A Falcon’s Journey highlights alumni who have returned to serve the district where they once learned, giving back to the community that shaped them. This profile features Tara Parker, a proud Greenburgh Central graduate and Reading Specialist at Lee F. Jackson Elementary School, whose dedication to early literacy and deep roots in the community continue to shape the next generation of Falcons.
Some people discover the place they’re meant to be. Others return to it. For Tara Parker, a proud Woodlands graduate and Reading Specialist at Lee F. Jackson Elementary School, the pull back to Greenburgh never really went away. Even after beginning her teaching career in Virginia, she always knew, “My ultimate goal had always been to return to the community that raised me.”
Some of Tara’s favorite childhood memories come from the moments that made Greenburgh feel like a true community. She remembers “the energy of school events like pep rallies, concerts, and games, where it felt like the whole town came together to support us.” Those experiences “created a sense of pride and belonging that stayed with me long after I graduated.”
What Tara remembers most about the district is how present and connected her teachers were. “My teachers weren’t just educators I saw during the school day,” she said. “They took the time to know us not only as learners, but as people with interests, families, and lives outside of school.” Their presence, both inside and beyond the classroom, helped shape her understanding of what a caring school community could be. “As a student, it felt reassuring to be surrounded by adults who truly cared and who wanted the best for us not just academically, but personally.”
When Tara moved to Virginia after college to begin teaching, she valued the experience and the growth it brought, but it never felt like Greenburgh. “No matter how much I learned or how much I loved teaching, I always felt a pull back home.” Returning was never simply a professional choice; it was a homecoming. “Coming back wasn’t just a career decision; it was a return to my roots and a fulfillment of what I’d always hoped for.”
Being back in Greenburgh brings Tara a deep sense of familiarity and purpose. “What I love most about working in the Greenburgh CSD is the deep sense of community that surrounds everything we do.” It’s a connection her family shares as well. Her mother spent 14 years as the school nurse at RJB, and both of her brothers work in the district today - a reflection, she says, of “how important this community is to us.” She loves “the diversity, the pride, and the resilience of our students,” and the shared commitment across families, staff, and students.
Now, as a Reading Specialist working with kindergarten and first-grade students, Tara brings her own early experiences full circle. She sees the same warmth and connection she remembers from her student days. “Even though the buildings, technology, and programs have evolved, the heart of Greenburgh hasn’t changed.” She loves “the diversity, the pride, and the resilience of our students,” and the shared commitment across families, staff, and students that continues to shape the relationships she values so deeply. It’s the same sense of connection she felt growing up - and the same one she hopes to pass on to her students. What stands out most, even now, is the enduring strength of relationships. “There’s still that same sense of warmth when you walk through the halls, the same feeling that everyone knows you, sees you, and genuinely cares about your growth.”
Tara has always known she wanted to be a teacher. “I’ve always known I wanted to become a teacher,” she said. Her inspiration came directly from the educators who guided her. “My teachers were more than instructors, they were role models.” Their representation mattered deeply. “It was especially meaningful to have teachers who looked like me and understood my experiences.” Their belief in her helped shape her own belief in what was possible. “They made me feel seen, supported, and capable of anything.”
Today, her memories guide her approach with her youngest readers. “Those experiences taught me the power of connection, representation, and genuine care, and they guide everything I do now as an educator.” She strives to create the same sense of belonging she once felt. “I make it a priority to create that same sense of belonging for my students.”
When she thinks about what she hopes her students will carry with them, her answer reflects everything she once received from the district herself. “I hope my students take away a sense of confidence, belonging, and belief in themselves, just as I once did.” Most of all, she hopes they leave Greenburgh with the same grounding she found here, “feeling that same sense of possibility.”