HR0857 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0857 LRB099 15332 GRL 39569 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate the administration, teachers, and students of Longfellow Elementary School on the occasion of the school's designation as a National Blue Ribbon School by the United States Department of Education; and

WHEREAS, The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes public and private elementary, middle, and high schools where students either achieve high learning standards or are making notable improvements in closing the achievement gap; and

WHEREAS, Longfellow Elementary School was recognized in the category of Exemplary High Performing Schools, which are among the State's highest performing schools as measured by State assessments or national tests; the category also recognizes the highest levels of student subgroup performance and high school graduation rates; and

WHEREAS, Longfellow Elementary School touts its small class sizes and has just 4 classrooms at each grade level from kindergarten to fifth grade, with an average of 23 students per class; the school serves about 400 students and has a program for English Language Learners, with 47 identified ELL students speaking about 10 different languages or 19 home languages; the school also has a full-time reading specialist and a part-time reading teacher available to teach at-risk students in small groups and has one of the district's largest gifted programs, which teaches 46 intermediate students in reading and math; and

WHEREAS, Longfellow Elementary School will be officially recognized at a ceremony on November 9-10, 2015 in Washington, D.C.; and

WHEREAS, The administration, teachers, and students of Longfellow Elementary School serve as models 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-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the administration, teachers, and students of Longfellow Elementary School on the occasion of the school's designation as a National Blue Ribbon School by the United States Department of Education and wish them continued success and happiness in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Longfellow Elementary School as a symbol of our esteem and respect.