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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, Jim Richardson will be retiring on August 1, 2017, |
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| 6 | 7 | | after 34 years of service as headmaster of Dallas Academy, and this |
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| 7 | 8 | | provides a fitting opportunity to reflect on his long and |
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| 8 | 9 | | distinguished tenure at the helm of that institution; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, In 1983, Mr. Richardson was appointed as the sixth |
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| 10 | 11 | | headmaster of Dallas Academy, bringing to the campus a vision for |
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| 11 | 12 | | growth and a genuine commitment to promoting educational excellence |
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| 12 | 13 | | for students with learning differences; under his leadership, the |
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| 13 | 14 | | school quickly established an athletic program and began offering a |
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| 14 | 15 | | variety of student extracurricular activities, and its enrollment |
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| 15 | 16 | | steadily grew, surpassing 100 in 1992; and |
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| 16 | 17 | | WHEREAS, The increased number of students required expanded |
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| 17 | 18 | | facilities, and Mr. Richardson's leadership was key to the many |
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| 18 | 19 | | changes that took place at the school in the late 1990s and early |
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| 19 | 20 | | 2000s; a gymnasium was added in 1997, and after additional land was |
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| 20 | 21 | | purchased and the academy merged with the Lattner School, a |
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| 21 | 22 | | beautiful new addition was dedicated in 2008 that included a |
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| 22 | 23 | | library, cafeteria, and multiple learning labs; today, the campus |
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| 23 | 24 | | accommodates a student body that numbers approximately 200; and |
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| 24 | 25 | | WHEREAS, While guiding the development of Dallas Academy, |
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| 25 | 26 | | Mr. Richardson has had the joy of watching its students, many of |
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| 26 | 27 | | whom had struggled in public schools, gain newfound confidence and |
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| 27 | 28 | | achieve success in their course work and activities; during his |
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| 28 | 29 | | tenure, the academy's football team won its first state title, its |
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| 29 | 30 | | yearbook, The Legend, received national recognition, and |
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| 30 | 31 | | performing arts students staged the first annual holiday musical; |
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| 31 | 32 | | and |
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| 32 | 33 | | WHEREAS, Born and raised in Wichita Falls, Jim Richardson was |
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| 33 | 34 | | inspired to pursue his calling after witnessing the compassion and |
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| 34 | 35 | | commitment of his mother, who taught students with special needs; |
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| 35 | 36 | | he worked as a teacher and administrator at Skyline High School from |
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| 36 | 37 | | 1975 to 1983 before being recruited as headmaster of Dallas |
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| 37 | 38 | | Academy; retirement will afford him the opportunity to spend more |
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| 38 | 39 | | time with his treasured family, which includes his wife, Meg, his |
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| 39 | 40 | | daughter, Meghan, his son-in-law, Ken, and his three grandsons; and |
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| 40 | 41 | | WHEREAS, Revered for his passion and enthusiasm, Jim |
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| 41 | 42 | | Richardson has made a transformative impact through his work as |
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| 42 | 43 | | headmaster that will shape the future of Dallas Academy for years to |
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| 43 | 44 | | come, and he departs from his post with the admiration of his |
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| 44 | 45 | | colleagues and the gratitude of countless students and families; |
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| 45 | 46 | | now, therefore, be it |
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| 46 | 47 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 47 | 48 | | Legislature hereby honor Jim Richardson on his retirement as |
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| 48 | 49 | | headmaster of Dallas Academy and extend to him sincere best wishes |
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| 49 | 50 | | for the future; and, be it further |
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| 50 | 51 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 51 | 52 | | prepared for Mr. Richardson as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 52 | 53 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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