HR0869LRB101 21713 MST 72658 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate Dr. Serena L. Preston,
4educator and superintendent of the Illinois School for the
5Visually Impaired, on the occasion of her retirement on June
630, 2020; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Dr. Preston is an admired educator and
8administrator; for more than 20 years, she has tirelessly
9advocated for students who are blind or visually impaired; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Dr. Preston is a native of Independence, Missouri
11and a graduate of William Chrisman High School; she left the
12Kansas City area to attend MacMurray College, a private school
13in Jacksonville, where she received her bachelor's degree
14before embarking on a remarkable career in education; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Dr. Preston graduated from Illinois State
16University in Bloomington with a master's degree in Special
17Education and a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from
18the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Dr. Preston has devoted more than 20 years of
20service to the students of the Illinois School for the Visually
21Impaired; she has served in many roles, working with students

 

 

HR0869- 2 -LRB101 21713 MST 72658 r

1as a classroom educator, as school principal, and currently, as
2school superintendent; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Dr. Preston served as an interim superintendent of
4the Illinois School for the Deaf for two years while
5concurrently serving as the superintendent of the Illinois
6School for the Visually Impaired; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Dr. Preston is a longtime member of the
8Association of Educators and Rehabilitation Specialists for
9the Blind (AER); she also serves with the Council of Schools
10for the Blind (COSB), the Illinois Principals Association, the
11Advisory Council of the Illinois State University College of
12Special Education, and many other state and local committees in
13an effort to advocate for students who are blind or visually
14impaired and guide best practices across the field; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Dr. Preston is active at the national level,
16serving as an American Printing House for the Blind Ex-Officio
17Trustee, collaborating closely with other professionals in the
18field to be certain products and services support maximum
19learning and accessibility, as this important work impacts the
20lives of many persons with a visual impairment; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Dr. Preston has been an active member of the local
22community, serving as vice-chair of the Jacksonville Area

 

 

HR0869- 3 -LRB101 21713 MST 72658 r

1Transition Planning Council, as 4-H Project Leader, and 4-H
2County Fair Show Superintendent; she has served on Illinois
3State Fair 4-H committees and as a show volunteer; she was
4coordinator of the annual Youth Camp Fund and a member/director
5of community theater and music productions; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Dr. Preston has been a tireless advocate for
7children and educators for over 32 years, creating positive and
8lasting changes for the Illinois School for the Visually
9Impaired; therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
11HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
12we congratulate Dr. Serena L. Preston on her retirement as
13educator and superintendent of the Illinois School for the
14Visually Impaired, and we commend her work and wish her the
15best in all her future endeavors; and be it further
 
16    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
17presented to Dr. Preston as an expression of our admiration and
18gratitude for her commitment to the youth and educators of
19Illinois.