduHam is part of our 7th and 8th grade Humanities curriculum, with additional support from Mrs. Tiffaney Washington, who teaches a special poetry lesson based on primary sources.
Thank you to the Gilder Lehrman Institute for sponsoring this unforgettable opportunity, and a final thank you to the PJH PTO for sponsoring the unforgettable sunset Statue of Liberty cruise for these students.
Learn more about EduHam: https://hamilton.gilderlehrman.org/
#ICYMI
The Parker Junior High PTO hosted its first Falcon 5K on Saturday, May 3.
Congratulations to all participants and organizers on a job well done!
This THURSDAY!
Calling all Flossmoor School District 161 students and families! Come meet members of the Flossmoor Police Department at Rainbow Cone in Flossmoor on Thursday, May 15, from 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Enjoy a sweet treat and great conversation with some of Flossmoor's finest! The first 50 people to attend and show a digital copy of the event flyer will receive a FREE Rainbow Cone Jr. (Sorry, no drive-through orders.)
We’ll see you there for community connection and classic Chicago flavor!
Each year, the Illinois Principals Association of South Cook hosts a special breakfast to recognize outstanding students from across the region. Every school in District 161 selects two students—one from 5th grade and one from 8th grade—to be honored for their leadership, character, and academic excellence.
This year, under the leadership of Principal Parris, Parker Junior High is proud to recognize 8th-grade students William Santiago and Mae Gabel. William and Mae were celebrated at the regional breakfast this past Thursday, where their achievements were recognized alongside other exceptional students from across South Cook County.
Please join us in congratulating William and Mae!
Don't miss this opportunity to share your opinion!
As part of our ongoing commitment to serving our families and community with excellence, we’re inviting you to take part in a brief survey in partnership with Studer Education. Your feedback is incredibly valuable, and it helps us understand what’s working well in your child’s school and where we can improve. Please check your email for the survey link and more details. The survey window will close at the end of the day today.
