SARASOTA BRIDGE TO READING - Key Persons
Bill graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1973 with a Bachelor's Degree in Biometry with post-graduate credits in Mathematics…
Eloise brings many years of experience to the Sarasota Bridge to Reading. For 40 years she has tutored children with…
Emma Kaercher has spent 10 years volunteering in tutoring programs for children of all ages. She is upbeat and positive, and loves finding the best way to make learning fun for your child. She believes every child deserves to know what it's like to fall in love with a book, or to be able to speak publicly with confidence, or just feel good about taking a test. She believes a good teacher listens, encourages and supports. Learning can be wonderful and she is passionate about showing children how wonderful it can be.
My name is Gio Davila, and I'm an ESL teacher and a reading tutor. I have a bachelor's degree in…
Megan Storts is an enthusiastic teacher who is exceptional at connecting with others on a personal level. Megan's happy and upbeat personality bring joy to learning. She adapts her teaching style to help each student to overcome struggles and to thrive.
Megan believes that a good teacher listens and is very attentive to the needs of the student. She encourages students and their families to open up about how they feel about their classes.Megan is not afraid of obstacles. She knows each person has their own. She believes in her students. "Believe in people!" she says with passion. "We are not all the same and that is a good thingIn 2019, Megan Storts received her TEFL certification, so she could help students who speak foreign languages. She now has years of experience teaching English to people who speak Chinese, Haitian Creole, French, and Spanish. Megan has now worked on zoom to help people from different countries around the world.
Megan's contagious, joyful spirit brings life to her classroom. "Teaching is meaningful work. It's a joy to do!" Megan looks forward to spending quality time helping your children overcome their personal challenges, as well as building positive relationships with them. Megan exclaims, "We can do this if we work together!"
Priscilla Arnau Sirias loves teaching and is committed to helping students improve and achieve their learning goals. A kindhearted, caring,…
Job Titles:
- Director
- READING SPECIALIST
- Related Staff Member
Rita Ann O'Connor, "Miss Rita", comes to us bringing her eagerness to help struggling learners grasp the tools necessary to become better students. Her AA is from Manatee Jr. College, Bradenton, FL, her BA from Barry College, Miami Shores, FL, and the Reading Specialist is from University of South Florida, Sarasota, FL campus.
Since Barry College had its own Learning Disabilities Lab, Miss Rita had exposure to students possessing extensive learning disabilities such as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), conditions on the Autistic Spectrum, as well as various emotional blocks to learning. This intensive tutoring exposure gave Miss Rita experience and inspiration which planted seeds that blossomed into Miss Rita's Tutor Room.
Miss Rita has worked with the government program entitled "No Child Left Behind" and has volunteered with the PAL reading program (Partners Assisting Literacy) in Sarasota. Many of her students win awards after completing their tutoring time.
In 2009, Miss Rita took her tutoring talents to Tifton, GA, the Reading Capital of the World, as Reading Specialist via Miss Rita's School Mobile. She is certified in both Florida and Georgia for teaching and as Reading Specialist, enabling her to tutor and substitute teach in both states.
Miss Rita sees the potential within the student and has a creative "out-of-the-box" way of enabling the student to realize his abilities as he moves toward the goal of improvement utilizing The Open Court Reading Program and the SRA (Scientific Research of America Reading Program).
Job Titles:
- READING SPECIALIST
- Related Staff Member
Selena Ackerland has worked in education for the past 18 years. She has experience with the Montessori method as well as traditional classroom techniques. Previous to her years as a teacher, she worked as an educational interpreter with all age students from elementary to college. She has an Associate of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education from Penn Foster.
From 2002 to 2008, Selena lived abroad working with the deaf community, many of which did not have a language at all. This project enabled them to learn sign language, to communicate with their families, and to become more independent members of society. This exposure gave her more insight into helping students and finding innovative ways to teach those with reading struggles.