Marin educator named as Sassarini principal

The Sonoma Valley Unified School District will apparently name Jacqueline Parker as principal of Sassarini Elementary School pending formal board approval at the May 6 board meeting.

Parker will begin her assignment July 1.

Parker received her preliminary administrative services credential and her master’s degree in educational leadership and administration from San Francisco State University in 2006; her multiple subject teaching credential from Dominican University in 2003; and her bachelor’s degree from California State University, Los Angeles in 2001. Parker is a native Spanish speaker and is trained as a bilingual, bicultural educator. In 2011, she was recognized as an Outstanding Educator by Marin County.

Parker comes to Sonoma from San Rafael City Schools where she has served as K-8 academic dean, instructional program manager, bi-literacy program coordinator, summer school principal, and teacher in pre-kindergarten through eighth grades.

In San Rafael, Parker worked with schools on curriculum and instruction development, data analysis, program design, professional learning communities (PLC), common core implementation, and outreach to community partners.

She has also participated in Harvard Institute’s Making It Work: Implementing a Comprehensive PreK-3 Approach; the National Equity Project Leading for Equity; and the Latino Literacy Project.

School Superintendent Louann Carlomagno said Parker impressed the interview panel with her strong interest in promoting parent and community engagement; in building a strong, collaborative team of certificated and classified staff focused on the success of all students; and in ensuring that ongoing communication between and among all stakeholders is valued and promoted.

Parker’s current supervisor said, “Problem-solving is a great strength of Jacqui’s. She takes an issue and looks at it in a variety of ways to help develop a solution. She solicits input from others and uses suggestions as she feels appropriate. She is logical and makes sound, well-informed decisions.”

Carlomagno added, “Jacqueline is indeed the right principal at the right time for Sassarini. Her work ethic, her passion and her advocacy for students and teaching are a true match for Sassarini. I am both optimistic and confident that Jacqueline’s background experiences will be an asset to the Sassarini community.”

At the May 6 board meeting, Parker, her husband, Desone, and her children, 9-year-old Thalia and 4-year-old Jaylen will be formally welcomed to the district.