RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF FEBRUARY 15, 2018
Title
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners recognizing George Leland Elementary School’s participation in the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago’s African American History Month Seminar Series
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WHEREAS, African American History Month celebrates the vital role African Americans have played in the history of this country and a strong appreciation of this history will inspire our youth to determine the impact they will have on its future; and
WHEREAS, George Leland Elementary School located at 512 S. LaVergne Ave., Chicago offers a rigorous instructional STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) curriculum for all Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade students; and
WHEREAS, Leland School has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a School of Excellence and a Blue Ribbon School and by the Illinois Department of Education as a Spotlight School and an Honor Roll School; and
WHEREAS, Leland School’s mission is to provide an academic program in a caring and supportive learning environment emphasizing reading and STEM subjects tailored to the needs of the students; and
WHEREAS, Leland School’s vision involves all stakeholders including school staff, students, parents and community members to create a positive student-centered learning environment in which to educate all students across the curriculum; and
WHEREAS, Principal Turon Ivy, M.Ed. and Assistant Principal Palisha Daughrity, M.S.Ed provide the leadership that supports students in their quest to achieve and demonstrate high levels of academic performance to prepare for high school, college and careers; and
WHEREAS, Leland School is a Space to Grow Healthy School which is an innovative partnership of the Healthy Schools Campaign, Openlands, Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the Chicago Department of Water Management and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago that transforms schoolyards into centers for outdoor learning, play and engagement with nature while also addressing neighborhood flooding issues; and
WHEREAS, Leland eighth grade students and teachers participated in the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago’s African American History Month Seminar Series on January 16, 2018 and January 23, 2018; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Conrad Worrill, Ph.D., Retired Professor and Director of Center for Inner City Studies at Northeastern Illinois University, presented “Ascent to the National Stage: An overview of Illinois elected officials’ rise from a local to a national arena”; and
WHEREAS, the theme on January 16 was “Reconstruction Era to the 1930s;” and the theme on January 23 was “1966 to Present Day;” and
WHEREAS, an in-depth discussion focused on the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery in the U.S.; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, on behalf of ourselves and staff, do hereby recognize Leland Elementary School Principal Turon Ivy, Assistant Principal Palisha Daughrity, 8th grade teachers Bareka Camp and Melanie White, and 8th grade students Tamia Ahmond, Abraham Ailemon, Devadious Blackmon, Tia Burel, Marcellis Burns, Destini Carter, Stanley Carter, Arica Colier, Tajuana Cooper, Kennedy Davis, Leanna Davison, Skyy Gant, Dontae Grayson, Sh-Kyra Harrington, Chloe Harris, Joshua Harris, Donquavis Henigan, Alicia Hill, Quan Hobson, Amaiya Marshall, Alaila Miles, Deyonna Morris, Kenyatta Murray, Ramona Perkins, Jereniah Porter, Aarika Redmond-McLendon, Arionna Reese, Dannie Robinson, Jamir Sneed, Latrice Space, Jamela Taylor, Deja Walker, Jalen Washington, Justin Washington, Meila Whittington, Jaques Williams and Jamon Wilson; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution be spread upon the permanent Record of Proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.
Dated: February 15, 2018
Approved: MARIYANA T. SPYROPOULOS, President; BARBARA J. MCGOWAN, Vice President; FRANK AVILA, Chairman, Committee on Finance; MARTIN J. DURKAN; JOSINA MORITA; DEBRA SHORE; KARI K. STEELE; DAVID J. WALSH; Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Approved as to Form and Legality: Susan T. Morakalis, General Counsel, STM:aw