Meet the Teacher

Perla Rabago is a passionate and caring classroom teacher working with students in Kindergarten through 3rd grade. Her journey in education began years ago as a teacher assistant in daycare centers, elementary schools, and shelters. Experiences that sparked her love for helping young learners grow and succeed. She’s been dedicated to education from early on, even participating in the Future Educators Association back in 2015, a sign of the commitment she carries into her classroom every day.

Coming from a Spanish-speaking household, Ms. Torres understood from a young age the importance of teachers’ efforts in teaching her a second language and curriculum in kindergarten. This experience later inspired her to pursue a career in education. Some of her work experience includes volunteering in kindergarten to 8th-grade Special Education and General Education classrooms and working at The Excel Center at Kids Excel. This opportunity broadened her understanding of early childhood education and reinforced the importance of providing learning opportunities for children from an early age. Ms. Torres strongly believes that students should be capable of overcoming obstacles and striving for success in areas they feel passionate about. They should be able to dream freely and learn how to give back to our community, thereby valuing and understanding the power of education. Ms. Torres is excited to join Spark and continue growing, providing a safe, creative, fun, and positive environment for her students.

Ms. Turner is passionate about guiding students through the transformative years of middle school. Originally from Louisiana, she brings warmth, grit, and a strong sense of community into everything she does, both inside and outside the classroom. With a solid background in childcare and education, she combines structure and energy with a deeply personal approach to teaching.

She believes middle school is a defining time for helping students build confidence, think critically, and take ownership of their learning. Her classroom is a space where students are challenged, supported, respected, and where curiosity is encouraged and growth is expected.

Ms. Turner is committed to fostering not just academic success, but also emotional and social development.

She’s excited to grow alongside her students and families this year, not just as a classroom, but as a community.

Jimmy Parchment-Chavez, MBA, has over 20 years of Learning and Development experience. This has included facilitating, creating and implementing curriculum, as well as creating teaching tools for complex material. He is proficient in teaching to all learning styles and has been recognized as a facilitator that creates a welcoming and supportive environment. With a philosophy that we should never stop asking questions, Jimmy encourages his learners to be inquisitive and to think outside of the box – tapping into each learners creativity to reinforce learning. He has received certifications in Learning Theory, DEI and AI Technology.

In his free time, Jimmy enjoys time with his Partner and little pups, Chloe. They love to travel internationally, and experiencing local cultures. Jimmy is a lifelong learner, so you might find him taking new courses, reading up on a particular topic, or learning a new language. He has been active in his community for over 20 years, advocating for healthcare access and equal rights. Jimmy also enjoys singing, voice-over work, acting and most things outdoors.

Mr. C is a certified educator with 13 years of experience facilitating youth leadership and learning for grades Pre K – 12.

He received a BSEd in Secondary Education – Biology with a minor in Women and Gender Studies from Northern Arizona University. Mr. C has over a decade of experience implementing and sharing trauma-informed practices through non-profit work to combat risk factors for youth across Tempe and Phoenix.

Mr. C continues to expand content areas and is currently in his second year as a 4th/5th grade foreign language teacher. A native Phoenician, he takes great pride in giving back to the communities that have upheld him.

Ms. Jen’s work experience includes before and after-school program care with training in adult education, curriculum, classroom building, and teamwork. A lifelong learner, Ms. Jen believes that engaging, fun, and interactive learning is the key to success, whether for children or adults.

Ms. Jen looks forward to this chapter in her career working with the Spark Community team, students, and their families to be able to contribute to a diverse and inclusive environment.

Mrs. Yanof came to Arizona in 2003 after finishing college at Georgetown University.  She joined Teach For America teaching 8th graders in the Roosevelt School District.  After four years teaching, Mrs. Yanof designed and established Phoenix Collegiate Academy- a charter school that promised every student a pathway to postsecondary success.  Phoenix Collegiate Academy grew under her leadership to three schools serving over 650 students preK-12th grade. From there, Mrs. Yanof was the founding leader of Achieve60AZ- the statewide postsecondary attainment goal of 60%.  Now, given her experience in early childhood learning through workforce placement, Mrs. Yanof fills her time supporting education initiatives that help students and families in Arizona.  She and Joe have three middle school age kiddos who keep them humble and tired.

Ms. Darla’s 25-year educational journey began as a classroom teacher and evolved into coaching as a master teacher, serving in leadership roles as an Assistant Principal, and Principal of PK-8 schools in Phoenix, AZ.

Fluent in Spanish with specialized endorsements in bilingual/multicultural education and early childhood literacy, her lifelong dedication to education began when, on her first day of kindergarten, she declared her ambition to become a teacher–a dream she relentlessly pursued. Holding a Master’s in Education Administration from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from Northern Arizona University, her expertise is a fusion of passion and formal training in specialized fields.