yvonne parks, m. ed

  Yvonne Parks has been an educator for over 30 years and is currently employed by the Canton City  School District. She began her career as a title math teacher in Massillon City Schools for one year  before serving as a 2nd grade teacher there for seven years. She left Massillon City to continue her career in Canton City. Over the next 25 years there, Yvonne has taught Title Reading and Math, Reading  Recovery, 2nd and 3rd grades. She is now a 2nd-grade Literacy-Numeracy teacher at Bellestone  Elementary School.  

Yvonne received her Associate’s Degree from Southwestern Christian College, an HBCU in Terrell,  Texas, her Bachelor’s Degree in Education at Malone University, and her Master’s Degree in Curriculum and  Instruction from Kent State University. She completed the Principal Licensure Program through  Cleveland State University in 2011. In 2015, she obtained her Reading Recovery Certification through  The Ohio State University. Yvonne has accumulated many hours of professional development covering a  wide range of topics that are pertinent to maintaining best practices in education.  

Her record of educational leadership is expansive; having served, led, and collaborated on numerous committees and leadership teams. She serves on the Canton Professional Educators’ Association (CPEA)  building leadership team and is a delegate for the Ohio Educators’ Association. The highlights of her work with CPEA include being recognized by the Ohio Education Association (OEA) and the National  Education Association (NEA) for her public relations committee work. Yvonne also received the prestigious Sam Dorto Jr. Service Award from CPEA in 2011. Besides these professional organizations,  Yvonne is a member of the NAACP and the Reading Recovery Council of North America. She is very active at her church, the Southeast Church of Christ, and proudly serves as co-chair of the United Fund  Workers of N.E. Ohio which supports and raises funds for her HBCU Alma Mater, Southwestern  Christian College.  

Yvonne is the current president of the Leila Green Alliance of Black School Educators and has served in this role for the past six years. Her role as president has afforded her the opportunity to become even more involved in the community. She successfully helped plan and execute Canton’s first-ever Town Hall on Women and Girls of Color in collaboration with Dr. Kimberle Crenshaw and the African American  Policy Forum. She spearheaded the campaign to change the name of Allen Elementary School to  Stephanie Rushin Patrick Elementary School in honor of Leila Green’s co-founder Stephanie Patrick.  Most recently, she has been named secretary for the ABCD Inc. Board of Directors.

Yvonne is the daughter of James and Ruth Slay and is a proud lifelong resident of Canton, Ohio. She has been married to her husband Victor Parks for 33 years. Together they have four amazing children,  grandchildren, and three delightful grandbaby pups