The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“SUPPORTING NATIONAL PRINCIPALS MONTH” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H7474-H7475 on Nov. 16, 2010.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SUPPORTING NATIONAL PRINCIPALS MONTH
Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1652) expressing support for designation of the month of October 2010 as National Principals Month, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1652
Whereas the National Association of Elementary School Principals and the National Association of Secondary School Principals have declared the month of October 2010 as National Principals Month;
Whereas school leaders are expected to be educational visionaries, instructional leaders, assessment experts, disciplinarians, community builders, public relations experts, budget analysts, facility managers, special programs administrators, and guardians of various legal, contractual, and policy mandates and initiatives as well as being entrusted with our young people, our most valuable resource;
Whereas principals set the academic tone for their schools and work collaboratively with teachers to develop and maintain high curriculum standards, develop mission statements, and set performance goals and objectives;
Whereas the vision, dedication, and determination of a school leader provides the mobilizing force behind a school reform effort;
Whereas leadership is second only to classroom instruction among all school-related factors that contribute to student achievement, according to research conducted by the Wallace Foundation;
Whereas principal and teacher effectiveness have a significant impact on student achievement, and studies find no examples of success in turnaround schools without effective principal leadership, according to New Leaders for New Schools;
Whereas the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that approximately 1 in 3 education administrators works more than 40 hours a week and often works an additional 15 to 20 hours each week supervising school activities at night and on weekends;
Whereas assistant principals also play a crucial role providing leadership and charting a successful course at a school;
Whereas the NAESP National Distinguished Principals program honors exemplary elementary and middle level public, private, and independent school leaders as well as leaders from the U.S. Department of Defense Schools and the U.S. Department of State Overseas Schools, for outstanding leadership for student learning and the profession;
Whereas the MetLife-NASSP Principal of the Year program began in 1993 as a means to recognize outstanding middle level and high school principals who have succeeded in providing high-quality learning opportunities for students as well as their exemplary contributions to the profession;
Whereas the celebration of National Principals Month would honor elementary, middle level, and high school principals and recognize the importance of school leadership in ensuring that every child has access to a high-quality education; and
Whereas the month of October 2010 would be an appropriate month to designate as National Principals Month: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) honors and recognizes the contribution of school principals and assistant principals to the success of students in the Nation's elementary and secondary schools;
(2) supports the designation of National Principals Month; and
(3) encourages the people of the United States to observe National Principals Month with appropriate ceremonies and activities that promote awareness of school leadership in ensuring that every child has access to a high-quality education.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hirono) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Hawaii.
General Leave
Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House Resolution 1652 into the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Hawaii?
There was no objection.
Ms. HIRONO. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise today in support of House Resolution 1652, celebrating National Principals Month, which was observed this October. With this resolution, we recognize the important roles principals play as leaders in our schools and in ensuring the best educational environment for our Nation's children.
Most of us can recall a principal who made a difference in our lives. He or she was the one who walked down the hall, knew everyone by name and asked about our day. They let us know when we were out of line and smiled with pride at our success.
Over the years, school leadership roles have broadened substantially to include increased emphasis on curriculum development, data analysis, and instructional leadership. They are tasked with complex problems such as facilitating systemic education reform while managing day-to-
day school activities. Today, over 100,000 principals are supporting our Nation's students, teachers, and parents every day.
Since 1993, the National Association of Secondary School Principals and MetLife have partnered to applaud outstanding middle level and high school principals for demonstrated success in school leadership with their National Principal of the Year program.
I would like to congratulate 2010 National High School Principal of the Year Wes Taylor and Middle Level Principal of the Year Cathy Carnahan. Mr. Taylor serves as principal of Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia. He has overseen a 13 percent increase in graduation rates at Lowndes High School and across-the-board double-digit increases in pass rates on the Georgia standardized test. Mr. Taylor is well known for his emphasis on personalized classroom instruction which focuses on the strengths and needs of each student, despite a school attendance of nearly 3,000 students. I thank Mr. Taylor for his hard work and dedication to his school and for being the role model he is for high school principals nationwide.
Ms. Cathy Carnahan serves as principal at Duniway Middle School in McMinnville, Oregon. She has served at Duniway since 1993, including as assistant principal, emphasizing an atmosphere of faculty teamwork which has led to increased test scores, decreased referrals, and an impressive student attendance rate of 95 percent or higher. I thank Ms. Carnahan for her dedicated work and exemplary performance, and I congratulate her on her recognition.
Recently, I also had the privilege to meet Hawaii's State Principals of the Year for 2010. Darrel Galera serves as principal of Moanalua High School and won the 2010 Hawaii School Principal of the Year. Under Principal Galera's leadership, Moanalua High School now boasts a graduation rate of over 90 percent, well above the State and national average. Principal Galera is committed to helping his educators excel, and since 2002 he has hosted a statewide professional development conference at Moanalua.
Justin Mew serves as principal of Niu Valley Middle School and won Hawaii's 2010 Middle School Principal of the Year. Under his leadership, Niu Valley became Hawaii's first middle school to offer the advanced International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme. Niu Valley also has a strong language immersion program, allowing students to learn Mandarin or Japanese. On a personal note, I also attended Niu Valley Middle School.
Great principals tremendously improve the outcomes of our Nation's youth and play a critical role in a school's success or failure. National Principals Month is an opportunity for us all to recognize this important role and to honor the work of all our Nation's principals.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I express my support for National Principals Month, and I hope this resolution serves as a thank you to our Nation's principals. I want to thank Representative Susan Davis for bringing this resolution to the floor and urge my colleagues to join me in support of House Resolution 1652.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1652, expressing support for designation of the month of October 2010 as National Principals Month.
Anyone who has visited a successful school or who has watched their children progress through their education knows a good principal is vital to a successful school. A good principal sets the tone for the school and encourages teachers and students alike to do their best each day. Principals are also the people who know the school's needs best as they are in the building talking to the teachers and talking to the students on a regular basis.
Unfortunately, all too often principals are prevented from doing what they need to do in terms of selecting the best teachers for their school. Earlier this year, committee Republicans developed four key principles on education reform. One of those principles, restoring local control, highlights the importance of ensuring principals have the flexibility they need to help their students and teachers succeed in the classroom.
Principals are key to ensuring that every child excels in the classroom. For that reason, I support this resolution and ask my colleagues to do the same.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. HIRONO. Once again, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the recognition of all of the hardworking principals throughout our country, and with that, I yield the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hirono) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1652, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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