78R5854 JH-D By: Castro H.R. No. 263R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, A delegation of parents, teachers, administrators, and community leaders is visiting the State Capitol on this day from the Edgewood Independent School District (ISD) in San Antonio; and WHEREAS, With a history that dates to 1905, the district has been an ISD since January 21, 1950, and has historically served as a symbol of the challenges faced and opportunities presented by public schools; sustained by heartfelt community support, deep parental involvement, and a district-wide commitment to excellence in education, Edgewood ISD continually demonstrates the potential of public education; and WHEREAS, The 70th largest school district in the state, with some 13,290 students enrolled during the 2001-2002 school year, the district has built a program of model schools, which includes the Edgewood Fine Arts and Communications Academy, as well as three campuses that are rated "exemplary" and seven campuses that are rated "recognized" by the Texas Education Agency; and WHEREAS, Edgewood ISD offers a full range of educational services to students enrolled in pre-kindergarten through the 12th grade, including dual language Spanish immersion to help students master reading and writing skills in both English and Spanish; and WHEREAS, Though 95 percent of the district's student population is considered economically disadvantaged, members of the 2002 graduating class of its two high schools, Memorial and Kennedy, received $4.5 million in academic and other scholarships, and Edgewood ISD recently received a vote of confidence from the residents of West San Antonio, who approved a $44 million bond package to build two new campuses and to renovate the district's existing schools; and WHEREAS, Like the leaders for whom Henry B. Gonzalez Elementary School and John F. Kennedy High School were named, students in the Edgewood ISD strive for greatness, and with the support of the district's dedicated administrators and staff, they are surely acquiring a strong educational foundation on which to build; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas Legislature hereby honor the Edgewood Independent School District for its dedication to academic excellence and extend to the individuals visiting on this day sincere best wishes for an educational and memorable trip to Austin.