SJ293: Commending Laura Marshall.

WHEREAS, Laura Marshall, an outstanding teacher at Grange Hall Elementary School in Chesterfield County, has been honored as a recipient of a 2008 Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award; and

WHEREAS, Laura Marshall’s Milken Educator Award was announced at a surprise ceremony at Grange Hall Elementary School, which is located in Moseley, on October 30, 2008, before a throng of cheering students, fellow teachers, and distinguished guests; and

WHEREAS, a dedicated and compassionate educator, Laura Marshall is Grange Hall Elementary School’s social studies and technology lead teacher, as well as the hard-working third-grade-level chair; and

WHEREAS, established in 1985, the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards recognize elementary and secondary school teachers, principals, and administrators who promote excellence and innovation in public education; and

WHEREAS, Teacher Magazine describes the coveted Milken Educator Awards as “the Oscars of Teaching,” and the Milken Family Foundation strives to attract, develop, motivate, and retain talented people to the challenge and adventure of teaching; and

WHEREAS, exceptional educators throughout the United States are considered for the unrestricted financial award of $25,000, without their knowledge, by a blue-ribbon panel appointed by each state’s department of education, and the financial awards are distributed in the spring during the Milken Family Foundation National Education Conference; and

WHEREAS, Laura Marshall is one of just 80 educators from across the country to receive the distinguished Milken National Educator Award in 2008; and

WHEREAS, an experienced and knowledgeable teacher, Laura Marshall earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; and

WHEREAS, Laura Marshall utilizes project-based learning, differentiation, small-group instruction, and technology integration to inspire and motivate her students to become independent learners; and

WHEREAS, Laura Marshall has made technology an integral part of the third-grade curriculum at Grange Hall Elementary School, and she has been instrumental in advancing the schoolwide use of interactive notebooks; and

WHEREAS, one of Laura Marshall’s exciting and fun projects is her student’s “Living History” exhibit, where parents visit the classroom to find their children standing like statues dressed as historical figures or representing dates in history; the students “come alive” when touched by a visitor to deliver a speech about their special person or event; and

WHEREAS, Laura Marshall is responsible for her students scoring high on Virginia’s Standards of Learning (SOL) tests, with 100 percent of her students scoring advanced in social studies, and more than a quarter of her students achieving a perfect score on the SOL; and

WHEREAS, Laura Marshall is a wonderful teacher, who is committed to providing the best education possible for all of the young people at Grange Hall Elementary School; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly commend Laura Marshall on her well-deserved 2008 Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Laura Marshall as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration and gratitude for her commitment to public education and the young people of Chesterfield County.