Bill Text: VA HR283 | 2023 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commending Dr. Walter R. Clemons.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-02-06 - Bill text as passed House (HR283ER) [HR283 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2023-HR283-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, Dr. Walter R. Clemons, superintendent of Gloucester County Public Schools, was named the Virginia Superintendent of the Year at the annual awards luncheon of the Virginia Association of School Superintendents in Roanoke on May 2, 2022; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Walter R. "Rick" Clemons was selected for the honor by a consortium of education leaders, including presidents of the Virginia Board of Education, the Virginia Education Association, the Virginia Parent and Teacher Association, the Virginia School Boards Association, the Virginia Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals, and the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals, with support from board officers of the Virginia Association of School Superintendents; and
WHEREAS, Rick Clemons has been an education administrator since 1996 and served sequentially as an assistant middle school principal in Newport News Public Schools, assistant high school principal in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools, high school principal then assistant superintendent in Franklin City Public Schools, and superintendent of Northampton County Public Schools before serving as superintendent of Gloucester County Public Schools for the past eight years; and
WHEREAS, with a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the area of education administration, and unwavering compassion and generosity for the community he serves, Rick Clemons has fostered the success of his students and teachers both in and out of the classroom; and
WHEREAS, Rick Clemons has demonstrated exemplary leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, gracefully balancing the educational and social needs of his students with the need to ensure public health and safety; and
WHEREAS, as a result of Rick Clemons' dedication and conscientious approach, Gloucester County Public Schools was one of the first divisions in the region to resume in-person learning, utilizing a phased-in hybrid approach that combined virtual and in-person learning; and
WHEREAS, Rick Clemons has successfully helped Gloucester County Public Schools navigate divisive issues in the community by emphasizing what's best for the students, maintaining transparency around curriculum and teaching resources, and providing a public forum for community members to express their opinions; and
WHEREAS, Rick Clemons is notably the first superintendent from Gloucester County Public Schools and only the second from Region III to receive the Virginia Superintendent of the Year honor since it was established in 1988; and
WHEREAS, as the Virginia Superintendent of the Year, Rick Clemons is the Commonwealth's nomination for the National Superintendent of the Year award, which will be presented in February 2023 by the American Association of School Superintendents; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Dr. Walter R. Clemons, superintendent of Gloucester County Public Schools, hereby be commended on the occasion of being named Virginia Superintendent of the Year; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Dr. Walter R. Clemons as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for his contributions to the Commonwealth.
