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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Martin Peña is retiring as executive director of the |
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| 6 | 7 | | South Texas Association of Schools in June 2017, drawing to a close |
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| 7 | 8 | | an outstanding career in education that has spanned more than half a |
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| 8 | 9 | | century; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, After earning an associate degree from Del Mar |
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| 10 | 11 | | Junior College, Mr. Peña received a bachelor's degree in secondary |
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| 11 | 12 | | education and a master's degree and high school principal |
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| 12 | 13 | | certification from Texas A&I University; he also holds |
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| 13 | 14 | | superintendent certification from Pan American University; and |
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| 14 | 15 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Peña embarked on his career in 1960 as a faculty |
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| 15 | 16 | | member with the Edcouch-Elsa Independent School District, and over |
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| 16 | 17 | | the next seven years, he taught both there and in the Pharr-San |
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| 17 | 18 | | Juan-Alamo ISD; in 1966, he moved into administration in the |
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| 18 | 19 | | Edcouch-Elsa school district, where he served as an assistant |
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| 19 | 20 | | principal, as assistant superintendent, and as director of federal |
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| 20 | 21 | | programs, and between 1971 and 1973, he held the posts of principal, |
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| 21 | 22 | | director of federal programs, and assistant superintendent in |
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| 22 | 23 | | Mercedes ISD; and |
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| 23 | 24 | | WHEREAS, After serving as deputy executive director for the |
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| 24 | 25 | | Region One Educational Service Center and as assistant and deputy |
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| 25 | 26 | | superintendent of PSJA ISD, Mr. Peña became superintendent of Point |
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| 26 | 27 | | Isabel ISD in 1976; he took office as superintendent of Los Fresnos |
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| 27 | 28 | | ISD in 1989, and six years later, he returned to his post as |
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| 28 | 29 | | superintendent in Point Isabel; and |
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| 29 | 30 | | WHEREAS, Dedicated to the cause of public education, Mr. Peña |
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| 30 | 31 | | played a leading role in the creation of the South Texas Association |
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| 31 | 32 | | of Schools in 1999; for the past 18 years, he has led the |
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| 32 | 33 | | association as executive director, working tirelessly to promote |
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| 33 | 34 | | effective education policy, to advocate for fair and equitable |
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| 34 | 35 | | funding, and to champion the interests of schoolchildren throughout |
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| 35 | 36 | | South Texas and across the Lone Star State; and |
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| 36 | 37 | | WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Peña enjoys the love and |
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| 37 | 38 | | support of his wife of 53 years, Lucila Peña, and his life has been |
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| 38 | 39 | | further enriched by his five children, Gabe, Palmira, Mike, |
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| 39 | 40 | | Cecilia, and Robert, and his eight grandchildren; and |
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| 40 | 41 | | WHEREAS, Martin Peña's expertise, professionalism, and |
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| 41 | 42 | | unwavering commitment to improving Texas schools have greatly |
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| 42 | 43 | | benefited generations of young people and earned him the respect |
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| 43 | 44 | | and admiration of his fellow educators, and he may indeed reflect |
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| 44 | 45 | | with pride on a career well spent as he embarks upon the next |
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| 45 | 46 | | exciting chapter of his life; 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 congratulate Martin Peña on his retirement as |
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| 48 | 49 | | executive director of the South Texas Association of Schools and |
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| 49 | 50 | | extend to him sincere best wishes 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. Peña as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 52 | 53 | | House of Representatives. |
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