By Berlanga, Hunter of Nueces, Luna                    H.R. No. 801
       74R10870 SAJ-D
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is proud to honor
    1-2  Jill Scott of Zavala Special Emphasis School for her recent
    1-3  selection as Texas Elementary School Teacher of the Year for the
    1-4  Corpus Christi area; and
    1-5        WHEREAS, Mrs. Scott wanted to become a teacher at an early
    1-6  age; both of her parents instilled in her the importance of a good
    1-7  education, and as a schoolgirl, she continually volunteered to read
    1-8  to younger students and generously served as a peer tutor; and
    1-9        WHEREAS, A graduate of Mary Carroll High School, she received
   1-10  a scholarship from the Corpus Christi Classroom Teacher Association
   1-11  to attend Del Mar College; she later transferred to The University
   1-12  of Texas and graduated with honors in 1973; and
   1-13        WHEREAS, Mrs. Scott began her distinguished career with the
   1-14  Corpus Christi Independent School District as a kindergarten
   1-15  teacher in 1973; the following year, she met Billie Watson
   1-16  Robinson, who headed the district's Special Education Program for
   1-17  Disabled Preschool Children, and was so impressed with the program
   1-18  that she changed her focus to special education and embarked on a
   1-19  new career path; and
   1-20        WHEREAS, One of the pioneers of the district's early
   1-21  childhood special education program, she worked tirelessly to
   1-22  launch the program on a successful track during its first three
   1-23  years; and
   1-24        WHEREAS, Deeply committed to her chosen profession, she went
    2-1  back to school during this period and earned a master's degree from
    2-2  Texas A&I University at Corpus Christi in 1976 and also received
    2-3  supervision certification from Corpus Christi State University; and
    2-4        WHEREAS, She continued to make many significant contributions
    2-5  to her field as the special education consultant for the school
    2-6  district; in addition to developing curriculum and supervising
    2-7  teachers, she raised public awareness of the district's special
    2-8  education programs by addressing a variety of local forums and
    2-9  acting as a liaison for preschool and kindergarten students; and
   2-10        WHEREAS, A leader in the area of early childhood special
   2-11  education, Mrs. Scott returned to the classroom in 1983 and
   2-12  graciously offered her program as a model classroom, allowing new
   2-13  teachers to observe her techniques; she has sought to share her
   2-14  considerable knowledge with many others in workshops across the
   2-15  district; and
   2-16        WHEREAS, She was instrumental in the success of her school's
   2-17  highly acclaimed Early Learning Together program, which allows
   2-18  disabled three- and four-year-olds to learn alongside typically
   2-19  developing preschoolers, and she also helped establish a computer
   2-20  laboratory for students in prekindergarten through the third grade;
   2-21  and
   2-22        WHEREAS, Well regarded throughout her chosen field,
   2-23  Mrs. Scott is an esteemed member of the Council for Exceptional
   2-24  Children, the American Federation of Teachers, and Alpha Delta
   2-25  Kappa educational sorority, and she has been active with the
   2-26  Parent-Teacher Association for 22 years; and
   2-27        WHEREAS, Her exceptional service has earned her much acclaim;
    3-1  she was honored with the Texas Education Agency's Promising
    3-2  Practice Award in 1993, when she was selected as one of 16 "Points
    3-3  of Light" in Texas for her inclusive service delivery model for
    3-4  speech therapy, and she was doubly honored when her peers at Zavala
    3-5  Special Emphasis School named her Teacher of the Year in both 1993
    3-6  and 1995; and
    3-7        WHEREAS, Mrs. Scott has established herself at the forefront
    3-8  of early childhood education issues and has contributed greatly to
    3-9  the quality of education in her school district, and her many
   3-10  outstanding and innovative efforts are indeed worthy of our highest
   3-11  praise and recognition; now, therefore, be it
   3-12        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
   3-13  Legislature hereby commend Jill Scott for her outstanding service
   3-14  as an educator and congratulate her on her selection as Texas
   3-15  Elementary School Teacher of the Year for the Corpus Christi area;
   3-16  and, be it further
   3-17        RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
   3-18  prepared for Mrs. Scott as an expression of high regard by the
   3-19  Texas House of Representatives.