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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish to congratulate Dr. Serena L. Preston, 
4educator and superintendent of the Illinois School for the 
5Visually Impaired,  on the occasion of her retirement on June 
630, 2020; and
  
 
7    WHEREAS, Dr. Preston is an admired educator and 
8administrator; for more than 20 years,   she has tirelessly  
9advocated for students who are blind or visually impaired; and
  
 
10    WHEREAS, Dr. Preston is a native of Independence, Missouri 
11and a graduate of William Chrisman High School; she  left the 
12Kansas City area to attend MacMurray College, a private school 
13in Jacksonville, where she received her bachelor's degree 
14before embarking on a remarkable career in education; and
  
 
15    WHEREAS, Dr. Preston graduated from Illinois State 
16University in Bloomington with a master's degree in Special 
17Education and a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from 
18the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Dr. Preston has devoted more than 20 years of 
20service to the students of the Illinois School for the Visually 
21Impaired; she has served in many roles, working with students 
 
 
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1as a classroom educator,  as school principal, and currently, as 
2school superintendent; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Dr. Preston served as an interim superintendent of 
4the Illinois School for the Deaf for two years while 
5concurrently serving as the superintendent of the Illinois 
6School for the Visually Impaired; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Dr. Preston is a longtime member of the 
8Association of Educators and Rehabilitation Specialists for 
9the Blind (AER); she also serves with the Council of Schools 
10for the Blind (COSB), the Illinois Principals Association, the 
11Advisory Council of the Illinois State University College of 
12Special Education, and many other state and local committees in 
13an effort to advocate for students who are blind or visually 
14impaired and guide best practices across the field; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Dr. Preston is active at the national level, 
16serving as an American Printing House for the Blind Ex-Officio 
17Trustee, collaborating closely with other professionals in the 
18field to be certain products and services support maximum 
19learning and accessibility, as this important work impacts the 
20lives of many persons with a visual impairment; and
  
 
21    WHEREAS, Dr. Preston has been an active member of the local 
22community, serving as vice-chair of the Jacksonville Area 
 
 
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1Transition Planning Council, as 4-H Project Leader, and  4-H 
2County Fair Show Superintendent; she has served on Illinois 
3State Fair 4-H committees and as a show volunteer; she was 
4coordinator of the annual Youth Camp Fund and a member/director 
5of community theater and music productions; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Dr. Preston has been a tireless advocate for 
7children and educators for over 32 years, creating positive and 
8lasting changes for  the Illinois School for the Visually 
9Impaired; therefore, be it
  
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
11HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
12we congratulate Dr. Serena L. Preston on her retirement as 
13educator and superintendent of the Illinois School for the 
14Visually Impaired,  and we commend her work and wish her the 
15best in all her future endeavors; and be it further
  
 
16    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
17presented to Dr. Preston as an expression of our admiration and 
18gratitude for her commitment to the youth and educators of 
19Illinois.