| 12 | 16 | | |
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| 13 | 17 | | |
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| 14 | 18 | | |
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| 15 | 19 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Mark R. Jones, an accomplished education administrator and longstanding superintendent of Pittsylvania County Public Schools, will retire at the end of the 20242025 school year; and |
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| 16 | 20 | | |
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| 17 | 21 | | WHEREAS, Mark Jones began his education career with Pittsylvania County Schools (PCS) in 1986 and worked for the division in various capacities over the years, including as a teacher, coach, middle school principal, director of secondary education, assistant superintendent for instruction, and division superintendent; and |
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| 18 | 22 | | |
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| 19 | 23 | | WHEREAS, in addition to PCS, Mark Jones served five years as an assistant principal in Prince Edward County Public Schools and more than eight years as superintendent of King William County Public Schools; he became superintendent of PCS on December 1, 2015; and |
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| 20 | 24 | | |
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| 21 | 25 | | WHEREAS, Mark Jones has fostered meaningful relationships with community and educational partners to enhance PCS's ability to serve its students and improve their lives; and |
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| 22 | 26 | | |
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| 23 | 27 | | WHEREAS, under Mark Jones' leadership, PCS developed several new learning initiatives to support its students, including the health sciences and advanced manufacturing academies at the PCS STEM Academy, the Ready for Success program for elementary students in need of behavioral support, and the STAR program for students with autism; and |
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| 24 | 28 | | |
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| 25 | 29 | | WHEREAS, during his tenure as superintendent of PCS, one-hundred percent of the division's schools were fully accredited and four of the schools were recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools by the United States Department of Education; and |
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| 26 | 30 | | |
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| 27 | 31 | | WHEREAS, Mark Jones adroitly navigated PCS through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the school division was one of the first in the Commonwealth to return to in-person learning; and |
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| 28 | 32 | | |
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| 29 | 33 | | WHEREAS, in recognition of his accomplishments while superintendent of King William County Public Schools, Mark Jones was named Region 3 Superintendent of the Year in 2015; and |
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| 30 | 34 | | |
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| 31 | 35 | | WHEREAS, by demonstrating an unwavering devotion to the students and faculty he served and a deep commitment to preparing the next generation's leaders, Mark Jones has exemplified the ideals of the teaching profession and earned the praise and admiration of all Virginians; now, therefore, be it |
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| 32 | 36 | | |
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| 33 | 37 | | RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Dr. Mark R. Jones, superintendent of Pittsylvania County Public Schools, on the occasion of his retirement; and, be it |
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| 34 | 38 | | |
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| 35 | 39 | | RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Dr. Mark R. Jones as an expression of the General Assembly's high regard for his contributions to the education of young people in the Commonwealth. |
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