[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 107 (Thursday, July 10, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1137-E1138]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING RICK LEONARD

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 10, 2014

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Rick Leonard of 
Winchester, Virginia, who has served as superintendent of Winchester 
Public Schools since 2009. Mr. Leonard retired from his post at the end 
of June after 34 years of service to the school system.
  After graduating from James Madison University in 1980, Rick began 
his teaching career when he accepted a job teaching biology at Handley 
High School. During his time at Handley, he served as a coach, 
assistant principal and principal of the school.
  Mr. Leonard worked his way to superintendent of Winchester Public 
Schools, assuming this role on July 1, 2009. He held that post until 
his retirement last month. It's my understanding that he hopes to enjoy 
some personal time before returning to teach in higher education or run 
a small business.
  I am pleased to submit the following article from The Winchester Star 
on Mr. Leonard's retirement and I ask that my colleagues join me in 
congratulating him for many years of distinguished service to our 
nation's youth.

               [From the Winchester Star, June 27, 2014]

              Retiring City Schools Leader Credits Mentors

                           (By Rebecca Layne)

       Winchester.--During an Army exercise in 1991, Rick Leonard 
     and George Craig discussed their futures while leaning on the 
     hood of a jeep.
       A biology teacher in the Winchester Public Schools, Leonard 
     was in the interview process to become the assistant 
     principal at Handley High School.
       But could he hold down the new job and remain in the 
     Virginia Army National Guard?
       Craig, now a coordinator of curriculum and instruction in 
     the city school system, thought his friend could do it.
       Leonard, however, chose to focus his sole attention on one 
     task.
       ``If he was going to be the assistant principal, they were 
     going to get everything he had,'' Craig said. ``He had a 
     very, very promising career in the Army. But he chose 
     schools. He wanted to give the schools all of his time.''
       Leonard, 56, stuck to his promise, and more than 20 years 
     after that conversation, he will retire at the end of the 
     month as the division's superintendent, a job he held for 
     five years.
       Despite the hefty title, Leonard said, he has never left 
     the classroom.
       ``I'm retiring as a public school teacher,'' he said. ``I'm 
     still an educator. I'm a teacher for other adults who work 
     directly or indirectly with students, parents and the 
     community.''
       Leonard started his stint in the classroom when he was a 
     senior at Warren County High School and took on the role of 
     night custodian.
       From there, he went on to the College of William and Mary 
     and later transferred to James Madison University, where he 
     was team captain and an academic All-American in football.
       He graduated in 1980 with a bachelor's degree in biology 
     and became a part-time military officer in the Army National 
     Guard.
       Also that year, he was hired as a biology teacher at 
     Handley and through the years has served as a teacher, a 
     coach, an assistant principal and a principal--all in the 
     Winchester Public Schools. He has held his superintendent 
     post since July 1, 2009.
       ``You can always rely on Rick to give a straightforward, 
     honest, thoughtful answer to whatever you're working on,'' 
     Craig said. ``I don't know if I've ever seen Rick not smiling 
     and not positive and enthusiastic about what we're doing. 
     When he leaves [your desk], you're a better person. It's been 
     a good conversation and you know things will be OK.''
       Leonard said his biggest accomplishments are the successes 
     of the students and the ``highly qualified and 
     compassionate'' teachers and staff members who guided the 
     division through a lack of adequate funding, an increase in 
     testing rigor, a more diverse student population and 
     increasing poverty rates--a ``perfect storm of challenges.''
       ``We were still able to weather the worst recession since 
     the Great Depression of the '30s with a rich curriculum, high 
     standards and schools meeting state and federal 
     requirements,'' he said.
       Leonard also had a role in getting the new $20 million John 
     Kerr Elementary School project off the ground (it is 
     scheduled to open in fall 2016), along with improving 
     recruitment strategies to attract teachers; expanding the 
     Career and Technical Education

[[Page E1138]]

     program; and creating a part-time, temporary workforce of 
     credentialed teachers to support struggling learners through 
     the Response to Intervention program.
       He credits former superintendents Glenn Burdick and Dennis 
     Kellison as his mentors along the way.
       Despite his employment in the division for 34 years, 
     Leonard doesn't think he's changed. He says he still talks 
     way too fast and veins still pop out on his neck when he 
     believes in something strongly, such as making sure all 
     students have a chance to be successful.
       ``I still have the same drive and belief in all students,'' 
     he said.
       Craig said his colleague's ability to make thoughtful 
     decisions and to be active and decisive is unchanged, but his 
     perspective has expanded.
       ``He thinks on almost a global perspective with the 
     schools,'' he said. ``Now he has the vision to be able to see 
     the whole system and the challenges that could come later 
     on.''
       Lynda Hickey, director of the instruction department, said 
     Leonard always stayed the course in promoting the school's 
     mission and vision of learning for all, challenged the staff 
     members to be the best they could be and made students the 
     heart of every decision.
       Leonard's executive assistant Bonnie Stickley has worked 
     with him for five years. She considers him a class act, funny 
     and positive.
       ``I'm going to miss him,'' she said. ``Not just as a boss, 
     but as a friend.''
       Leonard said no single reason has spurred him to retire.
       ``I'm running out of energy,'' he said. ``I want to leave 
     at a time when my heart is still full of what my life's work 
     has been: helping children, helping the next generation.''
       Leonard said he might eventually like to teach in higher 
     education or help to run a small business in the private 
     sector, but first he will spend a lot of time in waders.
       ``The first thing I'll do is fish for a while,'' he said. 
     ``And exercise a lot. Then I'll get back in the game. I just 
     haven't decided what game that's going to be yet.
       ``For me, it's not necessarily retirement. It's more of a 
     sabbatical.''
       Leonard and his wife Patty have three sons.

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