[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 137 (Thursday, September 15, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S5680]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

                                 ______
                                 

                      TRIBUTE TO SHELLY FAGENSTROM

 Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, today I recognize Shelly 
Fagenstrom, an outstanding educator from my home State of Montana. 
Shelly is the principal of East Middle School in Great Falls and has 
been recognized by the Montana Association of Secondary School 
Principals as the Montana Principal of the Year for 2011.
  Shelly has taught and served as an administrator in the Great Falls 
school system for 38 years; all but 2 of those have been at the middle 
school level. She has been the principal at East Middle School since 
2005 and prior to that served for 6 years as the principal at Paris 
Gibson Middle School. This isn't the first time Shelly has been honored 
for her dedication to her students--in 2010 she was named Educator of 
the Year by the Montana Parent Teacher Association.
  In nominating her for these awards, teachers, staff, students, and 
parents have praised Shelly's work to build a respectful environment at 
East Middle School while creating a personalized learning environment 
for each student, her ability to collaborate and seek innovative 
solutions to complex problems. Shelly has also worked to integrate more 
technology into the curriculum to help prepare students for the 
challenges of the 21st century economy. Shelly says she loves being in 
education, ``because of the relationships you build with kids and their 
families. I love the energy of middle-schoolers, you can't take 
yourself too seriously with them.''
  Shelly is also involved in the Great Falls community volunteering for 
the United Way and serving in leadership positions at Central Christian 
Church. This month Shelly will be visiting Washington, DC, with other 
award-winning principals when they will be recognized for their hard 
work and achievement in educating and preparing our children for the 
future, and have the opportunity to share ideas on how to strengthen 
our education system.
  I congratulate Shelly on being named the 2011 Montana Principal of 
the Year and thank her for her decades of service to the Great Falls 
school system. Montana has some of the best teachers, principals, and 
school administrators in the country. I would like to commend all of 
them for their hard work and dedication in providing young Montanans 
with a world class education that prepares them for a bright 
future.

                          ____________________