Terry Parker High School
 | |
| Motto | "Be Brave, Dream Big." |
|---|---|
| Type | Public school |
| Established | 1955 |
| Principal | Megan Pardue |
Administrative staff | 134 |
| Students | 2,100 |
| Location | Jacksonville, Florida, USA |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Colors | Red █ & Black █ |
| Mascot | Braves |
| Website | www.duvalschools.org/tphs |
Terry Parker High School is a public high school in the Duval County Public School district, located in Jacksonville, Florida. The school celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2005.[1] The school has been named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.[2]
Namesake
In 1955, philanthropist H. Terry Parker and his family deeded 30 acres (120,000 m2) of property in Arlington for the erection of a public school in the Duval County area. The Arlington Parent-Teachers Association nominated Parker to be the school's namesake and it was approved by the school board.
In 1958, Parker made a gift of one half the cost of seating and lighting installations at Parker Athletic Field. Sixty red and black wool uniforms were given to Terry Parker Band by Mrs. Parker.
Band
The band program at Parker has a successful tradition. Joe Lippo was director of the band when it marched in the 1965 Inaugural Parade for President Lyndon Johnson. Ward Green was a Senior at Parker who played the clarinet at the time, but 36 years later, he was the Terry Parker band director when they marched in the 2001 Inaugural Parade for President George W. Bush. The Terry Parker Marching Braves were one of the top marching and concert bands in Florida and the only band from Florida invited to perform.[3] Mr. Green retired in 2004 after 29 years at Parker and Green's former intern, Jim Beck replaced him. The band has continued their tradition of excellence.
Jim Beck resigned as director at the end of the 2007-2008 school year to teach at a school in a neighboring county. Yannick Innis replaced Jim Beck beginning with the 2008-2009 school year and brought a fresh new outlook to the band program. After only one year Yannick Innis resigned, and Ryan Bricknell replaced him, with his mind set on continuing the proud history of the Terry Parker High School band program. Mr. Bricknell left Terry Parker at the end of the 2012-13 school year and was replaced by Bill McClendon. One of the first noticeable things Mr. McClendon did was to reach out to the band alumni in an effort to gain support in restoring the band program to its glory days.
Improvement
Terry Parker was one of 11 schools nationwide selected by the College Board for inclusion in the EXCELerator School Improvement Model program beginning the 2006-2007 school year. The project was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Swimming pool
The school has an outdoor pool which is used by the athletic teams and physical education classes during the academic year; then it becomes a free public pool operated by the City of Jacksonville Parks & Recreation Department during the summer months.
Hall of Fame
Thirty Terry Parker High School graduates, former teachers and former staff members were inducted into the school's inaugural Hall of Fame as part of the school's 50th anniversary festivities April 1, 2005. A reunion celebration was held at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium with entertainment, food, dancing and the Hall of Fame inductions. Inductees were selected on the basis of their exemplary achievements in athletics, health and medicine, arts and entertainment, public service, business and industry, volunteerism, philanthropy or education.[1]
Terry Parker Hall of Fame Name Year Attribute Aaron Staton 1998 Actor (broadway and television) and writer. Known for playing the best and most honorable man, Kenneth Cosgrove, on AMC's popular series Mad Men. Joe Adeeb 1971 Jacksonville business owner, Bono's Bar-B-Q Mike Atter 1972 Jacksonville attorney, charitable organizer, volunteer Wayne Bailey faculty Parker High choral director, 1972–1980; music educator, conductor, vocalist Josiah Bartley 1968 Parker teacher, Duval County public schools administrator Don Brewer 1958 Jacksonville business owner, former Jacksonville city councilman Robert Brewer 1965 1972 U.S. Olympic Team, youth track-and-field leader Aaron H. Brown, Jr. faculty Parker's first head football coach and athletic director, 1956–1964 Catherine Buck Whatley 1968 Jacksonville business owner, president of the National Association of REALTORS Rick Catlett 1969 President of the Gator Bowl Association Leanza Cornett Steines 1989 Miss America 1993, television host and performer John Delaney 1974 Mayor of Jacksonville, 1995–2003; president, University of North Florida Dan Disch 1977 high school and college football coach Sidney Friend school administrator Parker's first principal, 1956–1969 Ward Green 1965 Parker band director, 1975–2004 Adam Hollingsworth 1986 Jacksonville businessman and political strategist Gary Iwanowski 1974 owner of Designer's Landscape Co., syndicated television host (Gary Alan) Scott Jones 1982 owner of Scott Jones School of Dance; dancer, choreographer Joe Lippo faculty Parker band director, 1958–1976 Ian Mairs 1982 playwright, actor, director and teacher Howard May faculty 1970–2002 Rudy McKissick, Jr. 1983 pastor, Bethel Baptist Church Marilyn Olin faculty Parker teacher, 1972–1996; 2000 Duval County Teacher of the Year; mentor for National Board Certified Teachers Tom Petway 1958 Jacksonville business owner, business and civic leader Fred Pickard faculty Parker head football coach for 21 years Lake Ray, III 1974 President of Harbor Engineering, Jacksonville City Councilman, Current Florida State Legislator District 17 Susan Thomson Shi 1967 Educator and administrator, community service volunteer, consultant in Greenville, S.C. Ray Veckruise faculty Parker's first choral director, 1956–1964; composer of Parker High's alma mater Susan Watt Cable 1967 School board president in Macon, Ga.; Georgia state legislator Terry Wood 1965 former president, Jacksonville City Council
Other notable Terry Parker graduates Name Year Attribute Danny Joe Brown 1969 songwriter and former lead singer for the band Molly Hatchet Michael Clerc 1985 1984 FHSAA 4A State Champion in Cross-Country 3-mile at 15:05. School record holder in the mile with a 4:08.2. Stephen Mosley 1994 Only 5,000 yard rusher in school history (football) Roosevelt Williams (gridiron football) 1997 NFL 3rd draftee by the Chicago Bears (2002, 2003), Cleveland Browns (2003, 2004), and New York Jets (2005) A. J. Jenkins 2008 First round pick of the San Francisco 49ers. Currently a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. Sam Barrington 2009 Linebacker for the Green Bay Packers Ricardo Mathews 2010 Drafted 238 overall by the NFL Indianapolis Colts
References
External links
Coordinates: 30°20′31″N 81°34′30″W / 30.341896°N 81.574990°W