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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Ruben Saenz of Rio Grande City has rendered |
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| 6 | 7 | | exceptional service to area residents as an administrator for the |
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| 7 | 8 | | Rio Grande City Consolidated Independent School District and for |
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| 8 | 9 | | South Texas College; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, Raised in San Isidro, Mr. Saenz graduated from San |
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| 10 | 11 | | Isidro High School in 1955 and subsequently enlisted in the |
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| 11 | 12 | | U.S. Air Force; he completed his military service and went on to |
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| 12 | 13 | | earn a bachelor's degree in health and physical education from Pan |
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| 13 | 14 | | American University and a master's degree in school administration |
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| 14 | 15 | | from Texas A&I University; and |
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| 15 | 16 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Saenz began his notable career as an educator in |
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| 16 | 17 | | 1960 as a teacher and coach for the Rio Grande City CISD; he was |
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| 17 | 18 | | named principal of Rio Grande City Elementary School in 1969, and he |
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| 18 | 19 | | later served as principal of Rio Grande City High School for 17 |
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| 19 | 20 | | years before holding the same position at Brown Middle School in |
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| 20 | 21 | | McAllen; he was appointed superintendent of Rio Grande City schools |
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| 21 | 22 | | in 1992, and in that role he fostered a supportive and challenging |
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| 22 | 23 | | educational environment for all the children in the district; he |
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| 23 | 24 | | subsequently drew on his wealth of administrative experience as a |
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| 24 | 25 | | dean at the South Texas College Starr County Campus, a position he |
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| 25 | 26 | | held for several years until his retirement in 2013; and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Active in a number of professional organizations, |
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| 27 | 28 | | Mr. Saenz served as president of the Rio Grande City CISD Classroom |
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| 28 | 29 | | Teachers Association, where he helped to secure teacher contracts |
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| 29 | 30 | | and to establish the health insurance program for district |
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| 30 | 31 | | employees; he has also served as the first Hispanic president of the |
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| 31 | 32 | | Texas Association of Secondary School Principals, and he has |
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| 32 | 33 | | chaired the Texas School Administrators Council; and |
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| 33 | 34 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Saenz is a valued and longtime congregant of |
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| 34 | 35 | | First United Methodist Church in Rio Grande City; he has been a |
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| 35 | 36 | | member of the local Lions Club for more than a half-century, and he |
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| 36 | 37 | | previously served as a baseball coach for the Rio Grande City Little |
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| 37 | 38 | | League; in addition, he has distinguished himself as chair of the |
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| 38 | 39 | | Starr County Fair Association Scholarship Committee and as a member |
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| 39 | 40 | | and past worshipful master of Hope Lodge No. 471; and |
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| 40 | 41 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Saenz has made immeasurable contributions to |
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| 41 | 42 | | the Rio Grande City CISD, South Texas College, and his community as |
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| 42 | 43 | | a whole, and he may take justifiable pride in his many important |
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| 43 | 44 | | achievements; now, therefore, be it |
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| 44 | 45 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 45 | 46 | | Legislature hereby commend Ruben Saenz for the outstanding |
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| 46 | 47 | | leadership he has provided to the Rio Grande City Consolidated |
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| 47 | 48 | | Independent School District and South Texas College and extend to |
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| 48 | 49 | | him sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further |
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| 49 | 50 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 50 | 51 | | prepared for Mr. Saenz as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 51 | 52 | | House of Representatives. |
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