Discovery ‘family’ endorses Parker as Staff Member of the Year
Anita Parker believes she has one of the best jobs in Madison City Schools. Others appreciate her work, selecting her as Staff Member of the Year at Discovery Middle School.
“Thank you to those who chose me,” Parker said. “I don’t deserve it but am very grateful.”
Parker works as a clerical aide. “I love my job because I’m blessed with the best teachers, students, staff and administrators in the entire school system,” she said.
“It’s always exciting in middle school. You know each day when you come to work … it’s going to be fun,” Parker said. Her responsibilities include telephone duty, ordering supplies, scheduling meetings and interviews, coordinating fundraisers and scheduling the gym.
Before Discovery, she worked in retail. “I had been home for 16 years with my boys — Tyson, 22, and Seth, 17,” Parker said. She often volunteered at school.
One personality that she will always remember is Jon Mitchell. “He passed away in May 2010 and was a biology teacher at Discovery. He went through a lot for four years but always tried to work even when he didn’t feel like it. We lost a great asset when Jon went to be with the Lord,” Parker said.
In the 1980s, she graduated from Hamilton High School, attended Brewer State Junior College and graduated from Southern Institute School of Interior Design. She then worked as an interior decorator at Lindsey Office Furnishings in Birmingham.
In 1987, she married Robby Parker. They briefly moved to Lexington, Ky. and then St. Simon’s Island, Ga. “What a place to be! We were homesick,” she said.
Back in Alabama for a wedding, Robby Parker interviewed at New Hope and Bob Jones high schools. Bob Jones hired him. “The rest is history,” she said.
Their son Tyson is majoring in math education at Athens State University and is assistant football coach at Huntsville High School. Seth, a Bob Jones senior, wants to teach history and coach.
In spare time, Anita watching her sons play sports and coaching, painting and taking long walks with Robby.
