The residents of Weston urge the School Committee and Superintendent of Weston Public Schools to remove Anthony Parker from his position as the High School Principal.

We make this request on the basis of a complete lack of confidence in Mr. Parker’s ability to lead Weston High School and its students.  Mr. Parker has recently handed in his resignation letter, also stating he is actively searching for another position, and we petition you to make the resignation effective immediately. The issues leading us to this decision are as follows;

• Communication - Mr. Parker continues to fail at effectively  communicating with parents and the community. Rather than be invited to engage with each other and build community, the parents and students continue to be alienated and excluded from decisions that impact them greatly. 
• Safety - Learning occurs best in a safe and well regulated environment.  There have been numerous safety concerns at the high school that have not been effectively addressed by Mr. Parker. Bullying has been a persistent issue and very little has been done to  identify and remediate it.  There was significant mismanagement with the bomb threat last year.  Vaping and alcohol use is rampant at the high school and, again, no action plans or consequences have been conveyed to the community.
• Lack of Leadership - There is no confidence in Mr. Parker’s ability to lead the school and students at the level expected and historically achieved in Weston.  His lack of leadership has been an impediment to the school’s growth and achievements.  Under his tenure our school rankings have declined and so has the quality of education our students are receiving. 
• Teacher retention - The school’s high quality staff and community is declining rapidly with the demonstrated absence of leadership. It is difficult to attract and retain high quality educators in a poorly managed environment.
•  Oversight/Management - His behavior and apathy towards our community and students undermines the school community in many ways. As an example, for the past 3 years the High School Improvement Plan has not been approved, even with a paid consultant assisting in the planning and presentation of the latest plan.  His absence at the presentation and discussions of the above plans substantiates his lack of regard for our school and community.

There is nothing to gain from keeping an employee long term once they have resigned.  Weston Schools and its students need a devoted leader who is committed  to our vision and goals. Our high school community has become negative and is steadily declining under Mr. Parker’s tenure. We must ensure that Weston High School remains one of the most sought after and successful schools in the area.