Peabody tabs Oasis chief
Staff writer
Stacey Parks will become superintendent of Peabody-Burns schools July 1.
Parks, director of Marion County Special Education Cooperative, has been connected to Peabody-Burns since 1999.
After she completed student teaching as a speech-language pathologist, she served for many years in that role there.
She enrolled her children and watched them graduate from there, and served on the board of education.
“I feel that at this point in my career, I am in a unique position to support this district and the students in the district,” Parks said.
Her time leading the special education cooperative, which serves five districts in Marion County, has helped shape her approach to district-wide leadership.
Working alongside multiple superintendents and administrators has given her insight into how different districts operate while reinforcing the importance of strong systems, she said.
“I feel that my time leading MCSEC has helped me grow as a leader and define what is important to me, which is putting students first, supporting staff, and building strong systems to support both students and staff,” she said.
Parks describes her leadership style as student-focused, intentional, and collaborative. She sees academic achievement, student support services, and staff morale as interconnected rather than competing priorities.
“Honestly, I feel these are very much connected,” she said.
Her background in special education has influenced how she approaches decision-making. Compliance with state and federal requirements, she said, is not merely about checking boxes.
“In special education, compliance matters,” Parks said. “When we meet requirements thoughtfully, it helps us be intentional about how we support students and more effective educators.”
Parks said her decision to pursue district-level leadership crystallized during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the cooperative was searching for a new director. Wanting to ensure that the organization was led by someone who valued Marion County’s students and staff, she returned to school to earn her administrator certification.
“It was important to me that MCSEC be led by someone who valued the staff and students of Marion County,” she said.
Parks said leading a small district such as Peabody-Burns would require balancing broad oversight with attention to detail.
“In small districts, everyone wears many hats,” she said. “It’s important to see the big picture in how things are running yet be detail-oriented to anticipate how decisions will impact students and staff.”
Parks said she did not assume she had all the answers.
“My plan is to spend time listening and learning during my first year, getting reacquainted with the district and hearing from those who are part of it every day,” she said. “Schools and communities are strongest when they work together, and I’m excited to support that connection.”
In a rural district, she said, community engagement is a critical.
She will replace Antoinette Root this summer.