Sept. 13, 2023

Sappington Elementary School Principal Dr. Ta’Keshia Parker was named a National Association of Elementary School Principals fellow at the NAESP Center for Women in Leadership in August. Dr. Parker was one of seven educational professionals selected as a fellow for 2023. 

The Center for Women in Leadership is dedicated to the strategic study of women administrators and the unique challenges that they face as educational leaders because of their gender. The Center works to create a strong network of women leaders, offer mentorship opportunities to and for women leaders, and identify strategies to elevate women as they pursue leadership opportunities.

NAESP also has centers for advancing leadership, diversity leadership, early learning leadership, innovative leadership and middle-level leadership. NAESP is a professional organization serving elementary and middle school principals and other education leaders throughout the U.S., Canada, and overseas.

“Dr. Parker is continuously dedicated to the students and staff at Sappington,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Tony Lake said. “This fellowship is a career highlight for her that exemplifies the type of qualities that we know make Dr. Parker a great leader at Sappington and Lindbergh.”

Before she became a school administrator, Dr. Parker served as an elementary classroom teacher for nine years in Kirkwood Schools, a suburban school district in St. Louis, Mo. In 2015, she was hired as assistant principal of Sappington Elementary School, and in 2017 she moved into the school’s top administrative role. Overall, Dr. Parker has 17 years of education experience and has been a school administrator for eight years.

“Being selected as a fellow with NAESP is such an honor,” Dr. Parker said. “ Over the years, I have actively participated in various professional learning experiences facilitated by NAESP and I am grateful for the knowledge I have acquired and the valuable connections I have made. Serving as a fellow will expand my capacity to collaborate and provide support to women in educational leadership positions.”

Dr. Parker earned a doctorate in educational leadership from Maryville University, a master of arts in school administration from Lindenwood University, a master of arts in teaching from Webster University and a bachelor of arts in English at the University of Missouri-Columbia.