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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Esteemed educator Dr. Jane Nelson of Dolen made a |
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lasting positive impact on the Humble Independent School District |
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during her lifetime, and her passing on November 1, 2014, at the age |
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of 79 deeply saddened the entire community; and |
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WHEREAS, In the early 1970s, Dr. Nelson was hired by the |
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district to help administer new requirements for special education, |
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and in 1975, she was appointed as the founding principal of Woodland |
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Hills Elementary School in Kingwood; she assembled a capable and |
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cohesive team there, and four years later she was chosen to open |
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another new school, Oaks Elementary; subsequently, she was selected |
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as principal of North Belt Elementary School; throughout her |
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career, she was a fierce champion for students and a wonderful |
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mentor to her staff, yet she never hesitated to make the tough |
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choices required to improve the quality of instruction; and |
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WHEREAS, This dynamic Texan retired from the district in |
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1995, but she continued to work in behalf of public education as an |
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advocate at the State Capitol, and she served as president of the |
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Humble Area Retired Teachers Association; moreover, she was a |
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charter member of both the Lambda Delta and Mu Pi Chapters of Delta |
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Kappa Gamma Society International, and she was the inaugural |
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president of Mu Pi; she received the Chapter Achievement and State |
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Achievement Awards for distinguished service, and a state |
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scholarship was named for her; in addition, the cafeteria at Oaks |
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Elementary was designated Nelson Hall in her honor; she was a Life |
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Member of the PTA and of the National Elementary Principal |
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Association; she further benefited her fellow citizens as a member |
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of the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature and the Cleveland Women's |
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Center, and she was a member of Dolen Baptist Church; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in 1935, the former Patricia Jane Hooks grew up |
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on Houston's Northside; she studied history and political science |
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at the University of Houston, earning both bachelor's and master's |
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degrees; after teaching high school social studies in Cleveland, |
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she completed a second master's degree in psychology and counseling |
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at Adams State University in Colorado, and she later received her |
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doctorate; and |
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WHEREAS, Through her tireless endeavors to benefit young |
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Texans and her commitment to public education, Jane Nelson earned |
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the lasting respect and admiration of all who were fortunate enough |
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to know her, and her contributions to the Humble Independent School |
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District will continue to resonate for many years to come; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Dr. Jane Nelson and |
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extend sincere condolences to the members of her family: to her son, |
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David Kirkham, and her stepchildren, Darcy Nelson Shackelford and |
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Lance Edward Nelson; to her grandchildren, Angela Kirkham Sheets, |
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J. W. and Hayley Kirkham, and Jon, Cara, Jeff, and Barrett |
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Shackelford; and to her great-grandchildren, Austin, Alyssa, |
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Wyatt, and Layten Sheets; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the members of her family and that when the Texas House |
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of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Dr. Jane |
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Nelson. |