Full Text of HR0876 102nd General Assembly
HR0876 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | 3 | | Representatives wish to congratulate Christine Zelenka, Ed.D. | 4 | | on the occasion of her retirement as principal of John B. | 5 | | Murphy Elementary School; and
| 6 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Zelenka is retiring after leading John B. | 7 | | Murphy Elementary School for over 14 years, making her only | 8 | | the eighth principal in the school's almost 100-year history | 9 | | of serving the children of Irving Park; and
| 10 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Zelenka received her Bachelor of Arts in | 11 | | Early Childhood Education & Teaching from the University of | 12 | | Michigan; she received her Master of Education in Education | 13 | | Leadership & Administration from National Louis University; | 14 | | she earned her Doctor of Education in Urban Education | 15 | | Leadership from the University of Illinois; and
| 16 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Zelenka began her distinguished career with | 17 | | Chicago Public Schools as a classroom teacher at Onahan | 18 | | Elementary School in 1988; she became assistant principal of | 19 | | John B. Murphy Elementary School in 1997; she was selected to | 20 | | become principal by the Local School Council in 2008; and
| 21 | | WHEREAS, During her tenure at John B. Murphy Elementary |
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| 1 | | School (Murphy), Dr. Zelenka has hosted developing resident | 2 | | principals as they completed principal readiness training at | 3 | | Chicago Public Schools, woven social and emotional learning | 4 | | (SEL) into Murphy's school culture by sustaining a 25-year | 5 | | practice of Responsive Classroom and close affiliation with | 6 | | CASEL, championed the return of middle school and building out | 7 | | of Pre-K programming to ensure that Murphy provides an | 8 | | inspiring and encouraging learning environment for all | 9 | | neighborhood children in grades Pre-K through 8th, led the | 10 | | school's Fine & Performing Arts magnet cluster program to | 11 | | ensure that all students experience the arts, and fostered | 12 | | community and ritual as part of school-life through annual | 13 | | traditions, including Career Day, the Spelling Bee, | 14 | | Bike-Fix-It Day, Twins Day, History Fair, Clothes Swap, and | 15 | | the Oceanarium; she also oversaw the recruitment and retention | 16 | | of exceptional faculty in addition to the renovation of | 17 | | Murphy's gymnasium, stage, and outdoor gardens; and
| 18 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Zelenka has not only devoted herself to the | 19 | | development of John B. Murphy Elementary School's students but | 20 | | also the parents and the community at large; she identified | 21 | | and encouraged parent leaders to serve as advocates, | 22 | | educators, and organizers within the school community; she | 23 | | built relationships, hosted events, and provided resources to | 24 | | community members and groups; more recently, she kept students | 25 | | and the community safe throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, |
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| 1 | | school-reopening, and ongoing recovery response; and
| 2 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Zelenka has served on National Louis | 3 | | University's Teacher Preparation Advisory Board for 8 years, | 4 | | where she is a strong advocate for authentic and effective | 5 | | teacher preparation that meets the needs of today's young | 6 | | people, particularly in urban environments; she also served as | 7 | | a first-year principal mentor for new principals at Chicago | 8 | | Public Schools as they took on full administrative | 9 | | responsibility while leading their new schools; and
| 10 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Zelenka has been noted for excelling as a | 11 | | transparent, accessible, and empathetic communicator at all | 12 | | times; she has also inspired generations of students, | 13 | | families, and neighbors by modeling positivity, resilience, | 14 | | and inclusion; and
| 15 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Zelenka and her husband, Rich, have two | 16 | | children, Phil and Beth; her parents live in the neighborhood, | 17 | | and she regularly cares for them and their interests; | 18 | | therefore, be it
| 19 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 20 | | HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 21 | | we congratulate Christine Zelenka, Ed.D., on her retirement as | 22 | | principal of John B. Murphy Elementary School, thank her for |
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| 1 | | her dedication to the students and the community, and wish her | 2 | | success in her future endeavors; and be it further
| 3 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 4 | | presented to Dr. Zelenka as an expression of our esteem and | 5 | | respect.
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