[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5934]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING KIMMIE ETHEREDGE ON HER RETIREMENT AS PRINCIPAL OF KAY 
                       GRANGER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KAY GRANGER

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 12, 2016

  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Kimmie 
Etheredge for her nine tremendously successful years as Principal of 
Kay Granger Elementary School in Fort Worth, Texas.
  Principal Etheredge came to the Northwest Independent School District 
in north Fort Worth in 2007 to open Kay Granger Elementary. She helped 
build a community in the new suburb by meeting parents and encouraging 
them to be a part of their children's education. She called and 
personally welcomed every incoming student to the new school.
  She developed a strong academic and parental and community support 
base, and is extremely popular among current and former students and 
their families. Under her leadership, the campus has averaged over 
10,000 volunteer hours every year.
  The school won the district's Partner in Education Campus of the Year 
Award three years in a row. It received an exemplary rating in 
academics for five straight years. It was chosen as a state School of 
Character in 2012, and was designated a National School of Character 
the following year.
  During her 28 years in education, Principal Etheredge spent 12 years 
teaching Fourth Grade, two years as assistant principal, and 14 years 
as a campus principal. She was named a 2014 Texas National 
Distinguished Principal.
  Principal Etheredge has co-chaired the Texas Elementary Principals 
and School Administrators (TEPSA) State Schools of Character Initiative 
since 2011. She is a sought-out speaker statewide on character 
development, teacher and campus morale, and fostering grit in both 
student and adult learners.
  The statewide TEPSA group has chosen Etheredge to be co-director of 
its Transformational Leadership Community program. She will be 
mentoring new principals throughout Texas, and training others to be 
mentors as well. She will leave Granger Elementary next month to move 
on to her new position.
  Mr. Speaker, I have known Principal Etheredge as a friend and admired 
her leadership as a principal and in the community. We will miss her in 
our local schools, but we know she will now be improving all of our 
schools. Please join me in congratulating her for her service, and 
wishing her well in her new endeavor.

                          ____________________