SLS 19RS-7 ORIGINAL 2019 Regular Session SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 20 BY SENATOR PEACOCK COMMENDATIONS. Commends Kathryn Ferguson on being named the 2019 Louisiana Middle School Teacher of the year. 1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION 2 To commend and congratulate Kathryn M. Ferguson of Shreveport upon receipt of the 2019 3 of Louisiana Middle School Teacher of the Year award from the Louisiana State 4 Department of Education and to recognize her many contributions to education and 5 the teaching profession. 6 WHEREAS, Kathryn Ferguson teaches sixth grade World History at Youree Drive 7 Middle Advanced Placement Magnet School and serves as chairman of its Social Studies 8 Department; and 9 WHEREAS, Mrs. Ferguson is an exceptional faculty member who has devoted 10 nearly two decades to the development of a positive classroom environment with meaningful 11 learning objectives for student growth and proficiency; and 12 WHEREAS, Mrs. Ferguson considers her primary responsibility as an educator is 13 to demonstrate leadership, motivation, and innovation in the classroom; she expresses that 14 obligation with inspiration and encouragement that challenges her students to develop a 15 lifelong interest in learning and to acquire those analytical skills necessary to become 16 effective decision makers; and 17 WHEREAS, she has been honored with numerous awards and recognitions that 18 include Caddo Parish Middle School Teacher of the Year, Educator of Distinction award Page 1 of 3 SCR NO. 20 SLS 19RS-7 ORIGINAL 1 from the Louisiana Parent Teacher Association (PTA), and the Academic Achievement in 2 the College of Education for Secondary Education award from her alma mater, Louisiana 3 State University Shreveport; and 4 WHEREAS, at Youree Drive Middle AP Magnet School, Mrs. Ferguson has been 5 honored with special acknowledgment as Teacher of the Month in February 2016, Teacher 6 of the Year in 2010, and named "Super Spartan Teacher" in January 2014; and 7 WHEREAS, Mrs. Ferguson is actively involved in the scholastic and extracurricular 8 environments at Youree Drive Middle AP Magnet School, serving as Discovery Education 9 innovator, Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Committee 10 (SWPBIS) team leader, "New Teacher" mentor, School Improvement Plan Committee 11 member, Olympic Festival co-chair, Club Day Activities coordinator, and Pep Squad faculty 12 advisor; and 13 WHEREAS, she holds a bachelor of arts degree in secondary education from 14 Louisiana State University Shreveport having graduated Magna Cum Laude and a Master 15 of Education degree in school administration from Centenary College of Louisiana; and 16 WHEREAS, the annual competition, hosted by the Louisiana State Department of 17 Education and the Dream Teachers nonprofit organization, recognizes several categories of 18 outstanding individual achievement in classroom instruction and exemplifies the highest 19 honor bestowed on educators by the department; and 20 WHEREAS, on July 27, 2018, Kathryn Ferguson and other state-level honorees were 21 celebrated at the Twelfth Annual Cecil J. Picard Educator Excellence Awards Gala; and 22 WHEREAS, upholding the highest standards of the teaching profession, Kathryn 23 Ferguson is most worthy of this prestigious award; she embodies excellence in instruction 24 for her chosen curriculum and an enduring devotion to the academic needs of her students; 25 and 26 WHEREAS, Kathryn Ferguson has proved to be an educator with many talents 27 whose dedication to education has been a priceless gift to the state of Louisiana. 28 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 29 commend and congratulate Kathryn Ferguson upon receipt of the 2019 Middle School 30 Teacher of the Year award from the Louisiana State Department of Education and does Page 2 of 3 SCR NO. 20 SLS 19RS-7 ORIGINAL 1 hereby recognize her many contributions to furthering social studies education. 2 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 3 Kathryn Ferguson and Principal Jenifer Guerrero of Youree Drive Middle Advanced 4 Placement Magnet School. The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Suzi Montague. DIGEST SCR 20 Original 2019 Regular Session Peacock Commends Kathryn Ferguson upon receipt of the 2019 of Louisiana Middle School Teacher of the Year award from the LA State Department of Education. Page 3 of 3