[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8394]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       TRIBUTE TO SHAWNEE MISSION SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DENNIS MOORE

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 8, 2008

  Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge Dr. 
Marjorie Kaplan, Superintendent of the Shawnee Mission School District, 
who is retiring at the end of this school year, after 16 years of 
extraordinary leadership for her district, and for the greater Kansas 
City area.
  Dr. Kaplan came to Shawnee Mission in 1992 after a distinguished 
career in Arizona. She is returning to the Phoenix area where she will 
be close to her children and grandchildren.
  My congressional district is blessed with some of the best schools in 
the country. I know many Members of Congress feel that way, but I know 
this is the case. Where I live, among many outstanding school 
districts, Shawnee Mission schools remain the gold standard in our 
area. During her tenure, Dr. Kaplan has reinforced this perception and 
continually raised this standard.
  I have come to admire and respect Dr. Kaplan, who has never been shy 
about giving me very good advice on education issues and legislation. I 
know how much good schools mean to my constituents, so I have always 
heeded her expertise and guidance.
  The Shawnee Mission district includes older suburban areas and is 
surrounded by newer, fast growing areas. Under Dr. Kaplan's leadership, 
and thanks to confidence in the district, Shawnee Mission patrons have 
passed a series of school bond issues which allowed the district to 
renew its building stock, while combining some elementary school 
populations.
  During the past 16 years, Dr. Kaplan and Shawnee Mission schools 
have:
  Brought rigorous International Baccalaureate programming to area high 
school students since 1996, and greatly increased advanced placement 
classes; Strengthened the district's Center for International Studies 
and further developed the languages offered through the program; 
Transformed career and technical education courses and programs with 
award winning programs in culinary arts, commercial baking, graphic 
design, multimedia, and computer training; Brought in engineering 
technology, biotechnology, and biomedical health science programs; 
Introduced the Open Court reading program; and Continually produced 
students who outperform their Kansas and US peers on standardized 
tests, including the ACT and the SAT. For several years, Shawnee 
Mission produces about 20 percent of the Kansas National Merit 
finalists, despite having only 6 percent of the state's population.
  Although a talented administrator, Dr. Kaplan has made it a point to 
substitute teach in every building throughout the school year. Perhaps 
because of this, her teachers and administrators know how much she 
cares, and understands their difficulties and joys at the classroom 
level. Educators today face new challenges, with increasing numbers of 
children who do not speak English at home and with problems of school 
funding and federal education programs. Despite it all, this district 
has continued to succeed.
  Madam Speaker, thank you for allowing me the time to pay tribute to 
an outstanding educator who I am proud to call a friend, Dr. Marjorie 
Kaplan.

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