[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6652]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING CHERYL E. THOMPSON UPON HER RETIREMENT

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                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 10, 2012

  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. 
Cheryl E. Thompson on the occasion of her retirement from Mantua 
Elementary School on June 30, 2012. She began in the Fairfax County 
Public School System in 1973 as a Physical Education teacher and she 
became the Lead Physical Education teacher at Mantua 21 years ago. 
After serving in that capacity for 11 years, Ms. Thompson was promoted 
to Assistant Principal, a role which she embraced for the last decade.
  Ms. Thompson has served the children of Fairfax County for the past 
four decades, spending the last 21 years at Mantua, where she 
personified the concept of community-building. She was the voice of the 
Mantua Elementary Intramural Basketball Finals; she organized and 
served as the DJ for the yearly Ice Cream Social, Sixth Grade End-of-
Year Party, Spirit Parade, and the Mantua Citizens Association Pool 
Party. Ms. Thompson coached girls' basketball at Woodson High School, 
my daughter's alma mater, for 14 years, winning a number of division 
titles and the Virginia State Title in 1982. She earned Woodson Coach 
of the Year honors three times. The athletic instruction and support 
that Ms. Thompson gave to her students was exemplary; however, her 
dedication to her students' education is even more admirable. She 
earned Teacher of the Year and Support Employee of the Year honors with 
Mantua Elementary as well.
  While Ms. Thompson's absence will be felt throughout the Fairfax 
County Public School System, and especially at Mantua Elementary 
School, her dedication to her community will continue to resonate. I 
urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating her on her retirement 
and recognizing her many accomplishments.

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