Founded in 1901 on the tenets of progressive education, the school currently enrolls 940 students and employs 200 dedicated faculty and staff members who, in addition to assistant teachers, substitute teachers and coaches, work together to ensure that the School lives up to its Mission to “educate students to think and act with empathy, courage and clarity as responsible citizens and leaders in a diverse, democratic society and global community.”. Parker School is committed to cultivating a community of dedicated students, parents, faculty and staff, trustees, administrators and alumni, who acknowledge, respect, and esteem diversity in our school; and who reflect, through their presence, the diversity of Chicago communities and the wider world.