2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26109405D

HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 450

Offered March 12, 2026

Commending Bettie F. Williams Elementary School.

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Patron—Askew

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WHEREAS, for 65 years, Bettie F. Williams Elementary School in Virginia Beach has offered its students guidance, compassion, and transformational educational opportunities, contributing to their success both in and out of the classroom; and

WHEREAS, Bettie F. Williams Elementary School opened in 1961 in what was then Princess Anne County and was named in honor of Bettie Forbes Williams, a distinguished local educator who taught in several county schools and later served as the supervisor of the county's elementary schools for Black students; and

WHEREAS, Bettie F. Williams Elementary School quickly grew with the community, added classroom space, reconfigured grade levels over time, and became one of the first schools in Virginia Beach to implement year-round education before joining with Newtown Elementary School and Diamond Springs Elementary School to form the Bayside Tri-Campus, the first elementary tri-campus in the division; and

WHEREAS, today, Bettie F. Williams Elementary School continues to serve students and carries forward its namesake's legacy of academic excellence, opportunity, and strong community engagement; and

WHEREAS, Bettie F. Williams Elementary School challenges its students with a rigorous and demanding education while providing the resources and assistance they need to succeed, empowering them to achieve their full potential; and

WHEREAS, the accomplishments of Bettie F. Williams Elementary School are the result of the visionary leadership of its administration, the hard work and dedication of its faculty and staff, and the unwavering support of its families and the entire Virginia Beach community; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Bettie F. Williams Elementary School in Virginia Beach hereby be commended on the occasion of its 65th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Bettie F. Williams Elementary School as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the school's contributions to Virginia Beach and the Commonwealth.