Bill Text: MS HR81 | 2020 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Mr. Henry Dorsey; recognize and commend for his career of more than 44 years as an esteemed educator.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2020-05-27 - Immediate Release [HR81 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2020-HR81-Engrossed.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2020 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representative Holloway
House Resolution 81
(As Adopted by House)
A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND COMMENDING MR. HENRY DORSEY FOR HIS CAREER OF MORE THAN 44 YEARS AS AN ESTEEMED EDUCATOR.
WHEREAS, Mr. Henry Dorsey has dedicated his life to serving the State of Mississippi in numerous roles as an esteemed educator, and he continues leaving a lasting legacy of excellence even still today after more than 44 years; and
WHEREAS, Henry Dorsey was educated in the Franklin County School District in Meadville, Mississippi, where he received a diploma in 1966, finishing in the top ten of his class and a three sports letterman, and he continued his education at Alcorn State University, majoring in health and physical education, minoring in science with an emphasis on coaching, and he received his bachelor of science in 1970 and later attended Jackson State University where he received a masters in science education and a specialist in administration and supervision; and
WHEREAS, Henry Dorsey was an educator for 44 years with 36 of those years in the Hazlehurst City School District where he served as teacher, coach, principal, athletic director, superintendent and conservator, and he also served as a coach administrator in the Brookhaven School District, assistant principal at Whitten Middle School in Jackson, Mississippi, assistant principal at Richland High School in Richland, Mississippi, principal at Nichols Middle School in Canton, Mississippi, and director of education and training at Mississippi Job Corps in Crystal Springs, Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, a natural teacher, he loved his students and his students loved him, and he knew every child individually and recognized their individual needs, setting high expectations for all students, and there was an achievement level that he required of all students; and
WHEREAS, as a coach, Henry Dorsey is the winningest boys basketball coach in the Hazlehurst City School District with a record of 279 wins and 160 losses, 2 South State Championships, 4 District Championships and an overall State Championship in girls track in 1984; and
WHEREAS, he also coached football at the junior high and high school levels; and, in 1987, he was the driving force to pass a bond issue for a new gym and other facility upgrades; and as an athletic director, he hired and supervised the coaching staffs that won Hazlehurst High School's first overall Class 3A State Football Championship and the Hazlehurst High School Girls Basketball Team won their first and only overall State Championship in girls basketball, and Hazlehurst High School also received two overall State Sportsmanship Awards; and as a coach and athletic director, he planted a lot of positive seeds, made a positive impact on many coaches and students and he made sure that the coaches and students had whatever they needed to be successful; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Dorsey, as a principal, was one of the state's best, being chosen in 2003 as the High School State Principal of the Year and a candidate for the National Principal of the Year, and he worked closely with the late Superintendent, Dr. Robert McDaniel, to devise a plan that enabled the high school students to be successful academically, immediately creating a culture conducive to learning, with improved student behavior and the high school went two years without a student fight; and
WHEREAS, after a successful stint as teacher, athletic director and principal, he was asked to serve as superintendent, and Mr. Dorsey thrived on challenges and his main goal was to get the entire district to improve up to the level of the high school, and facing the greatest challenge of his career he went to work, stepping in as Interim Superintendent in January 2005, one month before the State Department of Education did a District School Facility Assessment Audit in February 2005 and handed the new superintendent a report advising him that the district was on the verge of losing accreditation because of at least 170 deficiencies in overall district facilities and safety issues, and because of not being in compliance with Standard 36, the district was placed on Advised Status, on the verge of losing accreditation; and
WHEREAS, Henry Dorsey guided the maintenance departments and worked with the State Department of Education, and nine months later on December 1, 2005, the school district had corrected all deficiencies and was again awarded its accreditation for the school year 2005-2006, and Superintendent Dorsey also balanced the budget by making necessary cuts that amounted to over Five Hundred Thousand Dollars; and
WHEREAS, two years after Mr. Dorsey's departure from the Hazlehurst City School District, the State Department of Education dissolved the local school board and the district was taken over by the State Department of Education; and after six or seven State Conservators, upon the recommendation of Gregory Holloway, Sr., State Representative, along with state educators and local citizens, the State Department sent Mr. Dorsey back to the district to make sure that the district was in compliance and ready to be transitioned back to local control; and
WHEREAS, as conservator, Mr. Dorsey worked with the Director of Food Service and signed off on a grant which the district received that allowed all children free lunch for four years, and the district, working with the State Department of Education, made the necessary improvements, academically, to meet state standards and he guided the district's budget to over Two Million Dollars in surplus; and
WHEREAS, Conservator Dorsey, along with the School Board Association, trained a new school board and he spearheaded a search for a new superintendent, and the new board hired a new superintendent, and under Mr. Dorsey's tenure as conservator, the district was successfully transitioned back to local control; and
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to recognize and commend outstanding Mississippians, especially those such as Mr. Henry Dorsey, whose dedication and commitment to the education of the youth of our state, which is vital to its future, bring honor to the Hazlehurst community and the State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend Mr. Henry Dorsey for his career of more than 44 years as an esteemed educator, and extend most sincere wishes for continued success in all of his future endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Mr. Henry Dorsey and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.
