WHEREAS, in June 2024, Mark Palmer retired as the chair of Alternative Education programs at East Rockingham High School, having touched the lives of countless young people over the course of his long and distinguished tenure as an educator; and

WHEREAS, a graduate of Shepherd University, Mark Palmer began his teaching career at Jefferson High School in West Virginia, in 1985; and

WHEREAS, Mark Palmer relocated to the Commonwealth in 1987 when he joined Fort Defiance High School and subsequently worked at Broadway High School, Dayton Learning Center, and Spotswood High School, where he was selected as Teacher of the Year in 2009; and

WHEREAS, Mark Palmer began his tenure at East Rockingham High School in 2010 and served as department chair and coordinator of all Alternative Education programs, including day-time courses, night school, and summer school; and

WHEREAS, through his unrelenting optimism and determination, Mark Palmer was able to connect with students who had troubled relationships with other teachers or their parents and strove to ensure that every child at East Rockingham High School had an opportunity to achieve their fullest potential; and

WHEREAS, Mark Palmer helped struggling students graduate on time through remedial coursework and night school and ensured that young people in need of counseling and guidance felt valued and supported, often believing in them when no one else did; and

WHEREAS, in addition to teaching, Mark Palmer also supported and inspired young people as a coach, leading various football, baseball, and boys' and girls' basketball teams between 1985 and 2016; and

WHEREAS, upon his retirement at the end of the 2023–2024 school year, Mark Palmer received hundreds of messages from current and former students and colleagues, detailing his incredible contributions to the educational process and the positive impact he had on their lives; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That Mark Palmer hereby be commended on the occasion of his well-earned retirement as an educator; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Mark Palmer as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's admiration for his legacy of life-changing service to young people.