Booker High's White-Davis named Distinguished Minority Educator
SARASOTA - Booker High School Principal Constance White-Davis is a "super hero" according to a statewide organization. The Florida Association of School Administrators (FASA) honored White-Davis with its Distinguished Minority Educator Award at its Super Conference for Education Super Heroes held in Lake Buena Vista July 19-23.
Constance White-Davis
Booker High School Principal
Appointed principal of Booker High School in April, White-Davis served as principal of Alta Vista Elementary School for 12 years, helping bring the school from a D to an A in the statewide grading system after six years of hard work.
"Ms. White-Davis is one of the great success stories in Sarasota County Public Schools," said Dr. Gary Norris, Superintendent. "She is a strong instructional leader, has a passion for closing the achievement gap and cares deeply about students, families, her colleagues and our community. She certainly deserves this recognition."
White-Davis began her career in Sarasota in 1993 as assistant principal at Emma E. Booker Elementary. She became principal of Alta Vista Elementary the following year. During her tenure there she presided over one of the most dramatic turnarounds in the history of school grading in Florida, due in large part to her energetic, hands-on style.
"I'm deeply honored that my work at Alta Vista was recognized by FASA," said White-Davis. "The award reflects my passionate belief that school achievement can be increased regardless of where students come from."
"We created a culture of change based on determination, hard work and an unrelenting focus on reading, writing, math and science. Every time we went up a grade we had a big celebration, and the excitement motivated the students and the teachers."
While at Alta Vista, White-Davis was recognized as a Successful Principal by the Florida Department of Education and was the Sarasota County Council of PTA's Principal of the Year in 1995. The school was recognized by the Florida Department of Education as a Successful School on the Rise, a Title I Distinguished School and a Five-Star School.
In 2006 White-Davis gave a presentation entitled "A Journey from D to A" at the Just Read conference in Orlando. She was asked to present again in 2007. She received the Freedom Award for Education from the NAACP in 2003.
White-Davis holds a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, a master's degree in early childhood education from the George Peabody College of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University and post-graduate credit in early childhood education from Texas Woman's University.
Before joining the Sarasota County School system, she was a teacher, early childhood specialist and principal in Fort Worth, Texas.