[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 71 (Thursday, June 4, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1030]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO DR. BILL J. JAMES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ELLEN O. TAUSCHER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 4, 1998

  Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent and 
my friend, Dr. Bill J. James, who is retiring this August as 
Superintendent of the Pleasanton Unified School District.
  I applaud Dr. James for his continuous efforts on behalf of the 
children and their education in Pleasanton over the last 13 years. He 
is clearly one of the most recognized and revered educational leaders 
in the Tenth Congressional District and I thank him for the advice and 
expertise he has so graciously provided me in my first term.
  In 1985, Dr. James came to Pleasanton to serve as the Superintendent 
of the then Amador Valley Joint Union High School District and the 
Pleasanton Joint School District. Prior to his arrival in Pleasanton, 
Dr. James was the Superintendent of the Paso Robles Joint Union High 
School District and the Paso Robles Union Elementary School District.
  Some of the accomplishments in Dr. James' 13 years as Superintendent 
include the passage of a $85 million school bond in 1988 with 76% of 
the vote and the passage of a $70 million school bond in 1997 with 77% 
of the vote, the initiation of a Chamber of Commerce education 
subcommittee that later evolved into the PPIE Foundation, his 
appointment by the Governor to the Educational Council for Technology 
and Learning in 1997, the construction of a 1300 capacity middle 
school, the implementation of elementary counseling for grades K-5 in 
1989 and the execution of a developer fee agreement to ensure that new 
growth covers the cost associated with expanding enrollments.
  Dr. James, even with his very busy schedule, has truly been an 
involved and active member of the community. The Pleasanton Chamber of 
Commerce, the Pleasanton Rotary Club, the Pleasanton Fine Arts Council, 
the Tri-Valley Business Council and the Pleasanton Partnerships in 
Education Foundation are just a few of the many organizations Dr. James 
has contributed his time to over the past 13 years.
  Though Dr. James is retiring as Superintendent of the Pleasanton 
Unified School District, I take great comfort in knowing that he will 
continue to reside in Pleasanton. He is an incredible resource on 
educational matters and he can certainly expect me to continue to take 
advantage of his expertise. Let me again offer my warmest 
congratulations for his 13 years of exemplary stewardship of 
Pleasanton's public schools and his 38 year career in education. I wish 
him the best in his well-deserved retirement.

                          ____________________