82R9360 JNC-D
By: Pitts H.R. No. 746
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Dr. Thomas R. Norris of McGregor is retiring as
executive director of Education Service Center Region 12 in June
2011, concluding an outstanding tenure in education that has
spanned four decades; and
WHEREAS, A graduate of Columbia College, Dr. Norris earned
his master's and doctoral degrees in educational administration
from Baylor University; he worked as a teacher in Milford and Waco
before accepting further responsibility in such roles as assistant
principal at Travis Middle School in Temple and principal at La
Marque Junior High in La Marque; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Norris went on to serve as director of secondary
curriculum and instruction, assistant superintendent for secondary
operations, and interim superintendent of Round Rock ISD before
being named superintendent of the district in 1994; in that
position, he was responsible for 33 campuses, including 11 Texas
Blue Ribbon and 8 National Blue Ribbon Schools, and the district's
27,300 students; and
WHEREAS, In 1998, Dr. Norris joined the Region 12 Education
Service Center, where he has overseen the development of a
continuous improvement/performance excellence model; Region 12
encompasses 12 counties and serves 77 school districts and 13
charter schools; under Dr. Norris's leadership, the center has
increased services to customers and trained more than 48,000
participants in 2009-2010 alone; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Norris has shared his expertise as chair and
legislative chair of the Commissioner's Cabinet for Regional
Services, as a board member of the Greater Waco Community Education
Alliance and Academic Decathlon, and as a member of the Texas and
American Associations of School Administrators, Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development, and Phi Delta Kappa; his
efforts have earned him a number of honors through the years,
including the title of Administrator of the Year from the Texas
Association of Journalism Educators; and
WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan has demonstrated a commitment to
excellence in all of his professional endeavors, and his hard work
and dedication have significantly benefited many schoolchildren
across the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate Dr. Thomas R. Norris on his
retirement as executive director of Education Service Center Region
12 and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued happiness;
and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Dr. Norris as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives.