54°F
weather icon Clear

School year starts smoothly

Despite some ups and downs, the four Clark County schools in Boulder City had a successful first day of school Monday.

Boulder City had almost 1,750 students in school and they, along with the rest of the 300,000 students in the Clark County School District, started the 2017-2018 school year approximately two weeks earlier than last year.

Garrett Junior High School Principal Jamey Hood said she and everyone at Garrett had an “awesome start to the school year” as the students were eager to learn and had a chance to reconnect with their friends.

“The excitement from the sixth grade when they get their locker open is what makes this job such a fun place to be,” she added. “Finding their classes and meeting new teachers is what makes for the excitement. They all had a great day. We are thrilled we have a great group of students and we look forward to a super year.”

Both elementary schools also had a good first day of the school year.

“The first day went very smoothly,” said Ben Day, principal of Mitchell Elementary School. “There were really no major problems or things that we didn’t expect. It went as well as we could have expected.”

“We thought the first day was one of the smoothest running first days we could remember,” added King Elementary School Principal Anthony Gelsone. “Parent and teacher feedback was very positive. Dismissal went great as well. Transportation seemed fine, too.”

Boulder City High School, however, had a bittersweet day as they started without one of their own, campus security monitor Dan McMahon, who died just prior to school starting.

“Even though we were saddened by the death of one of our staff members over the weekend, we had a great first day,” said Principal Amy Wagner. “We were excited to see our enrollment increase this year. Our freshman class had a great day with all of the freshman orientation activities, learning the campus, and getting to know one another. Many students attended our back to school barbecue.”

To help students and their families process McMahon’s death, Wagner sent a letter home to parents and had support available for students if needed.

“Mr. McMahon was an integral part of our staff in enhancing a positive community for our students and employees,” she wrote in the letter. “He will always be remembered as a part of our school family, and the staff and students will miss him.”

High school enrollment Monday was 616 students this year with 134 in the freshman class. By the third day of school, enrollment was up to 627, according to Wagner.

“This current school (year) we were projected for 587 students. … Last school year, we were projected for 595 students and on count day we had 602 students,” she said. “At this point, we are 40 students over projection.”

Mitchell Elementary School also saw higher enrollment this year with 336 total students, and a 121 in kindergarten.

“Our kindergarten enrollment was the highest it has been in several years, so our enrollment is about 20-30 students higher than it was last year,” Day said.

Garrett Junior High School’s enrollment on the first day stayed the same as last year with 427 students with 165 students in the sixth grade attending classes on campus for the first time. King Elementary’s first day enrollment was 368 students.

Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.

First Day Enrollment by the Numbers

■ Mitchell Elementary School: 336 students

■ King Elementary School: 368 students

■ Garrett Junior High School: 427 students

■ Boulder City High School: 616 students

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
Council candidate slate set

A total of seven candidates for city council and three candidates for justice of the peace of Boulder Township will face off in the primary election scheduled for June 11.

Ultrarunner to push himself to the limit

It’s not uncommon for friends or even family members to try and best one another whether that be athletics, academics or relationships.

Vets home hit with 18 citations

In a recent unannounced inspection, the Southern Nevada State Veterans’ Home was cited 18 times for issues ranging from verbal abuse of a patient to failing to provide meals at an appropriate temperature, to employees not having keys to locked gates, which would be needed in the case of an emergency evacuation.

BDCU looks back on past year at annual meeting

For more than eight decades, the Boulder Dam Credit Union has been the most popular place for Boulder City residents to do their banking, not to mention see friends and neighbors.

Top o’ the evening to ya

Photos by Ron Eland/Boulder City Review

BC repaint: Countdown is on

It’s almost time to don that old pair of jeans, the ratty tennis shoes in the back of your closet and a shirt you’re not worried about ruining.

Management of veterans’ home sparks controversy

Documents provided to the Boulder City Review by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) appear to back up many of the accusations leveled at the Nevada Department of Veterans Services (NDVS) and leadership of the Southern Nevada State Veterans Home which is located in Boulder City by current and former employees over the past year. Many of the same issues were also noted by CMS surveyors in an inspection of the home that occurred in January.

Spending for proposed pool to be on Nov. ballot

During Tuesday’s Boulder City Council meeting, City Manager Taylour Tedder may have summed things up best.

Historic preservation event set for May

It’s a couple of months away, but scheduling for events tied to Historic Preservation Day — slated for May 11 —are pretty set and revolve around the theme of Trains, Planes and Automobiles.