Sarah Parker has been with Red River Valley Charter School for 13 years. Her specialty is in student support services, specifically assisting students with their academic and personal needs in the classroom.
Originally from Shawnee, Oklahoma, Parker became familiar with Questa and surrounding areas 20 years ago and felt a connection with the landscape and appreciating the access to public land. She recalls a visit to Wild Rivers and found the beauty of the landscape enticing enough to make the move to the area.
Parker received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado, in women’s studies and anthropology. After living in Mexico, Parker moved to New Mexico with her daughter and enrolled in Northern New Mexico Community College, earning an alternative licensure in elementary and secondary education as well as bilingual studies. Continuing with her education, Parker then received her master’s in special education from Eastern New Mexico University.
Parker went on to teach Spanish at Roots and Wings School in Lama and eventually got a job in Red River as a pre-K and reading intervention teacher. Parker also spent some time teaching math to 5th- and 6th-graders.
Parker describes her role as a flexible part of the equation and goes where she’s needed to provide the services that students need. She is involved with many different duties that support students in the classroom. “I love the kids; they are so much fun. I grew up seeing the behind-the-scenes of teaching with my dad being a teacher and that opened my mind to the idea. Originally, I wanted to be in the anthropology field but when I moved to New Mexico things fell into place and I started my career in teaching. It was circumstance and life… I always had a lot of respect for teachers.”
Parker goes into the classroom daily, working mostly with junior high students. She spoke of a recent project the junior high students oversaw. “They made a movie. They wrote and directed and even edited it. I was there to support them, but they did it on their own. It was amazing. My favorite part of the job is being able to interact with the kids. At times, I love being at the same maturity level as a junior high kid,” Parker giggles.
Parker feels passionate about access to public education and believes it is a valuable part of our society. “We spend so much time with students who attend public school. Our schools are centers for communities and provide opportunities for children.” As someone who believes strongly in social justice and that everyone has a right to an education, Parker is proud to be part of the school system.
Art is also a central and important theme in Parker’s life. Currently, she is working on her master’s of fine arts at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where she spends her summers. “I love to create things and I’m an interdisciplinary artist. My goal is to tell stories that are important to me through my art.”
In her free time Parker enjoys running and of course creating art. Every other Saturday Parker sits at the Blinking Crow artist co-op gallery in Taos and displays her artwork.
One thing that is unique about Parker’s resume is her radio time with KRZA radio station in Alamosa. She created and narrated audio documentaries based on land, culture, agriculture, and all its history.
For Parker, getting out of your comfort zone and living in different places is important for growth. Her advice is, “Go travel and see how different people live and understand the beauty in all our differences. Everyone wants to be happy, be loved, and wants to be able to live a good life. We can all make a difference in each other’s lives. Never stop learning.”
