Rep. Bill Posey Says District 2 Candidate Charles Parker Will Be Great Addition to Brevard Public School Board

BPS District 2 includes Merritt Island, Cape Canaveral and a portion of Cocoa

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Rep. Bill Posey, a Republican congressman from Rockledge, said last week that Charles Parker will be a great addition to the Brevard Public Schools Board.

Parker, who is currently an engineering teacher at Merritt Island High School, is a candidate in the non-partisan District 2 race that will be decided on August 28. District 2 includes Merritt Island, Cape Canaveral and a portion of Cocoa.

“I have known Charles for nearly 20 years and have seen firsthand his dedication to Brevard’s students through his work on the Children’s Services Council and as a STEM teacher in high school. He will have my vote,” Posey said.

Parker, a resident of central Brevard County since 1980, currently teaches Engineering in a STEM academy at Merritt Island High School and has taught English there as well.

“Congressman Posey and I have worked together many times over the years. He has been very supportive of my students, particularly assisting with internship opportunities, which is one of my passions,” Parker said.

“I look forward to working with him and enhancing the connections between Washington DC and Brevard County.”

Parker 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.

“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.”

Parker 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.

Parker 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 holds 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 Merritt Island High and one who is currently a sophomore there. His wife is a former teacher and graduated from the University of Florida College of Education.

Other candidates running in the BPS Board District 2 race are Cheryl L. McDougall and Michelle Treffinger. John Craig currently represents District 2 on the BPS Board but has not filed for reelection.

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