By Price                                             H.C.R. No. 196

         75R11458 JTR-D                           

                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 1-1           WHEREAS, Children are the Lone Star State's most precious

 1-2     natural resource, and the dedicated professionals entrusted with

 1-3     their education have earned the profound gratitude and admiration

 1-4     of their fellow Texans; and

 1-5           WHEREAS, Dr. Mary Gagne is one such individual, and in her

 1-6     years as principal of Beaumont's Monsignor Kelly Catholic High

 1-7     School she has overseen its emergence as one of the country's

 1-8     preeminent private schools; and

 1-9           WHEREAS, Dr. Gagne's record as an educator has attracted

1-10     national attention, and in addition to being designated an

1-11     Outstanding Educator in America by President George Bush, she has

1-12     also been honored with a Blue Ribbon Award as one of the nation's

1-13     finest school administrators by Executive Educator magazine; and

1-14           WHEREAS, The esteem in which Dr. Gagne is held by her

1-15     professional peers is evident from the many organizations that have

1-16     sought her expertise and experience, including the U.S. Department

1-17     of Education, the National Catholic Education Association, and the

1-18     Texas Association of Secondary School Principals State Board; and

1-19           WHEREAS, A model for private schools across the nation,

1-20     Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School has flourished under Dr.

1-21     Gagne's leadership, and the school's rigorous academic standards

1-22     have produced remarkable results; 99 percent of graduates go on to

1-23     pursue university studies, and the number of students achieving

1-24     National Merit recognition is greater than the total combined

 2-1     number from all other schools in a three-county area; and

 2-2           WHEREAS, Even as enrollment has risen from 380 to 689

 2-3     students, the school has seen the addition of a computerized

 2-4     information center, a state-of-the-art science building, and a new

 2-5     multi-purpose building that comprises four classrooms, a gymnasium,

 2-6     and a studio theater, and these improvements will no doubt further

 2-7     enhance the school's supportive learning environment; and

 2-8           WHEREAS, Dr. Gagne has labored diligently to extend the

 2-9     educational advantages of Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School to

2-10     as many young people as possible, and through her dedicated efforts

2-11     the $3 Million Foundation was created to cover the tuition costs of

2-12     those students who might not otherwise be able to attend the

2-13     school; and

2-14           WHEREAS, Dr. Mary Gagne's powerful commitment to excellence

2-15     has ensured her reputation as an exemplary administrator even as

2-16     her efforts have touched the lives of thousands of students through

2-17     the years, and it is indeed fitting to recognize her many

2-18     contributions to her fellow Texans at this time; now, therefore, be

2-19     it

2-20           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

2-21     hereby honor Dr. Mary Gagne for her achievements in the field of

2-22     education and extend to her sincere best wishes for continued

2-23     success and happiness in the future; and, be it further

2-24           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

2-25     prepared for Dr. Gagne as an expression of high regard by the Texas

2-26     House of Representatives and Senate.