093_HR0453

 
                                     LRB093 12744 HSS 17938 r

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, Education is one of the most noble and important
 3    careers one can undertake; those who do  are  worthy  of  our
 4    utmost respect and honor; and

 5        WHEREAS,  It  has  come  to  our  attention that Patricia
 6    Grissett  of  Chicago  is  retiring  from  her  position   as
 7    Principal  of  Harlan Community Academy High School on August
 8    8, 2003, after 33 years in education; and

 9        WHEREAS, Ms. Grissett was  awarded  a  Bachelor  of  Arts
10    degree  in  education  in 1970 and a Master of Arts degree in
11    education in 1974, both from Roosevelt University in Chicago;
12    she began her career at  Wendell  Smith  and  Thomas  Brennan
13    Schools  in  1970,  where  she served as a teacher and school
14    counselor; and

15        WHEREAS, Ms. Grissett went on to work as a  counselor  at
16    Chicago Vocational High School and Higgins, Abbott, and Tonti
17    Schools;  in  1986, she became the Department Chairperson for
18    the Counseling Department at Chicago Vocational High  School;
19    in  1991,  she  moved  on  to become the principal of Wendell
20    Smith  School,  where  she  served  until  1999;  during  the
21    1989-1990 school year,  she  also  worked  as  the  Assistant
22    Director of the Freshman Summer Transition Program; and

23        WHEREAS,  From  1999  to 2000, Ms. Grissett worked as the
24    Associate  Principal  in  the  Office  of  Accountability  at
25    Corliss  High  School,  where  she  provided   administrative
26    support, worked on policies and procedures, worked to improve
27    the  school  climate,  and recruited and mentored new faculty
28    and staff members; and

29        WHEREAS, Ms. Grissett began her work at Harlan  Community
30    Academy  High  School in 2000 as Principal; during that time,
31    she worked to improve the school  environment,  climate,  and
 
                            -2-      LRB093 12744 HSS 17938 r
 1    facility; under her leadership, student enrollment increased,
 2    the  graduation  rate  increased,  and  the JROTC Program was
 3    fully accredited and given  Academy  Status;  she  worked  to
 4    establish  school-community  partnerships  with Chicago State
 5    University, DePaul University, Roseland Youth Net,  Christian
 6    Community Health Center, and Harlan Alumni Association; and

 7        WHEREAS,  Ms.  Grissett  has  been  the recipient of many
 8    awards and recognitions including the 1990 Oppenheimer  Award
 9    for  Meritorious  Service,  the  1993  and  1994 Principal of
10    Excellence Award from the Chicago Public  Schools,  the  1995
11    Principal  of  the Year Awards from the Boy Scouts of America
12    and  Phi  Delta  Kappa,  the  1998  ABAN  AYA  Youth  Project
13    University of Illinois, and the 2002 Rising  Star  Award  for
14    Outstanding School Achievement; and

15        WHEREAS,  Ms.  Grissett  is  affiliated with the American
16    Federation of  School  Administrators,  the  Association  for
17    Supervision  and  Curriculum  Development,  the  Chicago Area
18    Alliance of Black School Educators,  the  Chicago  Principals
19    and   Administrators  Association,  the  National  Board  for
20    Certified  Counselors,  and  the   National   Middle   School
21    Association; therefore, be it

22        RESOLVED,   BY   THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE
23    NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,  that
24    we heartily congratulate Patricia Grissett on the occasion of
25    her  retirement as Principal of Harlan Community Academy High
26    School after 33 years in education; and be it further

27        RESOLVED, That a suitable  copy  of  this  resolution  be
28    presented  to  Patricia  Grissett  as  an  expression  of our
29    gratitude for her outstanding and meritorious service in  the
30    field of education.