Statement of Superintendent Jesus F. Jara
This afternoon I reached an agreement with the majority of the board on the best path forward for the 305,000 students of Clark County, and on Monday, December 6th I’ll return to serving our community as Superintendent.
Over the last five weeks, we’ve seen too much adult-centered attention instead of focusing on the 305,000 students we’re here to serve. As my team continued to lead our district – the 5th largest in America – through devastating pandemic-related learning disruptions and challenges for our students’ mental health, there were too many adult-centered distractions that caused instability for our students, parents, and our team. That is unacceptable; and now is the time to move forward.
When I took this job three and a half years ago, I made a commitment to the students and families of this district, and over the past three and a half years, I’ve worked to create real solutions to some of our greatest challenges – staffing shortages, mental health, equity, and a safe return to in-person learning, among others. I’m proud of the work our team has done leading our system and our students through one of the greatest disruptions to their learning and well-being that any of us have ever faced, and my work here isn’t finished.
There are too many children in this community that have been left behind. I won’t walk away from them. As an immigrant, and as a child who worked his way out of poverty through education, and as a parent, I understand what’s at stake for all the children we serve. That’s why starting on Monday, in this critical moment, we’re going to continue working day and night to make sure that we re-center our focus on our students’ safety, mental health, and unfinished learning. These are our core priorities.
Statement of CCSD Board of School Trustees
The Clark County School District Board of School Trustees reached an agreement with Dr. Jesus F. Jara to continue as superintendent. While the first step of this process is completed, we will continue striving for a more collaborative, respectful, and supportive Board and Superintendent relationship. We move forward by refocusing our attention on the students of this District and their academic outcomes through our roles as trustees.
