Booker High School Principal Rachel Shelley has been honored with Florida's 2017 Principal Achievement Award for Outstanding Leadership, an award popularly known as Florida Principal of the Year. Shelley was one of three finalists in the running for the coveted honor. The statewide winner was announced June 21 in Orlando. The awards recognize principals and assistant principals for their exceptional contributions. The superintendent from their respective school districts nominated candidates for the awards. With more than 28 years of experience in kindergarten through 12th grade education, Shelley has been praised by her colleagues for her dedication to helping every student succeed and for her relationship-based leadership. She motivates students with her mantra: every student is college and/or career bound. Shelley is a graduate of Sarasota County’s Riverview High School. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Bethune-Cookman College and a master’s degree in special education from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. She also holds a specialist’s degree and a doctorate in educational leadership from Argosy University. She has worked in the Sarasota County School District since 1989, starting as a physical education aide at Bay Haven School of Basics Plus. She taught first grade and served as a reading teacher and behavior specialist for 10 years. She was an assistant principal at Riverview High School from 2003-05. Shelley was named assistant principal of Phoenix Academy in 2005 and became the principal of that school in 2007. She was named principal of Booker High in 2011.

Booker High School