Missy Parks

I was born in Texarkana, Arkansas to two wonderful parents. My dad was a lawyer and my mother taught school in a parochial school. I had two older siblings and another younger brother joined us when I was 6 years old making us a family of 6. I had a happy childhood, grew up with many cousins. Went to church and summer camps and was a Girl Scout and took piano lessons. Went to a small college in Arkadelphia, Arkansas called Henderson University where I got a degree in Elementary education with an endorsement in Early Childhood. That was followed by a Master’s degree in Special Education. I taught in Arkansas and Texas before I went overseas to teach with  Department of Defense Dependent Schools on military bases in Sasebo, Japan, Seoul, South Korea, then Mons, Belgium. I left the Department of Defense Dependent Schools to move to Kabul, Afghanistan to teach with  NICS/ Oasis International Schools. I broke my arm when I fell on the ice. I had to return home after two years to get Physical therapy for my arm.  I was caring for an ill aunt when NICS/OASIS called me to ask if I would come work for them in the South. I was unable to go at that time, but after several attempts by NICS/Oasis, I joined the Home Office staff as a Placement Specialist in October 2009 where I worked helping place teachers in our schools for two recruiting seasons. The Member Care Coordinator position became open in the Spring of 2012. I served until 2021 when I recently retired. I have been afforded the opportunity to visit every one of our schools in the network doing training and meeting with people to help in their adjustment overseas. I am a single mom of one grown son who is a doctor. I have a lovely daughter-in-law and a 4-year-old granddaughter. They have lived overseas in Malawi, Africa, and Dhaka, Bangladesh but recently moved back to Lake Village, Arkansas. I am thankful they live only a 3-hour drive away instead of a 2-day flight away. I am an avid reader and can be found reading a large variety of genres of books curled up on my couch at home.  I enjoy traveling and being a grandmother named Gogo.  I was named from the Chichewa word for grandmother which is agogo.  They shortened it to Gogo which I love. Just hearing my granddaughter saying Gogo thrills my heart and is a great joy to my heart. I don’t know what lies ahead, but I do know who holds the pen to write my next chapter. I leave with bittersweet feelings since I love my job and my colleagues, but it is time to retire and I leave with much hope for the next chapter to begin. I just might have time to write that Children’s book that has been inside me for many years. I want to write a book that will delight children when it is read to them or they can read it themselves. Now that is exciting to me!