SCOPE awards Alta Vista principal as boundary crosser

It was a proud moment for Maria Orduno and daughter Serena to see her mentor Alta Vista Elementary School Principal Barbara Shirley awarded the SCOPE 2016 Boundary Crosser Tuesday evening. 

“It’s amazing, she’s such a wonderful mentor,” Orduno said. “She makes us all feel like we can do it because I see all of the wonderful things she’s done with the students”

Orduno works as an ESOL paraprofessional at Alta Vista where Shirley has encouraged her to pursue a degree in Elementary Education. 

It’s an example of one of the ways Shirley is crossing boundaries to educate the children and parents who attend Alta Vista. 

Sarasota County Openly Plans for Excellence or SCOPE awarded Shirley the 2016 Boundary Crosser Tuesday evening in a ceremony at Michael’s On East. 

As principal of a Title 1 school Shirley has taken a two-generation approach to education with the Eagle Academy summer program.  

Through the free program more than 352 kindergarten through third grade students have attended the free program. Over the course of seven weeks students are immersed in academic and arts enrichment programs in an attempt to prevent summer learning loss. 

The Eagle Academy has grown to include a Parent University with classes to improve employment opportunities for Alta Vista Elementary parents.