I am AVID...

My name is Susan Parker and serve as the AVID Coordinator and AVID Elective teacher at Summit Parkway Middle School. I am proud to announce that this year begins my 20th year teaching, all of which have been in Richland School District Two. I have taught 6th through 8th grades in the areas of English and math. Additionally, I have been a GEAR UP Coordinator who traveled with a group of students from 7th through 12th grade with the goal of increasing graduation rates and post-secondary admission into college. Prior to GEAR UP, I was the AVID Coordinator and Elective teacher at other RSD2 middle schools.

Being raised in a military family, I grew accustomed to moving around the country, however, the majority of my early years was in southern Louisiana where I graduated from Comeaux High School. Throughout my middle school and high school years, I played soccer, basketball, and went to a lot of music concerts. While I was always polite and did as I was asked, in school I struggled and barely squeaked by with a C-average.

In 1998, I moved to Columbia, South Carolina to pursue my dreams of becoming a teacher. I say it was a dream because I didn't think I could ever be a teacher. I come from a family of hard-working over achievers and knew I could never be as successful as they were, but as I like to say...the tortoise wins in the end! I took the long way through college and hit many speed bumps, but eventually graduated with Honors from Columbia College, majoring in Elementary Education. I continued on at Columbia College earning my Masters in Education degree, with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I adore each of my five nieces - yes FIVE! I value the limited time I see them since two live in Indiana and three live in Wisconsin. Cooking is a favorite past time of mine, as well as exploring new things. I love to find out the history behind places I visit and am fascinated by things that may be haunted. My musical interests are vast and often shock the students that I teach. I love football, especially the SEC and New Orleans Saints ~ Who Dat!!

I say that "I am AVID" because if AVID was available in Louisiana back in the 1980's then I would have been the perfect AVID student! I wanted to do better in school and I thought I was studying (but now I realize I didn't know how since it didn't come naturally to me). I was shy so I was often overlooked, and by being shy I was always looking in from the outside. Because of my past, I am able to see and believe in the potential of students who have the deep desire to perform better and can reach any dream they have...after all...they are the future!

"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."

~ Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, minister and author