HR1264

LRB096 22394 GRL 41544 r





  
1

HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2
    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3
Representatives are pleased to congratulate Lyle Rigdon on the 
4
occasion of his retirement as the Pawnee Superintendent of 
5
Schools; and
  
 
6
    WHEREAS, Lyle Rigdon graduated from Ridgefarm High School 
7
and Danville Area Community College; he then graduated from 
8
Purdue University with a degree in industrial technology; and
  
 
9
    WHEREAS, Lyle Rigdon began his educational career as an 
10
industrial technology teacher at Westville High School in 
11
Westville and Southview Middle School in Danville; he then left 
12
the education field and moved to Elkhart, Indiana, where he 
13
worked in quality control at Accra Pac; shortly after, he took 
14
a job at Dometic, where he served as the company's national 
15
training manager and traveled across the country to attend 
16
trade shows and develop the company's training manuals; and
  
 
17
    WHEREAS, Following his service at Dometic, Lyle Rigdon 
18
returned to the Champaign area when he was offered a position 
19
with the Vocational Education Department at the University of 
20
Illinois, where he was in charge of developing educational 
21
materials and training for schools across the nation; he then 
22
accepted a job with the National Center for Supercomputing on 
 


 






HR1264
- 2 -
LRB096 22394 GRL 41544 r




1
the University of Illinois campus, where he developed the 
2
center's training materials and conducted training programs 
3
for high school teachers; during this time, he returned to 
4
school to complete his master's degree in educational 
5
administration; and
  
 
6
    WHEREAS, After his service at the University of Illinois, 
7
Lyle Rigdon accepted the position of principal at Westville 
8
High School; as principal, he implemented the school's 
9
Renaissance program and academy programs, wrote various 
10
grants, helped to increase attendance, and conducted various 
11
graduation rate programs; he then returned to school and 
12
completed his certification to become a school superintendent; 
13
shortly after, he took a position as a principal/superintendent 
14
in Ludlow; as principal/superintendent, he co-wrote over 
15
$500,000 in reading improvement grants, organized many 
16
collections for students, and was a reader for grants for the 
17
State of Illinois; and
  
 
18
    WHEREAS, In 2004, Lyle Rigdon moved to Ashland, where he 
19
became the superintendent of a K-12 district,   where he was 
20
involved in both grant writing and school improvement plans; in 
21
2007, he became the Pawnee Superintendent of Schools; as 
22
superintendent, he was involved in grant writing for the new 
23
greenhouse, the reintroduction of home economics and 
24
agriculture classes, and working with the State to make Route 
 


 






HR1264
- 3 -
LRB096 22394 GRL 41544 r




1
104 a safe road for students; and
  
 
2
    WHEREAS, Lyle Rigdon served as a volunteer coach with the 
3
Special Olympics; he is also a guest lecturer at UIS, where he 
4
is involved in the training of student teachers; and
  
 
5
    WHEREAS, Lyle Rigdon is a member of the United Methodist 
6
Church and the Lions clubs; he enjoys cars, trains, 
7
landscaping, and camping; and
 
8
    WHEREAS, Lyle Rigdon and his loving wife of 29 years, 
9
Lonny, have one son, Luke, and a future daughter-in-law, 
10
Christy; therefore, be it
  
 
11
    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
12
NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
13
congratulate Lyle Rigdon on the occasion of his retirement and 
14
wish him many happy and healthy retirement years; and be it 
15
further
  
 
16
    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
17
presented to Lyle Rigdon as a symbol of our esteem and respect.