Parker School

7 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 4 Parker School worked to ensure that all of its 65 employees were able to continue working during COVID, with no reduction in compensation. “This notion of ohana, of family, is really important to us and we work hard to live up to the expectations that our employees and the community have for us,” says Dunn. Staying true to the values of excellence, integrity and compassion, Parker School makes it their mission to ensure that students feel known, valued, and nurtured. Dunn acknowledges, “We care deeply for our students and for their development. Kindness is something we talk about a lot. Parents are so appreciative that their children are in a place where kindness is a priority.” Zoom has become a valuable tool, offering a chance for parents and educators to meet virtually and stay informed of student successes and progress. A newly introduced parent academy brings parents together to learn and engage, focusing on pertinent subjects such as social media use, and social and emotional learning. “It’s an opportunity for the school to put a highlight on a subject,” says Anderson, “giving parents some support so they can have these conversations with their children.” In planning for the future, Dunn notes that Parker School is exploring new and innovative ways to prepare students for a constantly changing world. He explains, “We live in a world that is changing extraordinarily fast, and we don’t have a full grasp on the scope of that change. That is driving lots of conversations about instruction, assessment, interdisciplinary work, and hands-on work. Those are exciting conversations to have.” Maintaining an authentic connection to Hawaii, and exploring the extraordinary resources all around them is another priority Dunn sees for Parker School going forward. He elaborates, “We