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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Mary Ann Whiteker is retiring as superintendent of |
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the Hudson Independent School District on June 30, 2017, drawing to |
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a close an outstanding career in education that has spanned nearly |
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four and a half decades; and |
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WHEREAS, After graduating as valedictorian of her class at |
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Corrigan-Camden High School, Ms. Whiteker studied education at |
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Stephen F. Austin State University, where she earned both her |
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bachelor's and master's degrees; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Whiteker began her career teaching first grade |
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at Corrigan-Camden Elementary School in 1973; she became elementary |
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curriculum supervisor for Corrigan-Camden ISD in 1984, and the |
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following year, she accepted the post of district curriculum |
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director; in 1986, she transferred to Hudson ISD to work as its |
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curriculum director, and she went on to serve as assistant |
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superintendent and interim superintendent before being named |
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superintendent in 1995; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of her tenure at the helm of Hudson |
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ISD, Ms. Whiteker has helped pass two bond issues totaling $24 |
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million; she has been instrumental in the district's earning high |
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rankings from the Texas Education Agency, Standard and Poor's, and |
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the Texas Education and Business Coalition, among others; she also |
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helped establish the Beth and Horace Stubblefield Learning Center, |
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a facility designed to help students at risk of dropping out of |
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school; and |
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WHEREAS, A statewide leader in her professional community, |
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Ms. Whiteker has been active with the Texas Association of School |
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Administrators; she is a past president of the Texas Association of |
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Midsize Schools and the Texas Association of Community Schools, and |
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she has served on the boards of the Region VII Education Service |
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Center and the Texas Association of Suburban/Mid-Urban Schools; in |
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recognition of her contributions, she was presented with the Golden |
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Anvil Award for Community Service from the Pineywoods Foundation, |
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and she was appointed by Governor Rick Perry to serve on the Interim |
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Committee for School Finance; moreover, she has twice been named |
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Superintendent of the Year for Region VII, and in 2015, she was |
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named Texas Superintendent of the Year; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to her professional achievements, |
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Ms. Whiteker has been active with the Lufkin/Angelina County |
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Chamber of Commerce, the Angelina County Drug-Free Communities and |
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Schools task force, the Chamber Coalition for a Better Community, |
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and the Lufkin Rotary Club; she is also a valued congregant of First |
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United Methodist Church; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Whiteker's dedication to the highest standards |
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of her profession has benefited countless students in East Texas, |
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and she may reflect with pride on a career well spent as she embarks |
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upon the next exciting chapter of her life; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Mary Ann Whiteker on her retirement |
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as superintendent of the Hudson Independent School District and |
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extend to her sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Whiteker as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |