Bill Text: VA HJR651 | 2015 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Celebrating the life of Dr. William Cleveland Bosher, Jr.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 21-3)
Status: (Passed) 2015-01-30 - Bill text as passed House and Senate (HJ651ER) [HJR651 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2015-HJR651-Enrolled.html
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WHEREAS, Dr. William Cleveland Bosher, Jr., distinguished architect of public education in Virginia and respected former Superintendent of Public Instruction, was born on January 21, 1946, in Richmond and passed into eternal life on December 1, 2014; and WHEREAS, Dr. William Cleveland Bosher, Jr., was reared by parents who loved him and instilled in him Christian values, a love of learning, and a strong work ethic; he graduated from Lee Davis High School, received a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Richmond, a master's degree in counselor education from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a doctorate in educational administration from the University of Virginia; and WHEREAS, as Superintendent of Public Instruction, Dr. William Cleveland Bosher, Jr., led the Virginia Board of Education's implementation of the controversial Standards of Learning that were designed to strengthen student learning and promote educational accountability; and WHEREAS, Dr. William Cleveland Bosher, Jr., dedicated his professional life to the education of young people, coming up through the ranks as an English teacher, supervisor, and principal in the Henrico County public school system; in 1981, he was elevated to Henrico County superintendent of schools; and WHEREAS, after leaving his position as Henrico County superintendent of schools, Dr. William Cleveland Bosher, Jr., served as State Superintendent of Public Instruction from 1994 to 1996; and WHEREAS, he served from 1996 to 2000 as Chesterfield County superintendent of schools, and during his tenure, Dr. William Cleveland Bosher, Jr., led the effort to increase the number of fully accredited county schools under the Standards of Learning program; and WHEREAS, after leaving his position as Chesterfield County superintendent of schools in 2000, Dr. William Cleveland Bosher, Jr., served as executive director of the Commonwealth Educational Policy Institute and distinguished professor of public policy and education at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he also served as Dean of the School of Education from 2002 to 2005 and created the Student Services Center to consolidate admissions, advising, and clinical placements; and WHEREAS, as a teacher, principal, state director, division superintendent of two of Virginia's largest school systems exceeding more than 35,000 students, and Superintendent of Public Instruction, Dr. William Cleveland Bosher, Jr., had a profound impact on public education in the Commonwealth through his many years of service, as a mentor to hundreds of students and colleagues, as the NBC12 Educational Specialist, and as a member of several professional and community organizations, among them the University of Richmond Board of Trustees, board of directors of the Education Commission of the States, the Appalachian Education Laboratory, the Schoolnet, Inc., board of advisors, and director of River City Bank in Mechanicsville; and WHEREAS, William Bosher is the only Virginia division superintendent who was named twice as the Superintendent of the Year and was voted the Arts Administrator of the Year by the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.; he served as consultant to more than 35 states and foreign countries on educational law, finance, policy analysis, standards development, school evaluations, and human relations; and he was a prolific writer, authoring many school law and educational leadership articles and books; and WHEREAS, a devout Christian man whose faith in God was foremost in his life and informed his decisions, Dr. William Cleveland Bosher, Jr., was a Bible School teacher and an elder at Fairmount Christian Church for many years; when teaching, he possessed the ability to make the most complicated Bible passages easy to understand for persons at all levels of faith; and he enjoyed singing in "Just Us," a five-man group, throughout Central Virginia; and WHEREAS, always smiling and resplendent in his signature bow tie, Dr. William Cleveland Bosher, Jr., was affectionately known as "Pop" to his granddaughters and "Bill" to others; he was a devoted son, husband, brother, father, grandfather, and servant of God; with respect for and in honor of his extraordinary service to the Commonwealth, the flag of the Commonwealth of Virginia was flown at half-staff on all local, state, and federal buildings and grounds in the Counties of Chesterfield, Hanover, and Henrico and the City of Richmond, and over the James Monroe Building in Richmond, where he served as Superintendent of Public Instruction, on the day of his homegoing service; and WHEREAS, Dr. William Cleveland Bosher, Jr.'s pastor noted that his life ended as he had lived and prepared for it: "He taught Sunday School on Sunday morning, then went to bed on Sunday night and woke up in heaven"; and WHEREAS, Dr. William Cleveland Bosher, Jr., leaves a legacy of educational excellence, and the memory of his extraordinary kindness, warm and genuine smile, compassion, and devotion to his God will be cherished by all who loved and knew him; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Dr. William Cleveland Bosher, Jr.; and, be it RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Dr. William Cleveland Bosher, Jr., as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory and appreciation of his outstanding contributions to public education in the Commonwealth. |
