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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Dr. James A. McSwain is retiring as the west area |
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superintendent for the Houston Independent School District in 2021, |
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drawing to a close an outstanding career in education that has |
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spanned more than four decades; and |
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WHEREAS, James McSwain earned his bachelor's degree in |
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history from The University of Texas at Arlington in 1980, his |
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master's degree in educational administration from Tarleton State |
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University in 1988, and his doctorate in educational leadership |
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from Texas Tech University in 1995; and |
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WHEREAS, This dedicated educator began his career as a |
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teacher in 1980 at Grapevine High School and later taught at |
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Stephenville High School from 1989 to 1991; during his years in |
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Stephenville, he was also the principal of an alternative high |
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school operated by seven school districts; he went on to be |
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appointed principal of Colorado High School in Colorado City in |
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1991 and Texas High School in Texarkana in 1993; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1997, Dr. McSwain joined Houston ISD, and for the |
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next 21 years, he was the principal of Lamar High School while |
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simultaneously serving as a mentor and lead principal for interns |
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and newly appointed principals across the district; he has been the |
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west area superintendent since 2018, responsible for the direct |
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operations and long-term planning of 77 campuses that serve more |
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than 70,000 students and employ 7,000 teachers and staff; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. McSwain has shared his professional knowledge |
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through his work as an adjunct faculty member at the University of |
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St. Thomas, Houston Baptist University, the University of Houston, |
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and the Texas A&M University System; he has twice been named Texas |
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State Principal of the Year, earning the honor from the Texas |
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Association of Secondary School Principals in 1996 and the Texas |
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Association of Journalism Educators in 2004, and he is a past |
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president of TASSP; moreover, he has been honored by the Texas Music |
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Educators Association, the Nick Finnegan Foundation, and the |
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Fellowship of Christian Athletes; in 2016, he was cited for |
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distinguished service in education by the Crystal Apple Society and |
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the education department of Tarleton State University; and |
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WHEREAS, James McSwain's broad expertise and effective |
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leadership have benefited Houston ISD students and educators for |
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nearly a quarter century, and he may indeed reflect with pride on |
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his many career achievements; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Dr. James A. McSwain on his |
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retirement from the Houston Independent School District and extend |
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to him 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 Dr. McSwain as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |
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A. Johnson of Harris |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1705 was adopted by the House on May |
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29, 2021, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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