08 LC 95
0928
House
Resolution 1814
By:
Representative Lord of the
142nd
A
RESOLUTION
Recognizing
Ms. Molly Howard as the recipient of the 2008 MetLife/NASSP National High School
Principal of the Year award; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
Ms. Molly Howard, principal of Jefferson County High School in Louisville,
Georgia, has been named the 2008 MetLife/National Association of Secondary
School Principals National High School Principal of the Year; and
WHEREAS,
she graduated from Wrens High School in Wrens, Georgia, and went on to earn a
Bachelor of Science degree from Augusta State College in 1977, a Master's of
Education from Augusta State University in 1982, an Education Specialist degree
from Georgia Southern University, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from
Georgia Southern University; and
WHEREAS,
she began her teaching career at Wrens High School working with students with
moderate and severe intellectual disabilities; served as director of Ogeechee
Psychoeducational Services, a Georgia Department of Education program that
serves students with severe emotional and behavioral disabilities; and opened
Jefferson County High School in 1995 as its principal; and
WHEREAS,
she and her dedicated staff have managed to change the culture of learning at
Jefferson County High School by setting higher expectations and eliminating all
lower level courses; and
WHEREAS,
upon arriving at Jefferson County High School, she found that only 20 percent of
the school's students were high achieving, 10 percent joined the military or
attended technical schools, and 70 percent "graduated and stayed at home
repeating a cycle of poverty"; and
WHEREAS,
when Jefferson was built in 1995, over half of the county's adult population did
not have a high school education; determined to change that statistic, Principal
Howard now has students starting the ninth grade taking college preparatory
level English, math, science, and social studies; and
WHEREAS,
she and her staff have managed to turn Jefferson High into a true professional
community, implementing several strategies to increase collaboration among
teachers in order to best serve the student population, such as an "Algebra That
Works" (ATW) program which breaks Algebra I into four units, allowing students a
greater chance of mastering the course; and
WHEREAS,
Principal Howard has demonstrated remarkable skills as a leader in the face of
some very difficult circumstances; and
WHEREAS,
it is abundantly fitting and proper that the outstanding achievements of this
Georgian be appropriately recognized.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of
this body join together to recognize Ms. Molly Howard on being the recipient of
the 2008 MetLife/NASSP National High School Principal of the Year award and for
her many outstanding achievements and contributions to her community and the
state.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is directed
to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to Ms. Molly Howard.