TITLE: Honoring Dr. Dawson Orr for his service as superintendent of the Highland Park Independent School District.

SUMMARY: Honoring Dr. Dawson Orr for his service as superintendent of the Highland Park Independent School District.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Dr. Dawson Orr is stepping down as superintendent of the Highland Park Independent School District on August 31, 2015, having guided the district through a period of significant change and growth; and WHEREAS, A veteran school superintendent when he took the helm of the Highland Park ISD in 2009, Dr. Orr has furthered the district's reputation for strong academics while navigating funding challenges and overseeing a 12 percent increase in enrollment; in the 2013-2014 school year, Highland Park ISD and all seven of its campuses received the accountability rating "Met Standard" with distinctions, the highest level assigned by the Texas Education Agency; and WHEREAS, This esteemed administrator began his career in 1975 in Columbus, Georgia, where he served successively as a social studies teacher and as assistant principal at Baker High School; he then relocated to Veracruz, Mexico, to serve as a teacher and as elementary principal and subsequently as superintendent at the American School of Laguna Verde; after returning to Texas, he spent 15 years with the Pampa ISD as assistant superintendent and as superintendent before becoming superintendent of the Wichita Falls ISD in 2003; and WHEREAS, Highly respected in his field, Dr. Orr has served as president of the Texas Association of School Administrators, as chair of the association's legislative committee, and as president of the Texas Leadership Center Board, as well as co-chair of the Texas High Performance Schools Consortium; named Superintendent of the Year in 2008 by Communities in Schools, he was selected as Key Communicator of the Year by the Texas School Public Relations Association in 2005; and WHEREAS, In addition to his extensive efforts in the arena of public education, Dr. Orr has given generously of his time and talents in behalf of his community as a member of the University Park Library Advisory Committee, the Park Cities Rotary Club, and the Education Impact Committee of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas; he will remain in the Park Cities to take on new responsibilities at Southern Methodist University as a professor and as chair of the Department of Educational Policy and Leadership in the Simmons School of Education and Human Development; and WHEREAS, Dr. Orr is a graduate of the University of Alabama, where he earned his bachelor's degree in public administration and social studies in 1975; he returned to the school to complete a master's degree in administration and planning and an additional master's degree as an educational specialist, and he went on to attain his doctorate in the Cooperative Superintendency Program at The University of Texas; and WHEREAS, Throughout his distinguished tenure with the Highland Park ISD, Dr. Dawson Orr has advanced the tradition of excellence that is synonymous with that district, and Highland Park students, faculty, and staff are indeed fortunate to have benefited from his vision and leadership; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby honor Dr. Dawson Orr for his exceptional accomplishments as superintendent of the Highland Park Independent School District and extend to him sincere best wishes as he embarks on the next exciting chapter of his career; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Dr. Orr as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Meyer Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 2443 was adopted by the House on May 7, 2015, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House