MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2000 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) White (29th)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING TERRY HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATOR MINADENE WALDROP FOR RECEIVING NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION AND FOR BEING NAMED TERRY HIGH SCHOOL'S "TEACHER OF THE YEAR" AND "HINDS COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS' EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR."

WHEREAS, Mississippi may rank last in many categories nationwide, but in the area of national board certification of teachers, it ranks among the top in the nation, according to statistics published from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS); Mississippi is the 4th top state in producing nationally certified educators and now Mrs. Minadene Waldrop, Chemistry teacher at Terry High School, has joined the ranks of 354 other Mississippi teachers and achieved this prestigious accomplishment; and

WHEREAS, because of her outstanding achievements and contributions at Terry High School, Mrs. Waldrop was recently named Terry High School's "Teacher of the Year" and subsequently "Hinds County Public Schools' Educator of the Year"; and

WHEREAS, the requirement for teachers wishing to become nationally board certified is that they have taught for at least three years; the program, which was endorsed by former Governor Kirk Fordice and the Mississippi Legislature, is the measuring tool by which Mississippi teachers who complete the process successfully immediately receive a $6,000.00 state-funded raise in salary; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Waldrop received her B.S. Degree in Home Economics from MSCW (now MUW), then a Master's in Home Economics and a Master's in Chemistry from Mississippi College; she has been teaching for 25 years, starting her career at Tri-County Academy in Flora; from there she moved to Brinkley Middle School in Jackson and taught Home Economics and Science for six years; she worked as a Resource Teacher for Jackson Public Schools (JPS), conducting inservice presentations and working with individual families of students with discipline problems; at Peeples Middle School, she returned to teaching Home Economics and Science for three years; she then taught Chemistry at Wingfield High School for three years and Forest Hill High School for seven years before coming to Byram Attendance Center in 1995; Mrs. Waldrop now teaches Chemistry, Environmental Science and Astronomy at Terry High School; and

WHEREAS, the NBPTS requirements involve a very tedious year of planning, writing and implementing creative and effective ideas for the classroom and community; six portfolios must be completed, two of them involving video taping; student work and parent response must also be included to verify that all the work has been completed by the teacher and to measure the quality of that work; and

WHEREAS, once the portfolios are completed and all the paperwork is submitted, candidates must then take an eight-hour test in their specific area in June; after the test is completed there is a period of waiting until results are released in November; and

WHEREAS, Mississippi has 10% of the national total of certified teachers in the nation; Hinds County Public Schools now employs two nationally certified teachers; and

WHEREAS, Minadene is married to Paul Waldrop and they have two children; son, P.J., is a junior at Terry High School and daughter, Mindy, is a seventh grader at Bryam Attendance Center; they attend Wynndale Baptist Church; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize this outstanding Mississippi educator whose accomplishments have brought honor to her school, her community, the children she serves and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Terry High School Educator Minadene Waldrop for receiving National Board Certification and for being named Terry High School's "Teacher of the Year" and "Hinds County Public Schools' Educator of the Year" and wish her continued success in her educational and career endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be presented to Minadene Waldrop and her students, the Principal of Terry High School, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.