Bill Text: TX HR1926 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Congratulating the McAllen Independent School District on its designation as a 2013 Best Community for Music Education by the National Association of Music Merchants' Foundation.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2013-05-16 - Reported enrolled [HR1926 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HR1926-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Congratulating the McAllen Independent School District on its designation as a 2013 Best Community for Music Education by the National Association of Music Merchants' Foundation.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2013-05-16 - Reported enrolled [HR1926 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HR1926-Introduced.html
83R24152 JWI-D | ||
By: Guerra | H.R. No. 1926 |
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WHEREAS, The McAllen Independent School District was | ||
recognized as a 2013 Best Community for Music Education by the | ||
National Association of Music Merchants' Foundation; and | ||
WHEREAS, The judges who award the Best Community for Music | ||
Education designation closely examine districts' music | ||
departments, noting the levels of participation and achievement, | ||
the range of programs offered, and the qualifications of their | ||
teachers; and | ||
WHEREAS, Under the leadership of Dr. James Ponce, | ||
superintendent, and Karen Herrera, director of the district's Fine | ||
Arts Department, music programs are thriving in McAllen ISD; | ||
approximately 11,000 elementary school students and 5,000 | ||
secondary students participate in one of the district's many | ||
offerings, including such specialty programs as jazz band, show | ||
choir, orchestra, and mariachi; and | ||
WHEREAS, NAMM noted a number of criteria that earned McAllen | ||
this honor, including the support of the administration and school | ||
board for fine arts and the success of students at the state level | ||
in band, choir, and orchestra; the organization also applauded the | ||
quality music instruction that students receive, a result due in | ||
part to the district's adoption of the team teaching concept, which | ||
allows music teachers to travel between schools; and | ||
WHEREAS, While many districts have struggled to secure | ||
funding for arts programs, McAllen has made supporting music | ||
education a priority, and each year students showcase their talents | ||
at hundreds of performances; the orchestra program has been offered | ||
throughout the district since 1978, and more than 900 secondary | ||
students currently participate; at the elementary school level, | ||
over 400 students perform at the annual Fourth Grade Choral | ||
Festival, and each school offers special ensembles, including | ||
guitar, melodic percussion, and drum line; in a partnership with | ||
the Valley Symphony Orchestra, the Success through Strings program | ||
pairs 20 children with a professional violinist who teaches them | ||
using the Suzuki method, incorporating string instruments resized | ||
for their small hands but engineered to carry the same sound; and | ||
WHEREAS, McAllen ISD believes that quality arts instruction | ||
plays an integral role in children's education, enriching their | ||
lives, enhancing their cognitive thinking skills, improving their | ||
self-esteem, and giving them a sense of belonging, and the district | ||
is indeed deserving of this prestigious honor; now, therefore, be | ||
it | ||
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas | ||
Legislature hereby congratulate the McAllen Independent School | ||
District on its designation as a 2013 Best Community for Music | ||
Education by the National Association of Music Merchants' | ||
Foundation and extend to the district's students and teachers | ||
sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further | ||
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
prepared for McAllen ISD as an expression of high regard by the | ||
Texas House of Representatives. |