By Rebecca Lee
Dr. Harriet Moore is a Newtown native who dedicates herself to building the future of Sarasota from the children up.
“I’ve always worked with children,” Moore said. “I was the neighborhood babysitter since I was probably about 7 years old and I kept sick babies, well babies, cousins, nieces, nephews and just always had an interest in working with children.”
During her time as principal of McIntosh Middle School, she has expanded, strengthened and started a number of programs that are rooted in building students’ future.
“Since I’ve been here, we’ve started an engineering program,” Moore said. “We have increased the [agriculture] program and made it a bigger program. In fact, the produce from our [agriculture] science program is what we have on our line for our wonderful salad bar in our cafeteria.”
Outside of the work she does as principal of McIntosh Middle School, she jumpstarted The HIPPPY program in Sarasota. The HIPPPY program focuses on parents and children. The program still lives through the local YMCA. She is also part of community mentoring programs and is on the board of Soar Learning Center.
“It’s called Home Instruction Program for Parents of Preschool Youngsters and it’s a program designed to teach parents how to be their child’s first teacher,” Moore said.
After spending a lifetime in Sarasota, she has impacted generations of Sarasota’s children. Dr. Moore never knows when she might run into former students who want to thank her for the role she played in their life and, sometimes, even ask if she can be that same influence on their own children.
“He said ‘she saved my life’ and I will never forget that as long as I live,” Moore said. “He said ‘I’m married now, I have children, I have my own trucking company, I just bought a new home and I just want to say thank you for what you did for me.’ And that is one of many stories I can tell you about of kids who make this all worthwhile. As If that wasn’t enough, he sought me out and his children are in this school because he wanted them to get what he got.”
She is passionate about making sure the feeling of community that she experienced growing up in Sarasota never dies.
“I would like other young children to have opportunities that I was able to gain and garnish here that they’re not quite getting the same thing because its changed so much but we’re still a great village. We still have a great community of people and advocates for children.”
