HR1061 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1061 LRB097 21541 GRL 69672 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Dr. Michael Johnson of Springfield on the occasion of his retirement as Executive Director of the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB); and

WHEREAS, Michael Johnson graduated from Bushnell-Prairie City High School in 1970; he earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics, master's degree in education administration, and educational specialist degree from Western Illinois University and his doctorate of education from Illinois State University; and

WHEREAS, Michael Johnson began his tenure as the 5th executive director of IASB in September of 2000; as Executive Director, he ably led a staff of more than 53 employees, with offices in Springfield and Lombard and an annual operating budget of over $5 million; and

WHEREAS, Prior to his service at IASB, he taught mathematics and special education in Quincy schools from 1973 to 1976 and was K-12 principal in Scott-Morgan Community Unit School District 2 in Bluffs from 1976 to 1977; from 1977 to 1982, he served as Principal of Southern High School in Stronghurst; in 1982, he became superintendent of Toluca Community Unit School District 2, where he served until 1991; during this period, he also served as superintendent of Wenona Community Unit School District 1 for one year; from 1991 to 2000, he served as superintendent of Evergreen Park Community High School District 231 in Cook County; and

WHEREAS, Michael Johnson serves on the Illinois School District Liquid Asset Fund Plus Board, the Workers' Compensation Self-Insurance Trust Board, the Illinois School District Agency Property Casualty Board, and the Illinois Energy Consortium (IEC) Board; he serves as chairman of the School Leaders Risk Management Association, a multi-state Board legal liability reinsurance pool; he is a member of the ISBE Testing and Accountability committee and served as a co-chair of the Governor's Education Transition Team; he is also a member of the International High School Committee and the National School Boards Association Executive Directors Liaison Committee; and

WHEREAS, Michael Johnson has worked with the Illinois State Board of Education on the Superintendent's Advisory Committee, and has been an active member of vocational monitoring teams, special education peer monitoring teams, quality assurance review teams, the Prairie State Exam Committee, and the Testing and Accountability Committee, among many other boards and committees; and

WHEREAS, Michael Johnson was the recipient of the Illinois Crime Commission Educator of the Year award in 1999; he also serves as President of the Rotary Club in Toluca and Evergreen Park and has been active in the United Methodist Church, Boy Scouts, Boy's Club, and girl's softball and volleyball; and

WHEREAS, Michael Johnson and his wife, Kim, were married on December 22, 1973; they have 3 children, Jason (Stefanie), Jennifer (Jamie), and Jacob, and 2 grandchildren, Samantha and Lincoln, with another grandchild on the way; and

WHEREAS, Michael Johnson has served as a model of hard work, integrity, and dedication for the people of the State of Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Dr. Michael Johnson on the occasion of his retirement, thank him for his service to the people of this State, and wish him many happy and healthy retirement years; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Michael Johnson as a symbol of our esteem and respect.