Former Unionville-Chadds Ford
School District Superintendent Sharon parker may be retired, but it will be a
working retirement. She will spend time with her family, but she has her eyes
on some Pacific islands where education remains a challenge.
Parker said she wants to help
develop educational resources in places such as American Samoa and Tonga.
“These were the islands that
welcomed our troops during three wars. These are islands where the children
have educational programs that are not on a par with ours. My goal is to get
textbooks and resources from this country — maybe that are no longer being used
— and take them to areas where there’s great need,” Parker said during an informal
farewell breakfast in the Unionville High School cafeteria.
She’s also interested in
creating, what she called, “a global classroom.” The Internet, with its variety
of technology, such as Skype, enables a virtual community where students can
have peers throughout the world.
There’s also another project
involving the UN, Swarthmore College and the University of Pennsylvania that
could take Parker to Brazil.
The former U-CF superintendent
said there are elements of her experience in the district here that she will
take with her.
“I‘ve seen what great energy,
parental support and commitment, strong community culture can do. And I believe
those resources are also available in these other countries, but they need an
activist force and I’d like to work with community leaders and talk about what
is possible,” said Parker. “What I see lacking in these other countries is the
financial resources, but I feel that the energy, the creativity is there and
I’d like to see what we can do to provide resources. I certainly learned here
how to stick to an agenda, how to work hard and look for a good outcome.”
Her time in the district also
taught her a few things about herself, especially about dealing with
challenges.
“I have been challenged, there
have been challenging days and I’ve learned that if you keep focusing on the
students, you keep focusing on the greater good, you can take most anything.”
Parker said she’s proud of her
time here, specifically that the students continue to achieve at the highest
level in the state and that there is a building that “honors education and
their possibilities in life.”
As with all people, there are
things that she would have done differently, things that concern her family,
not the students.
”I allowed myself, personally,
to put 100 percent of my life into the district, the long hours, the long days,
and in part there was a sacrifice to my family. It’s time for me. I look at
these global adventures, but the greatest part of my time is going to be spent
with family, especially with five dear grandchildren.”
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
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