Author: CCSD News

In mid-March, Superintendent Dr. Jesus F. Jara awarded the first Superintendent Challenge Coins to a dozen deserving Clark County School District (CCSD) employees. He surprised dedicated, hard-working CCSD employees who have demonstrated going above and beyond in making CCSD #1forKids. His first stop on March 14 was at the Education Services Division, where he distributed the Superintendent Challenge Coins to 11 CCSD employees who volunteered to stay late on Feb. 21 when Safekey programs closed early due to inclement weather. Those receiving the Superintendent Challenge Coins were: Jackie Castellanos, Dispatcher Maritza Espinoza, Attendance Officer Pam Foltz, Senior Attendance Officer Will…

The Advanced Technologies Academy (A-TECH) is ranked the Best High School in Nevada from the U.S. News and World Report. A-TECH is ranked #120 in the National Rankings. Schools are ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation and how well they prepare students for college. These CCSD high schools are among U.S. News & World Report’s list of the best high schools in the United States. The U.S. News rankings include data on more than 23,000 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. West Career and Technical Academy – #2 in Nevada Rankings Las Vegas Academy of the…

Canyon Springs High School and the Leadership and Law Preparatory Academy has nominated Nancy Mejia Hernandez as its 2019 Star Graduate. Nancy moved from Jalisco, Mexico with her mom when she was just two months old. Spanish was her first language, and she did not speak English until she entered kindergarten. In order to support her family, Nancy’s mom worked multiple jobs, and relied on Nancy to help take care of her younger siblings. Nancy worked tirelessly to overcome these obstacles and still made school her #1 priority. When Nancy began her freshman year at Canyon Springs, she joined mariachi…

Rancho High School’s Real World Design Challenge (RWDC) Team, RamJets competed in Washington D.C. over spring break and took 2nd place in nationals before qualifying for the international competition. At the National Championships, Nevada’s Rancho High School RamJets made the stage for the International competition with the final four teams, two from the United States and two from China. This competition was held in front of a panel of Blue Ribbon Judges representing various professionals in government and industrial UAV applications.  The Rancho RamJets placed second to Guam followed by the two Chinese teams. Each year, student teams are asked to address…

C.P Squires Elementary school students won the 2019 National Archery in the Schools Program National Championship this weekend in Sandy, UT. Squires Elementary School students took 1st place in the elementary school division. The program promotes self-confidence, teamwork, discipline, physical fitness and participation in the lifelong sport of archery. For more information about the National Archery in the Schools Program, visit www.naspschools.org/.

Congratulations to all the finalists in this year’s Heart of Education Awards, presented by The Smith Center for the Performing Arts and The Rogers Foundation. Thousands of teachers received nominations from parents, students, alumni, PTA, administrators and the public. Nominated teachers then completed applications that were judged by a group of community leaders who selected 721 finalists. Twenty of the finalists were named as this year’s Heart of Education award winners, and each received a $5,000 prize, a special award, plus $1,000 for a program of choice at their schools. The 20 Heart of Education Award winners achieving this distinction…

There are plenty of stories about dedicated Clark County School District students who will graduate this year who have overcome adversity and are poised for greatness. One such remarkable high school senior, among the thousands graduating this spring, is Jayla Scott. Jayla, who attends East Career and Technical Academy, recently learned she is just one of 300 students who have been selected as a Gates Scholar – out of 36,500 applicants – through a scholarship program funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. To learn a little more about Jayla’s life, in which she has persevered through housing and…

Star Graduate María Pérez Portales of Sunrise Mountain High School embodies the true Miner spirit. She is strong, dedicated and focused on the goals she has set for herself. María arrived in the U.S. at the age of 10 from Bolivia. She said that, at first, she struggled with English until she began picking up books and started reading constantly. She added that reading is what helped her learn English. She stated that she never planned on being a valedictorian candidate, rather it just happened because she has always loved school and learning. María has always challenged herself by taking…

As Rancho High School’s class valedictorian with a 4.8 grade point average, National Merit finalist, U.S. Presidential Scholar candidate and National AP Scholar who will complete 13 AP tests by graduation, Benjamin Ballin stands out among his peers for his many academic achievements. Social interactions, however, were not easy for Benjamin when he arrived as a freshman to Rancho, but his four years on campus has shown tremendous growth. Elected to serve as the student representative for the School Organizational Team, Benjamin also represents Rancho as a Magnet ambassador, often speaking about his involvement in and the merits of the…

Board Agenda Item 6.02 – Board and Superintendent Communication CCSD Superintendent Dr. Jesus F. Jara communicated a districtwide long-term strategy to ensure students feel safe in school, and to address race and other biases at Arbor View High School. The Clark County School District (CCSD) Board of School Trustees was updated regarding anti-bias trainings to be conducted by the Anti-Defamation League that will take place at Arbor View High School with parents and staff. Jara said this is a short-term intervention that is part of the cultural transformation at Arbor View. In the long term, CCSD will work with the…