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St. Francis School Faculty & Staff

Jim Parker

Middle School Coordinator

Middle School Coordinator
7th Grade Language Arts

Education: Michigan State University

St. Francis faculty since: 1996
Contact: (512) 225-1837

Jim Parker joined the St. Francis faculty in 1996 and taught fourth grade for 3 years before moving to middle school Language Arts. Currently, Jim teaches 7th grade Language Arts, Cooking, and History of Music. In addition to his responsibilities as Middle School Coordinator and teacher, he is one of the PSIA Poetry Interpretation coaches, one of the track coaches, and advisor for both the poetry and Magic clubs. Jim earned his Bachelors degree in English Education with a minor in Theater from Michigan State University and taught 8th grade Language Arts at Otto Junior High School in Lansing, Michigan before coming to St. Francis. Since high school, he has also worked most summers as a staff member for the Civilian Youth Leadership Seminar, a leadership seminar for high school students at Hillsdale College.

Five Minutes With Jim Parker

Favorite book: anything by Tom Robbins or John Irving
Childhood ambition: To find a job where I could read and discuss literature.
First job: Selling hot dogs at Michigan State football stadium.
Biggest challenge: Staying in the present and enjoying every moment for what it is!
Inspiration: Ghandi, Viggo Mortensen, Thoreau, Carl Sandburg
Favorite Movie: Braveheart, Shakespeare in Love, Life Is Beautiful
Favorite Sports Team: Detroit Tigers, Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Michigan State basketball
What I like most about St. Francis: St. Francis is my extended family, thick and thin. It is so diverse and has so much love. Every day is a new adventure.
Favorite vacation: Driving across the country with my wife, Ann.
5 words to describe yourself: energetic, kind, loud, creative, insatiable
Pets: Not at the present, but I love animals.
Motto/mantra: Love, laugh, live. The Tao of Now. Peace, love, and plenty of surprises.
Teaching philosophy: Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care!

	Serving the needs of the individual child.