About Mr. Sparks

Hi!

My name is Zachary Sparks, and I have the privilege of working alongside your family this school year. The 2020-21 school year will mark my fifth year as a member of the Laurel Mountain learning community, and I am extremely grateful for all of the endless opportunity and joy here. I am continually inspired, especially by my fellow 5th grade teacher colleagues.

Some information about me: After graduating high school, I had the great fortune of attending the University of Florida in Gainesville before returning to Texas to graduate and earn my teacher's certification. As you might have heard, I am a HUGE Florida Gators fan! On any given occasion, you can probably find me wearing Orange & Blue and doing the Gator Chomp or working towards building a generation of future UF students from right here at Laurel Mountain! It's GREAT to be a Florida Gator!

The 2020-21 school year will be my 13th year of teaching overall. I previously taught Elementary P.E., as well as Elementary Resource/Inclusion, and I also had the privilege of teaching 3rd and 4th grades in an online public school. Learning with technology is one of my passions, and I know this will serve our students well this year. During my first two school years here at LME, I was a Special Education Resource/Inclusion teacher here, and absolutely loved the opportunity to guide students to discovering the power of belief and achieving beyond struggle.

Affecting positive change in ALL students through academics and belief is my ongoing goal as an educator. As someone who struggled to find belief as a young student, providing opportunities for success and building self-belief in all students is what drives all that I do in my work. I want students to see and feel success and find inspiration to continue on that trajectory while in my classroom and beyond. Improving upon the many blessings I was afforded by educators who believed in me when I wasn't able to for myself is what I know I am called upon to give to every student.

As we navigate through an extraordinary school year ahead together, it is important for your family to know that "radical grace" will be in the forefront of all that I do. By extending patience and thoughtful care to your student and to your family, it is my hope that we can collaboratively make this 5th grade year a memorable one for your student. We will do this together! :)

The great Fred Rogers ("Mister Rogers") once said:

"As human beings, our job in life is to help people realize how rare and valuable each one of us really is, that each of us has something that no one else has- or ever will have- something inside that is unique to all time. It's our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness and to provide ways of developing its expression."

Through my enthusiasm and unending belief in your student, I look forward to working towards this mission for your student. I am humbly appreciative to you for this time to work together this school year. I have no doubts that this year will be terrific indeed!

Appreciation always,

Zach Sparks

*****

Fun Info About Mr. S

Birthday: November 13th

Personal Goal: To travel across the world.

Favorite Color(s): I love orange and blue!

Favorite Food: Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Favorite Candy: Starburst, Kit-Kats

Favorite Snacks: Cheddar Cheese Cubes, Strawberries & Bananas

Favorite Drinks: Iced Sweet Tea, Iced Chai Tea Latte from Starbucks

Favorite Restaurants: Via 313 Pizza, Cheesecake Factory, Pei Wei, Gourdough's, Shake Shack, Snooze Eatery, 24 Diner, Maudie's

Favorite Gift Cards: Delta Airlines, Amazon, Red Balloon Bookshop

Favorite Places to Shop: Red Balloon Bookshop, Target, Whole Foods Market

Favorite Places to Visit: Gainesville, Florida; and New York

Favorite Sports: Football, Basketball, Volleyball, Tennis

Favorite Sports Teams: New England Patriots, USA Volleyball, Texas Longhorns Volleyball and ALL Florida Gators teams (especially Football, Basketball, Baseball, Track and Volleyball)

Favorite Athletes: Tom Brady, Kevin Garnett, Tim Tebow, Kerri Walsh-Jennings, Kelly Murphy, Serena Williams

Memorable Recent Moments: Attending my first Gator football game in 1999, graduating from college, watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and seeing the Rockefeller Center tree lighting in New York during the holiday season in 2014, becoming a Laurel Mountain Lion!

Other Favorite Things: Colored sticky notes, Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Brownie ice cream, Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang

What I Like To Do In My Free Time: Going to the movies as often as I can, reading books (especially biographies), traveling, going to sports games, cooking (so I can make food look artistic on the plate)

(From Left to Right): A view of New York City from the 86th floor of the Empire State Building [New York, July 2014]; A view of Seattle and Puget Sound from atop the Space Needle [Seattle, February 2015]; GO GATORS!

Photos from Mr. Sparks's Summer 2019 trip to Seattle are below! :)

(Caffe Ladro is one of my favorite local coffee shops in Seattle! I also love the Pike Place Market! The gum wall at Pike Place Market is kind of cool, kind of gross and always a fun spot to snap photos! I always visit the Space Needle while I'm there and I LOVE the views of the Seattle skyline and the Pacific coast!)