2020 -- H 7602 | |
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LC004371 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020 | |
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N | |
CONGRATULATING JENNIFER PAOLANTONIO ON BEING A 2019-2020 RECIPIENT OF | |
THE MILKEN EDUCATOR AWARD | |
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Introduced By: Representatives Hawkins, Mattiello, Shekarchi, Chippendale, and | |
Date Introduced: February 13, 2020 | |
Referred To: House read and passed | |
1 | WHEREAS, The Milken Educator Award, established in 1985 and first awarded in 1987, |
2 | is an initiative of the Milken Family Foundation that honors highly successful teachers and |
3 | provides each of the honorees with a $25,000 unrestricted cash grant. Teacher magazine has |
4 | proclaimed the Milken Educator Award to be the “Oscars of Teaching”; and |
5 | WHEREAS, The award is given at “surprise ceremonies” in which the recipient is |
6 | “ambushed” at school and publicly honored with the award. Approximately thirty to forty |
7 | teachers receive the award annually and since 1987, more than 2,600 teachers have been honored; |
8 | and |
9 | WHEREAS, In recognition of her devotion to the teaching profession and her immense |
10 | success in educating children with diverse learning needs, Jennifer Paolantonio, a Special |
11 | Education teacher at Ponaganset High School has been named a 2019-2020 Milken Educator |
12 | Award winner; and |
13 | WHEREAS, Ms. Paolantonio earned her Bachelor's degree in Special Education from |
14 | Rhode Island College and is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Literacy from Providence |
15 | College; and |
16 | WHEREAS, As a champion for inclusion, Ms. Paolantonio has instilled an attitude of |
17 | acceptance and support for the integration of special education students into all the school's |
18 | educational settings as well as its social aspects and events, thereby opening the minds and future |
19 | potential for all the school's students; and |
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1 | WHEREAS, Ms. Paolantonio's creativity in building an inclusive school atmosphere |
2 | begins each year with the school's assembly, where all the school's student wear "I Choose to |
3 | Include" t-shirts. In addition, she welcomes her colleagues into her classroom to learn how to |
4 | modify their curriculum and activities to be more inclusive. She is also very active in the Rhode |
5 | Island Special Olympics, traveling to various events with students, and has helped to organize |
6 | myriad schoolwide and community events; and |
7 | WHEREAS, Jennifer Paolantonio's inclusive and all-encompassing approach to |
8 | education imparts a crucial contribution not only to the well-being and success of her students, |
9 | but also to the entire school population. Her efforts have had a positive impact on her students’ |
10 | education and have certainly qualified her as one of the “best of the best” in the country; now, |
11 | therefore be it |
12 | RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and |
13 | Providence Plantations hereby congratulates Jennifer Paolantonio on being a 2019-2020 recipient |
14 | of the Milken Educator Award. We moreover thank her for her devotion to the betterment of all |
15 | students and extend our best wishes for her continued success; and be it further |
16 | RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
17 | transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Ms. Jennifer Paolantonio. |
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LC004371 | |
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