[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 36 (Thursday, March 10, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E450]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       IN HONOR OF MARC JOHNSON, 2011 SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 10, 2011

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
distinguished educational leadership of Marcus Johnson, Superintendent 
of Sanger Unified School District in California's Central Valley, who 
has been honored as the 2011 Superintendent of the Year by the American 
Association of School Administrators.
  A California native, Marc Johnson lives in the small community of 
Reedley, where at age four he moved with his parents and where his home 
sits ten miles away from his office. He is a graduate of Reedley 
Community College, California State University, Fresno and Fresno 
Pacific University, where he received his Masters degree and completed 
his credential programs.
  Marc Johnson embarked on his career with Sanger Unified School 
District, first serving as an assistant superintendent of human 
resources and later as an associate superintendent in the district. In 
2003, Marc assumed a new role of Superintendent, overseeing a highly 
diverse student population of 10,800 students. He entered amidst 
turmoil for the rural school community and one year later was faced 
with the challenges accompanied with an entire school district being 
designated for program improvement by the State of California. With 
boundless energy and enthusiasm, Marc proved from early on that his 
leadership was promising. By 2006, he led the district out of the state 
improvement status and on a path to reorganization that would later 
earn him accolades from colleagues and admirers of his professional 
endeavors across the country.
  Under the leadership and guidance of Marc Johnson, Sanger Unified 
School District has been transformed into a professional learning 
community focused on student learning, high quality instruction and 
teacher collaboration. The Sanger district now boasts some of the 
highest overall achievement gains in the state of California, 
including: 13 schools have been designated as State Distinguished 
School; 12 schools have been designated as Title I Academic Achieving 
Schools; two schools have been named National Blue Ribbon Schools and 
all 13 elementary schools have been honored for their outstanding 
character development programs.
  Dick Sheppard, editor of the Sanger Herald, called Marc Johnson, 
``the guy who pulled the district out of darkness into light.'' This 
could not be a more true statement and characterization of the person 
who commits to visiting the 1,000 classrooms in the district twice 
annually, using the first occasion each year to affix a pin of 
appreciation he has selected on each teacher in front of his or her 
students.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to rise with me today to 
congratulate Mr. Marcus Johnson on the occasion of his special 
recognition as the 2011 Superintendent of the Year and, on behalf of 
the students, parents and teachers of Sanger Unified School District, 
thank him for his leadership and unwavering dedication to raising 
education standards in our community.

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