| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 980 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, Serenity High in McKinney has made a positive |
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| 6 | 6 | | difference in the lives of numerous youth and their families since |
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| 7 | 7 | | its inception nearly a decade ago; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Founded to provide a safe haven and sober |
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| 9 | 9 | | environment for students who have successfully completed treatment |
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| 10 | 10 | | for chemical dependency, Serenity High is the only public high |
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| 11 | 11 | | school of its kind in Texas; Lynn Sperry, a longtime board member |
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| 12 | 12 | | for the McKinney Independent School District, promoted the |
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| 13 | 13 | | establishment of the school, and after more than a year of |
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| 14 | 14 | | exploration and planning, Serenity High opened on October 11, 1999; |
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| 15 | 15 | | and |
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| 16 | 16 | | WHEREAS, Students undergo an extensive application process |
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| 17 | 17 | | to ensure that they are prepared to remain sober while completing |
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| 18 | 18 | | their education; once admitted, they receive individual |
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| 19 | 19 | | instruction on self-paced course work and participate in peer |
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| 20 | 20 | | support groups, team-building events, and ongoing community |
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| 21 | 21 | | service projects; moreover, students are required to demonstrate |
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| 22 | 22 | | their ongoing commitment to a sober lifestyle by undergoing random |
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| 23 | 23 | | drug testing; formal graduation ceremonies take place twice a year |
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| 24 | 24 | | and include a cherished ritual in which graduates hang photographs |
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| 25 | 25 | | of themselves on the wall of honor; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | WHEREAS, Through partnerships with area school districts, |
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| 27 | 27 | | Serenity High welcomes students from Anna, Celina, Community, |
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| 28 | 28 | | Farmersville, Frisco, Garland, Gunter, Melissa, Pilot Point, |
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| 29 | 29 | | Plano, Princeton, Richardson, Rockwall, and Wylie, and enrolls |
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| 30 | 30 | | students from other districts for a per-day tuition fee; to date, |
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| 31 | 31 | | the school has graduated more than 150 students, some of whom |
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| 32 | 32 | | traveled more than 35 miles from home to attend; and |
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| 33 | 33 | | WHEREAS, Many interested parties have contributed to the |
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| 34 | 34 | | success of Serenity High, including principal Juli Ferraro, the |
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| 35 | 35 | | school's exemplary team of teachers, students and their families, |
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| 36 | 36 | | members of the school's advisory board, and administrators of |
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| 37 | 37 | | McKinney ISD, and all are deserving of recognition for their work in |
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| 38 | 38 | | advancing this notable institution; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | WHEREAS, Serenity High helps students overcome addiction and |
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| 40 | 40 | | focus on their educational goals, and the school's vital role in the |
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| 41 | 41 | | lives of many young Texans cannot be overestimated; now, therefore, |
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| 42 | 42 | | be it |
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| 43 | 43 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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| 44 | 44 | | Legislature hereby commend Serenity High for its outstanding record |
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| 45 | 45 | | of service to North Texas and extend to all those associated with |
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| 46 | 46 | | the school sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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| 47 | 47 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 48 | 48 | | prepared for Serenity High as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 49 | 49 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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| 50 | 50 | | Madden |
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| 51 | 51 | | ______________________________ |
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| 52 | 52 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 53 | 53 | | I certify that H.R. No. 980 was adopted by the House on April |
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| 54 | 54 | | 2, 2009, by a non-record vote. |
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| 55 | 55 | | ______________________________ |
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| 56 | 56 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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