LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Split Rock Elementary School, a school
in the West Genesee Central School District in Camillus, New York, upon
the occasion of being designated a Blue Ribbon School for 2009 by Arne
Duncan, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize those
organizations within our midst, which have demonstrated consistent
excellence while bringing great pride and joy to the citizens of our
great Empire State; and
WHEREAS, One such organization, Split Rock Elementary School of Camil-
lus, New York, will be honored for being academically superior, espe-
cially for disadvantaged students; and
WHEREAS, Split Rock Elementary School Principal, Theresa Williams;
Superintendent, Dr. Christopher R. Brown, and Split Rock students and
teachers are very proud of the recognition they are receiving for their
school's academic success; and
WHEREAS, Split Rock Elementary School will serve as a model for other
schools throughout the Nation and will have the details of the school's
success and achievements shared on the U.S. Department of Education's
website; and
WHEREAS, Split Rock Elementary school was one of 314 schools in the
Nation out of 120,000 eligible schools to receive this distinction and
West Genesee Central Schools will now be ranked in the top one-half of
one percent of all schools in the United States for their academic
achievement and their ability to reach all students regardless of back-
ground; and
WHEREAS, Principal Theresa Williams and Superintendent Dr. Christopher
Brown attribute the school's success to academic excellence, and their
ability to close the achievement gap for disadvantaged children in the
school; and
WHEREAS, Split Rock Elementary School sets high standards for the
students, and it is reflected in the standardized New York State tests
where the school consistently scores in the top 10 percent of the State;
and
WHEREAS, Cooperation between Split Rock Elementary School students,
parents, teachers, administrators and the school board is what helps set
the school apart from other schools; and
WHEREAS, Split Rock Elementary School teachers, staff, Board of Educa-
tion, administration, and parents have worked tirelessly to make sure
that students are able to be successful and compete once they leave the
confines of the West Genesee Central School District community and this
recognition serves as a national measure of that continued success; and
WHEREAS, Schools cannot be successful without the support and encour-
agement of the entire community; and
WHEREAS, To celebrate this milestone for Split Rock Elementary School,
the school will receive a plaque and a flag from the U.S. Department of
Education at the Blue Ribbon Schools awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.
on November 3, 2009; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
take this opportunity to honor Split Rock Elementary School and the West
Genesee Central School District, teachers, students and staff; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Theresa Williams, Split Rock Elementary School Principal, and
Dr. Christopher R. Brown, Superintendent of Schools for West Genesee
Central School District.