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2022 SPECIAL SESSION I


HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 662
Commending Justine Klena.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, June 1, 2022

 

WHEREAS, Justine Klena, esteemed principal of Herndon Middle School who has greatly served Fairfax County Public Schools for more than three decades, will retire in June 2022; and

WHEREAS, in preparation for her career as an educator and education administrator, Justine Klena earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Georgetown University and master’s degrees in special education and educational leadership from George Mason University and completed a teacher certification program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and

WHEREAS, Justine Klena joined Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) in 1990 as an instructional aide, later becoming a special education teacher at Luther Jackson Middle School and special education department chair at Longfellow Middle School; and

WHEREAS, after years as an educator, Justine Klena pursued a career as an education administrator, serving as assistant principal at Cooper Middle School and Herndon Middle School with FCPS and for some time with Richmond Public Schools before ultimately becoming principal at Herndon Middle School in 2008; and

WHEREAS, over the past 14 years, Justine Klena has led various project-based learning and curriculum development initiatives to engage and motivate students and to enhance their overall educational experience; and

WHEREAS, Justine Klena has drawn from her years as a special education teacher to become a lead advocate within FCPS for special education reform and for promoting inclusion and equitability in the classroom; and

WHEREAS, Justine Klena has fostered a learning environment at Herndon Middle School built on collaboration and trust, ensuring her students are able to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally and that her staff have the support they need to make a difference in young peoples’ lives; and

WHEREAS, Justine Klena’s efforts on behalf of the families of Herndon Middle School go beyond the classroom as she has spearheaded various programs that provide resources and assistance to those facing poverty or other traumas; and

WHEREAS, in recognition of her extraordinary and transformative impact on the community and culture of Herndon Middle School, Justine Klena was honored as the FCPS Outstanding Principal of the Year in 2016; and

WHEREAS, a visionary and empathetic leader who has been unwavering in her commitment to her students and teachers, Justine Klena embodies the highest virtues of the education profession and is an inspiration to all Virginians; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Justine Klena, principal of Herndon Middle School, hereby be commended on the occasion of her retirement; 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 House of Delegates’ admiration for her contributions to the Commonwealth and best wishes for a happy and fulfilling retirement.