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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The McAllen Independent School District was |
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recognized as a 2013 Best Community for Music Education by the |
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National Association of Music Merchants' Foundation; and |
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WHEREAS, The judges who award the Best Community for Music |
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Education designation closely examine districts' music |
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departments, noting the levels of participation and achievement, |
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the range of programs offered, and the qualifications of their |
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teachers; and |
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WHEREAS, Under the leadership of Dr. James Ponce, |
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superintendent, and Karen Herrera, director of the district's Fine |
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Arts Department, music programs are thriving in McAllen ISD; |
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approximately 11,000 elementary school students and 5,000 |
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secondary students participate in one of the district's many |
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offerings, including such specialty programs as jazz band, show |
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choir, orchestra, and mariachi; and |
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WHEREAS, NAMM noted a number of criteria that earned McAllen |
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this honor, including the support of the administration and school |
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board for fine arts and the success of students at the state level |
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in band, choir, and orchestra; the organization also applauded the |
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quality music instruction that students receive, a result due in |
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part to the district's adoption of the team teaching concept, which |
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allows music teachers to travel between schools; and |
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WHEREAS, While many districts have struggled to secure |
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funding for arts programs, McAllen has made supporting music |
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education a priority, and each year students showcase their talents |
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at hundreds of performances; the orchestra program has been offered |
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throughout the district since 1978, and more than 900 secondary |
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students currently participate; at the elementary school level, |
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over 400 students perform at the annual Fourth Grade Choral |
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Festival, and each school offers special ensembles, including |
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guitar, melodic percussion, and drum line; in a partnership with |
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the Valley Symphony Orchestra, the Success through Strings program |
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pairs 20 children with a professional violinist who teaches them |
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using the Suzuki method, incorporating string instruments resized |
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for their small hands but engineered to carry the same sound; and |
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WHEREAS, McAllen ISD believes that quality arts instruction |
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plays an integral role in children's education, enriching their |
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lives, enhancing their cognitive thinking skills, improving their |
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self-esteem, and giving them a sense of belonging, and the district |
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is indeed deserving of this prestigious honor; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate the McAllen Independent School |
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District on its designation as a 2013 Best Community for Music |
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Education by the National Association of Music Merchants' |
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Foundation and extend to the district's students and teachers |
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sincere best wishes for 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 McAllen ISD as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |