[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 181 (Thursday, November 15, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S7047]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO DR. DOTTY MERRILL

 Mr. HELLER. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize Dr. Dotty 
Merrill for her work with the Nevada Association of School Boards. Dr. 
Merrill joined the association as executive director in October 2006, 
bringing more than 35 years of national, State, and local educational 
experience affecting K-12 schools and higher education.
  Dr. Merrill provides executive leadership to the Nevada Association 
of School Boards, which represents and serves 107 elected and appointed 
members of the governing boards in Nevada's 17 school districts. Prior 
to joining the association, Merrill served as the superintendent of 
public policy, accountability, and assessment with the Washoe County 
School District, providing policy and fiscal representation on behalf 
of the district in the Nevada Legislature from 1999 to 2005.
  Additionally, Dr. Merrill has dedicated her life and career to our 
State's education system and has extensive experience with charter 
schools, assessment to improve classroom instruction, accountability, 
State and Federal requirements, and molding collaborative and 
cooperative relationships among educational communities.
  I also want to recognize that, before becoming a district-level 
administrator, Merrill taught high school English for 15 years and 
served for 10 years as a high school administrator. As the husband of a 
teacher and father of four who attended Nevada's public schools, I 
understand that our educators have one of the most challenging, 
important, and rewarding jobs, and I am extremely grateful for their 
work because I have seen firsthand the positive impact that high-
caliber teachers have on their students.
  Dr. Merrill's holds a doctorate in educational leadership from the 
University of Nevada, Reno, a master of arts in English from the 
University of Nevada, Reno, and a bachelor of arts from the University 
of Arkansas in Fayetteville. She has also been published in several 
national education journals and currently serves on the editorial board 
for the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
  We all know that a good education is the key to success and a better 
future, and as Nevada's senior U.S. Senator, I commend Dr. Merrill's 
dedication to our State's education and academic achievement.

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