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2016 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 421
Commending Justine Klena.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 4, 2016
Agreed to by the Senate, March 10, 2016

 

WHEREAS, Justine Klena, who has led Herndon Middle School since 2008, and is highly regarded by the staff for her collaborative leadership skills, was named the Fairfax County Public Schools 2016 Outstanding Principal; and

WHEREAS, as principal of Herndon Middle School for the past six years, having been the assistant principal, Justine Klena has worked to make sure that the school’s primary focus is on meeting students’ needs, and assisting the teachers in that mission; and

WHEREAS, Justine Klena also is admired for providing support for each student to succeed academically and socially; the staff encourages all students to take part in activities such as performing arts, the National Junior Honor Society, Spanish for Fluent Speakers, and higher-level courses; and

WHEREAS, during Justine Klena’s tenure, Herndon Middle School has become an outstanding example of how to build strong co-teaching relationships in classes where special education and English for speakers of other languages are taught; and

WHEREAS, the faculty and staff at Herndon Middle School appreciate Justine Klena’s many leadership qualities; she is an exemplary lead learner, always promotes the best interests of her students, and pays close attention to what is happening in the classrooms; and

WHEREAS, Justine Klena also has worked to ensure that all students have access to rigorous courses, and in the last school year, 10 percent more African American and Hispanic students were enrolled in four honors courses; and

WHEREAS, recognizing that students’ lives outside of school can affect academic performance, Justine Klena has assisted families who are in great need or have experienced traumatic border crossings during their journey to the United States by helping to make food and services available to them; she designated one wing of Herndon Middle School as a Family Resource Center; and

WHEREAS, Justine Klena, who earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and two master’s degrees from George Mason University and received teaching certification from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, previously was assistant principal at Cooper Middle School before moving to Herndon Middle School; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Justine Klena, principal of Herndon Middle School, for being honored as the Fairfax County Public Schools 2016 Outstanding Principal; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Justine Klena as an expression of the General Assembly’s congratulations and admiration for her dedicated work and inspiring leadership.