Las Vegas Schools Kicks Off Several Events for the New School Year
Las Vegas Schools ‘ Cheyenne High School Host Specialist in Gender Neutral Education
Dr. Leonard Sax, one of the foremost authorities in the success of gender neutral education, addressed the teachers and staff of Cheyenne High School. This was part of a professional development day scheduled before the start of the new school year. Dr. Sax is an author, psychologist, and family physician who has become a leading scholar on the topic of how gender differences affect student learning.
Dr. Sax’s day long presentation at Las Vegas Schools’ Cheyenne High School was based on twenty years of educational research and his most recent book, “Why Gender Matters.” Cheyenne High School has been using gender based instruction for a few years now based on the idea that males and females learn differently. Students who experience gender based education have been shown to ask more questions and have fewer problems with discipline. Dr. Sax’s workshop offered practical advice on discipline, gender stereotypes, and helping students avoid smoking, drugs and alcohol.
Las Vegas Schools Energy Conservation Program Reports Savings
The Two hundred and thirty-four Las Vegas Schools have will receive rebates for saving energy during the 2005-2006 school year. Schools in the Las Vegas Schools that have cut their energy costs by 10% or more will receive rebates of between $1,500 to $5,000. These rebates will be placed in a special account fund and will total around $560,000. Schools will be allowed to use these funds on anything that could directly impact student learning and achievement. This energy saving fund rewards those schools that have made behavioral changes in how they use energy. Las Vegas Schools that qualify for the program are those that can show that they have at least two years of documented utility history and then show that they have cut their energy use by at least 10%.
This energy conservation program asks staff and faculty of Las Vegas Schools to keep school doors and HVAC systems, computers, lights, and electrical appliances turned off when not in use. Faculty are also asked to report lights, HVAC systems and refrigerators that are not operating.
The 2006-2007 Las Vegas Schools’ Back to School Tour
This year’s Las Vegas Schools’ Back to School Tour focuses on the new schools opening in September. This tour is conducted by the Las Vegas Schools’ Superintendent. The current Superintendent, Walt Rulffes, tours all the new schools and will take part in ribbon cutting ceremonies at each of the new schools. The Las Vegas Schools’ Superintendent will visit with faculty, staff, and students.
The tour begins at Rancho High School, then to Johnston Middle School, then to its new neighbor, Hayden Elementary School and finally finish at Dearing Elementary School. Dearing Elementary Schools was just named a High Achieving School by the No Child Left Behind Guidelines.
Las Vegas Schools’ Tanaka Elementary School Starts the New Year Right
Tanaka Elementary School is starting the new school year by having a picnic open to the parents and community members. The picnic is intended to build a stronger school community and celebrate the start of school. Along with food and games, local political candidates will stop by to meet and greet the crowd. The picnic is being organized by the Tanaka Elementary School’s Parent Teacher Association.
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Las Vegas Schools Prosper This Summer
“A Celebration of Progress” Marks the Opening of New Las Vegas School Buildings
This past August, leaders from the Las Vegas Schools gathered at the Cashman Theatre for “A Celebration of Progress.” This was a celebration to mark the opening of nine new schools and one replacement school in the Las Vegas School System. In attendance were officials from Las Vegas Schools, Nevada State officials, community leaders, school principals, and architects. Las Vegas Schools’ “A Celebration of Progress” was hosted by entertainer Clint Holmes.
The event was sponsored by The Council of Educational Facility Planners International; this is the eighth year that the Council of Educational Facility Planners International has sponsored this event. The Council of Educational Facility Planners International is an organization of education and construction professionals that aims to improve the places in which students learn. Various models and renderings of the new facilities were displayed and the students from these new schools created exhibits promoting school spirit. This years keynote speakers were Las Vegas Schools’ Superintendent Dr. Walt Rulffes and Mrs. Ruth Johnson, President of the Clark County School District Board of School Trustees. The Hal Smith Elementary School choir performed, as well as the CP Squires After School All-Stars folkloric dance team.
The new school buildings were constructed to meet Las Vegas Schools’ expanding enrollment that will have around 12,000 new students enroll for the 2006-2007 school year. This influx of new students raises the total number of students in the Las Vegas Schools to over 300,000. The new schools include six elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school. The replacement school building is also a high school.
At the August 9th “A Celebration of Progress” event Paul Gerner, Associate Superintendent for Facilities, thanked the architectural and construction partners who made the new schools possible. The Las Vegas Schools’ system is expected to continue is substantial growth for many years to come.
Las Vegas School Students Take Part in Youth Leadership Summit
This summer several Las Vegas Schools’ students went to the Youth Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. The Youth Leadership Summit was created through a partnership between The National Council for Community and Education Partnerships and Booz Allen Hamilton. The Youth Leadership Summit is designed to give students an opportunity to participate in educational reform. Students invited to the Youth Leadership Summit were participants in the Las Vegas Schools’ GEAR UP program, which is a national program, intended to increase the number of students who go to and succeed in university and college. Along with participation in the GEAR UP program, students were selected based on their academic performance, leadership roles they take in their schools and recommendations from their principals and teachers. All of the participants from Las Vegas Schools will be seniors in the 2006-2007 school year.
The Youth Leadership Summit included different activities in the areas of teamwork and leadership that encouraged the students to share their own perspectives on how educators should improve student achievement. The suggestions that resulted from the Youth Leadership Summit included: creating information centers that would aid students and families in finding information for postsecondary education and creating peer and adult tutoring and mentoring programs that support middle and high school students.