Chapter

Board Member

Carolyn Parslow has been with Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union in Tampa, Florida, since joining its staff immediately after her graduation from high school. She has served in a number of capacities, both administrative and operational, and has held the position of Senior Vice President for Member Service Operations for the past 6 years. She has always been, and continues to be, heavily involved in legislative and regulatory issues, as well as member service. Suncoast, the largest credit union in Florida, has assets in excess of $3 billion and over 300,000 members. 

Carolyn has been very active with the Tampa Chapter of Credit Unions for anumber of years. Since 1994, she has served on the Chapter's Board of Directors and is currently serving as its President. 

Carolyn Parslow, SVP of member services operations for Suncoast Schools FCU's and chapter VP, says that there is considerable interest in the HSFPP among schools. Now credit unions also are stepping forward. 

Seventy people responded to our latest request for interested volunteers, she reports.we be shooting for at least seven volunteers per school. Volunteers pick one of the seven units [ of the HSFPP that ] they want to specialize in, so that over time they get better and better at it. This also allows the chapter to have substitutes - for example, when a volunteer who teaches unit two gets ill, we can go to other unit two teachers and find someone to fill in..

Heavy volunteer recruitment allows the chapter to beef up service to the schools when necessary. As Parslow explains, Several school want the program taught in several classes. If there are 5 classes back-to-back, the chapter might send in two teams.  New volunteers, especially those who've never taught before, have the option to team up with another credit union person. 

it be a great program, says Parslow. Teachers really do like it. But it be quite an undertaking. No two teachers run a class same way. They all have their own curriculum and apply it as they see best. Class sizes differ and periods run anywhere from 25 to 40 minutes. The way the course is structured, it be almost impossible to cover a unit in a single class period. 

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According to Parslow, success depends on thorough cooperation with teachers. She says, You can not just sign up to work with teachers and run with it. You have to tailor the program to what the teacher wants. Often the kids can relate better to a different face, different voice, and a different way of presenting things. But you have to work closely with individual teachers to know that..

Chapter volunteers have discovered that the degree to which a classroom teacher becomes involved in the HSFPP depends on that teacher's personal style. Some join in the presentation and some leave it up to the visiting volunteer, although teachers typically stay in the room throughout a presentation. 

Carolyn Parslow has been with Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union in Tampa, Florida, for over 38 years, joining its staff immediately after her graduation from high school. She has served in a number of capacities, both administrative and operational, and has held the position of Senior Vice President for Member Service Operations for the past 6 years. She has always been, and continues to be, heavily involved in legislative and regulatory issues, as well as member service. Suncoast, the largest credit union in Florida, has assets in excess of $3 billion and over 300,000 members. 

Carolyn has been very active with the Tampa Chapter of Credit Unions for anumber of years. Since 1994, she has served on the Chapter's Board of Directors and is currently serving as its President.