2026 SPECIAL SESSION I

ENROLLED

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 2071

Commending Michael Sidebotham.

Agreed to by the Senate, June 22, 2026

WHEREAS, Michael Sidebotham, the principal of Grafton Village Elementary School in Stafford County, was named a Virginia Principal of Distinction by the Virginia Department of Education for the 2025–2026 school year; and

WHEREAS, after several years as a teacher and assistant principal with Stafford County Public Schools, Michael Sidebotham took the helm of Grafton Village Elementary School as its principal in 2007; and

WHEREAS, Michael Sidebotham works tirelessly to foster a learning environment that nurtures his students' growth and development and provides his faculty the support and resources they need to succeed; and

WHEREAS, in recognition of his leadership and efforts, Michael Sidebotham was named Principal of the Year by Stafford County Public Schools in 2018; and

WHEREAS, beyond Grafton Village Elementary School, Michael Sidebotham has advanced the education profession as a member of the National Assessment Governing Board and the board of directors of the Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals; and

WHEREAS, Michael Sidebotham is part of the inaugural class of Virginia Principals of Distinction, a professional development program that was created by the Virginia Department of Education in partnership with the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals, the Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals, and the Virginia Board of Education; and

WHEREAS, Michael Sidebotham was chosen for the Virginia Principals of Distinction program by a dedicated selection committee in recognition of his exemplary accomplishments in the areas of student achievement, instructional practices, and school culture; and

WHEREAS, as a Virginia Principals of Distinction candidate, Michael Sidebotham participated in a professional training symposium and completed a capstone project, honing his leadership abilities and capacity for making a difference in the lives of others as an education administrator; and

WHEREAS, through his commitment to excellence and his steadfast dedication to his students, families, and faculty, Michael Sidebotham embodies the ideals of education administration and has made a profound and lasting impact on countless lives; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That Michael Sidebotham hereby be commended for being named a Virginia Principal of Distinction by the Virginia Department of Education for the 2025–2026 school year; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Michael Sidebotham as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's admiration for his contributions to the education of young people in Stafford County and the Commonwealth.