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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
20-303
In the Council of the District of Columbia
December 17, 2014
To recognize and acknowledge the service of Mr. Patrick Mara as a Ward One representative on the District of Columbia State Board of Education.
WHEREAS, the Council of the District of Columbia recognizes the good works of Patrick Mara and his dedicated service in improving educational achievement for the students in the District of Columbia on the State Board of Education since January 2, 2010;
WHEREAS, Mr. Mara provided an outstanding service to the Ward One community by engaging government leaders and education stakeholders in support of the vision that all District residents receive an excellent education;
WHEREAS, over the last decade, Mr. Mara served on the boards of numerous local non-profits devoted to supporting the educational needs of District children and spent many years tutoring and mentoring students attending the District of Columbia Public Schools;
WHEREAS, Mr. Mara was actively involved with community activities and served as a leader in the District of Columbia on education reform initiatives by increasing public awareness of Common Core State Standards, leading efforts to adopt the Next Generation Science Standards, was a prominent advocate on issues related to data privacy, and served as the State Board’s appointee to the National Association of State Boards of Education’s Government Affairs Committee, where he was the District’s voice in the development of national education policy;
WHEREAS, Mr. Mara was a major proponent for updating graduation requirements to better support English Language Learners as well as promoting a move towards competency-based learning; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Mara will end his duties with the State Board of Education on January 1, 2015.
IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that the Council of the District of Columbia recognizes and honors Patrick Mara for his service to the District of Columbia in Ward One, his deep, abiding passion for children, his commitment to programs and policies which affect the education of children and teens in D.C. Public and Charter Schools; and declares December 2, 2014, as “Patrick Mara Day” in the District of Columbia.
Sec. 2. This resolution may be cited as the “Patrick Mara Recognition Resolution of 2014”.
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take into effect immediately upon the first date of publication in the District of Columbia Register.
