HR1336 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1336 LRB095 21492 KXB 51090 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Neil Codell, Superintendent of Niles Township High School District 219 on his retirement; and

WHEREAS, Neil Codell has been the Superintendent of Niles Township High Schools District 219 since July 1, 2002; prior to that he served three years as the principal at Niles North High School and as a teenager attended Niles West for two years; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Codell's time as superintendent includes many significant accomplishments, including: leading the community-wide effort in 2004 to pass a successful voter referendum increasing the education fund; overseeing extensive construction improvements at both schools; and changing the school day structure from mods to periods; Mr. Codell also worked closely with the teacher and support unions to build greater cooperation and harmony between the bargaining units and management, including a three-year extension to the current contracts; and

WHEREAS, Under his leadership, the high schools introduced an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) for each student and began to offer annual Parent-Teacher conferences that allow parents to meet with teachers individually; he started the practice of having student representatives on the District 219 Board of Education; throughout his teaching career, students, parents, and colleagues have remarked on Mr. Codell's unique abilities to get to know students personally, and relentlessly advocate for them; and

WHEREAS, Before coming to District 219, Mr. Codell was principal at Whitefish Bay High School in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, where, under his reign, ACT scores improved to the highest in the state and National Honor Society membership increased by 50%; Mr. Codell held various roles in elementary and junior high school districts in Illinois; previous positions include being principal at Addison Trail High School, Northwood Junior High School, and acting superintendent at Highwood-Highland Park School District 111, where he was instrumental in passing a referendum before the school district underwent consolidation; his first position as a principal was at West Elementary School in Waukegan; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Codell began his career as a teacher at Senn High School in Chicago, where he spent ten years working with students with social and emotional disorders; Mr. Codell holds a B.A. in history and a Master's of Education in Historical Foundation from Loyola University; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Neil Codell on his retirement and thank him for his years of dedication to the educational needs of our young people; and be it further

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