38-Year Brevard Resident, Merritt Island High Teacher Charles Parker Set to Run for School Board

By  //  February 2, 2018

Charles Parker, a resident of central Brevard County since 1980 and a teacher for over 10 years, has announced his intention to run for the Brevard School Board District 2 seat.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Charles Parker, a resident of central Brevard County since 1980 and a teacher for over 10 years, has announced his intention to run for the Brevard School Board District 2 seat.

“My family and I are excited about this race and about serving District 2 students, parents, teachers and the community as a whole,” Parker said.

“Our students and parents deserve a district organization and quality school-based programs that have as a guiding foundation STEAM principles – Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math. This will give all of Brevard’s children the opportunity to flourish in our new digital century.

“Our teachers need a competitive wage that increases reliably. Our schools need help with time and human resources to assist all students gain proficiency in state-mandated testing. Our community needs assurance that we are educating and graduating young people ready to work and/or attend colleges and universities.

“These will be my priorities,” Parker said.

“I plan to have ‘meet and greet’ events in all areas of District 2, launch a website, and blast social media in the coming weeks. And then I will knock on as many doors as I can – listening to the concerns in our neighborhoods and how they relate to our neighborhood schools. This will usher in a new era in Viera – listening, learning, problem-solving, reforming.”

He added that his campaign will gear up over the next couple of weeks. He will be filing the appropriate paperwork once he selects a campaign treasurer. “The selection of a campaign treasurer is the first important decision and I want to pick someone who knows the laws and is above reproach.”

Parker currently teaches Engineering in a STEM academy at Merritt Island High School and has taught English there as well. He was named STEM Educator of the Year by the Space Coast Women in Defense organization in 2015. He also coaches tennis and was the assistant golf coach.

“While I currently teach in high school, I have broad experience in my years living and working in Brevard, which uniquely qualifies me for this seat.”

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He has taught English and World Cultures at Jefferson Middle School and served as an intervention coach in elementary and middle schools in Cocoa, Rockledge, and Cocoa Beach – assisting teachers and administrators with strategies to help under-performing students improve their proficiency in reading and math.

Before entering education, Parker worked in the hospitality and aerospace sectors, as well as in social services – both as a minister and as a non-profit leader in foster care. He has served on the boards at Brevard Achievement Center and the Child Care Association of Brevard. In 1999, he received a gubernatorial appointment to the Children’s Services Council.

He also served as the Chair of the School Advisory Council at both Tropical Elementary and Jefferson Middle School.

He graduated from Warner University with a BA in Organizational Management. He also hold a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary. Parker is adjunct faculty in the E-Learning departments at both Eastern Florida State College and Valencia College.

Parker has three sons – two who graduated from MIHS and one who is currently a sophomore there. His wife is a former teacher and graduated from the University of Florida College of Education.

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