Dr. Shirley J. Vargas brings extensive leadership experience to NYSABE as a former Delegate-at-Large and current member of the Board of Directors, where she is now serving her second term as Secretary. She is an educator, community leader, and proud wife and mother of four. She has dedicated over 20 years of her career to serving multilingual students and has held various roles in the learning community.
As Chairperson of the Department of World Languages at Westbury High School, she has been instrumental in delivering a Bilingual Program that is embedded in the school culture and established the SIFE and Home Language Arts program for English Language Learners to build strong literacy skills which transcends into other disciplines.
Her recent advocacy efforts include the development of extracurricular programs designed to empower Spanish-dominant students by enhancing their communication and public-speaking skills in their native language. Additionally, she serves as the NYS Seal of Biliteracy Coordinator for her district and as a Grant Advisor for the Nassau Community College Science and Technology Entry Program (NCC-STEP).
She proudly serves as a dedicated advocate for bilingual and multilingual education at both the secondary and higher education levels. As an extension to public school education, she serves as a member of the Executive Board for The Dream Foundation, a non-profit committed to providing scholarships and access to higher education or career pathways to immigrant students. Ms. Vargas’ extensive experience encompasses professional development and instructional practices in second language study, English Language Learners, bilingual education, and college-level language and media studies.
Dr. Vargas firmly believes that advocating for all language learners offers boundless opportunities to transform education. She is committed to being a voice for the needs of students, educators, and communities alike.
Leave A Comment