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2016 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 208
Commending Deborah D. Pettit.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 29, 2016
Agreed to by the Senate, February 4, 2016

 

WHEREAS, Deborah D. Pettit, the respected superintendent of Louisa County Public Schools, who helped the school system continue serving students and grow stronger after a devastating earthquake in 2011, will retire in June 2016; and

WHEREAS, Deborah Pettit has worked for Louisa County Public Schools for her entire career; she has taught every grade level and has been a reading specialist, elementary school principal, and assistant superintendent for instruction; and

WHEREAS, the students and staff of the Louisa County Public School division have benefited greatly from Deborah Pettit’s experience and professionalism; she has more than 43 years of classroom and administrative experience; and

WHEREAS, Deborah Pettit became the first female superintendent of the Louisa County Public School division in July 2007; four years later, on August 23, 2011, a magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck the mid-Atlantic region and was centered near Mineral; and

WHEREAS, Deborah Pettit was visiting a classroom at Louisa County High School that afternoon and helped to safely evacuate the students and staff from the building; no one in the school was injured; and

WHEREAS, the earthquake caused grave damage to Thomas Jefferson Elementary School and Louisa County High School; both buildings were demolished and the schools were rebuilt, and the county’s four other public schools, which also suffered damage, were repaired and reopened; and

WHEREAS, Deborah Pettit ably led the Louisa County Public School system as the county assessed the damage and began to rebuild the educational facilities; recovery took several years, and students and staff attended school in temporary facilities during that time; and

WHEREAS, weekly visits to all of the Louisa County Public Schools have been part of Deborah Pettit’s routine as superintendent; she enjoys observing students in class and appreciates the work of the staff and the learning that takes place; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Deborah D. Pettit, superintendent of Louisa County Public Schools, on the occasion of her retirement after more than 40 years of dedicated service and inspiring leadership; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Deborah D. Pettit as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect and appreciation for her outstanding work and commitment to the young people of Louisa County.