TITLE: Congratulating Penny Smeltzer of Round Rock ISD on her receipt of the 2010 O'Donnell Texas AP Teacher Award.

SUMMARY: Congratulating Penny Smeltzer of Round Rock ISD on her receipt of the 2010 O'Donnell Texas AP Teacher Award.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Penny Smeltzer of the Round Rock Independent School District has received the 2010 O'Donnell Texas AP Teacher Award; and WHEREAS, Presented by the Communities Foundation of Texas with support from the David Nathan Meyerson Private Foundation, this prestigious annual award recognizes an advanced placement teacher in a Texas public high school who has excelled in inspiring his or her students to master college-level work and who has contributed significantly to the teaching profession; and WHEREAS, Penny Smeltzer earned her undergraduate degree in history, mathematics, and English from Western Michigan University, and she went on to study statistics at Texas A&M University and Austin Community College; and WHEREAS, A veteran teacher with 31 years of experience, Ms. Smeltzer leads classes in advanced placement statistics at Westwood High School in Round Rock; she introduced her first AP statistics course in 1996, and today she oversees an AP statistics program with an enrollment of more than 200 students; not only is her program one of the largest of its kind in the country, but its students regularly post AP statistics exam scores that exceed the state and national averages; and WHEREAS, In addition to creating innovative strategies to engage and motivate her students, Ms. Smeltzer has worked extensively with the College Board, authoring materials and presenting at conferences; the recipient of numerous other accolades, she was honored for her outstanding teaching by the Texas Exes in 2009 and was named the National AP Teacher of the Year by the Siemens Foundation in 2008; and WHEREAS, The advanced placement teachers of Texas play a vital role in preparing their students for academic achievement, and Penny Smeltzer's ability to inspire her students through her skill, energy, and generosity has put her in the front rank of Texas educators; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby congratulate Penny Smeltzer on her receipt of the 2010 O'Donnell Texas AP Teacher Award and extend to her sincere best wishes for continued success in her important work; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Ms. Smeltzer as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Flynn Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 247 was adopted by the House on February 24, 2011, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House