Title
Proclamation congratulating Pittsburgh Public Schools for receiving a grant award from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Body
WHEREAS, the public schools of Allegheny County establish a foundation for students to achieve success and build their futures upon; and
WHEREAS, in April 2009, Pittsburgh Public Schools was selected to submit a proposal to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for consideration for the foundation's Intensive Partnership for Effective Teaching program; and
WHEREAS, in November 2009, Pittsburgh Public Schools was one of only four districts nationwide selected by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to receive grant funding for the foundation's program, receiving $40 million to increase the effectiveness of the school system; and
WHEREAS, using the grant, the school system will follow the plan established in the proposal by the district and the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, which will empower teachers as effective leaders and establish a culture of learning that prepares students to succeed in the future; and
WHEREAS, this historic award follows Pittsburgh Public Schools efforts to maximize teacher effectiveness and student potential; the collective leadership of those in the schooling system allowed this grant to be realized;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Allegheny County Council, on behalf of the citizens of Allegheny County, does hereby congratulate Pittsburgh Public Schools for receiving the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's grant award. The funding allows our public schooling system to become one of the best and brightest in the country. We also thank the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for their extraordinary generosity and willingness to better our community.