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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, George McKnight of San Antonio has received the 2009 |
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Outstanding Educator Award from the Texas Caucus of Black School |
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Board Members for his tireless efforts in behalf of the Northside |
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Independent School District; and |
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WHEREAS, Retired from a distinguished career in the U.S. Air |
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Force, Mr. McKnight earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from |
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The University of Texas at San Antonio in 1995 and began his career |
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in education in June of that year; he joined Northside ISD in 2000 |
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as the ninth grade success initiative director, and under his |
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skillful direction, the district was able to reduce the ninth grade |
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retention rate from 18 to 10 percent; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. McKnight subsequently became the Smaller |
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Learning Community coordinator and the Secondary At-risk |
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coordinator; he developed a Summer TAKS Blitz and a credit |
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retrieval program for at-risk students that were both so successful |
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that they were ultimately instituted in all Northside ISD high |
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schools; and |
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WHEREAS, At the same time, Mr. McKnight began serving as |
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district director of AVID (Advancement Via Individual |
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Determination), a program designed to prepare students in the |
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academic middle for four-year college eligibility; the AVID pilot |
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program exceeded expectations, and AVID has since been implemented |
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at every middle and high school in the district, reaching hundreds |
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of students; renowned throughout the district for the energy and |
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vision he brings to AVID, Mr. McKnight was asked in 2008 to take on |
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further responsibility with the leadership of Northside's Evening |
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High School; in addition to these full-time posts, he annually |
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spends more than half of his noncontract time organizing and |
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conducting training at the five-day AVID Summer Institutes; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed professional also serves as an |
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advisory board member of Stevens and Taft High Schools and as a |
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supporter of the Stevens High School Hawaii Club; he has presented |
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at several national mathematics education conferences and is a San |
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Antonio Urban Systemic Initiative Peer Teacher; and |
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WHEREAS, Children are the Lone Star State's most precious |
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resource, and a quality education is vital in order for our young |
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people to become successful adults; George McKnight demonstrates |
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the passion, determination, and enthusiasm that are the hallmarks |
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of our best teachers and administrators, and he serves as an |
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inspiration to students and colleagues alike; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate George McKnight on his receipt of |
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the 2009 Outstanding Educator Award from the Texas Caucus of Black |
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School Board Members and extend to him sincere best wishes for |
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continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. McKnight as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |