In August, when students received their back-to-school email, they discovered some exciting news: South had welcomed a new vice principal, Ms. Yuna Park.
“When I saw the posting, I knew it checked all the boxes,” said Ms. Park. “I felt like it just seemed like an awesome community to be part of, and I was just super excited.”
Although education was not her first career plan, Ms. Park’s path led her there in an unexpected way. After studying psychology at Cornell with a minor in Asian American Studies, she headed to the Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Southern California (USC) with the intention of being a broadcast journalist.
“I loved the communication aspect. I loved the people aspect, but it just didn’t feel like that was the profession I wanted to commit to,” she said. “So, I ended up coming back home.”
After heading back to her home town, Cherry Hill, Ms. Park found her love for teaching at her old high school. “My sister is a teacher at Cherry Hill High School, East, which is where I went to high school, and she suggested I sub. So I did. And I really fell in love with being in the classroom.” She later attended the University of Pennsylvania for a masters in elementary education.
After spending 12 years as an elementary teacher at Cherry Hill and Marlton, Ms. Park went to Rowan University for her school administration degree and began her leadership journey at Glassboro High School, located in Southern New Jersey. “I was there for four years–absolutely loved it,” she said, “but I felt like I wanted to do more.”
Having grown up in Cherry Hill East, Ms. Park was familiar with WWPRSD. “I knew of West Windsor-Plainsboro’s very good reputation,” she said. “I had a friend who attended here in high school when I was in high school at Cherry Hill East. So I already knew that the school was a great school.”
Since arriving at South, she has developed a deeper understanding of South’s culture. “Students are so engaged. They’re very excited about learning,” she said. “They have such a commitment to bettering themselves and doing better–always trying to achieve more for themselves and having goals for themselves.”
Ms. Park also noticed the dedication of the teaching staff. “I can hear them teaching as I’m walking around and I can hear their enthusiasm, their excitement for being here,” said Ms. Park. “All around, people are invested and I just love that. I was truly able to see, hear and feel that investment in teaching and learning once I stepped foot into our building.”
Ms. Park is becoming part of South’s community. “My goal is to absorb the culture,” said Ms. Park. “That’s really my main goal this year.”
Working with Principal Valerie Rodriguez and Vice Principal Ernie Covington has helped her work closer to this goal. “They made me feel like a team from day one since I interviewed,” she said. “They’re really cheering me on, which is super cool. I feel very supported.”
Becoming a part of South’s administrative team has also inspired Ms. Park’s future aspirations. “The leadership team is super visible, wanting to be part of everything, and I love that. So that’s what I’m trying to be like,” she said. “As we get to know each other more and work together as a team, I think we’ll continue to mesh more and be more synchronous.”
Beyond her role as an administrator, Ms. Park also wants students to see her as relatable and approachable. “I have two daughters. They’re both in high school:one’s a freshman, one’s a junior,” she said. “I like to cook. I like to hike. I like working out, and I just really like music. I love all types of music.”
As her first quarter at South comes to an end, Ms. Park is excited for what’s ahead. “I’m the type of person who, if I feel like this is home, I don’t really want to leave. And I really love it here,” she said.
