59°F
weather icon Cloudy

Behind the Chalkboard, March 28

Welcome to Behind the Chalkboard, which gives readers an inside look at the teachers in the community, why they do what they do and a glimpse of their lives outside of the classroom.

Bill Strachan

Math teacher at Boulder City High School

Teaching for 36½ years; 35 at BCHS

Born and raised in Boulder City; valedictorian of the class of 1978

Why do you become a teacher?

Because of Jim Nelson and my sophomore year in his class. I wanted to do what he was doing. … This was my dream job from the time I was 15.

What is your favorite part of teaching?

It’s the kids. I think we have great kids in Boulder City. It’s the small-town feel. You can interact with them and get to know your students.

If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be doing?

At the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, I took some engineering classes, so probably an engineer.

What do you do for fun when you’re not teaching?

My wife and I travel a lot. Growing up in a small town, we get to see the world through traveling.

MOST READ
THE LATEST
Boulder City schools meet with Legislative Counsel Bureau

Today, Boulder City High School, Garrett Junior High School, and Martha P. King Elementary School will be visited by the Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau (LCB).

Busy season at Garrett

December is a busy month of activities in schools, filled with wonderful winter concerts, the challenge of final exams and assessments, and the energy that just seems to come with the season.

Season of giving at BCHS

If you live in Boulder City, you know the community is very busy during the holidays, especially winter holidays.

Taking a look at diabetes

Did you know that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises people with diabetes to get a flu vaccination to prevent flu and serious flu complications and recommends people with diabetes who have flu infection or suspect flu infection be promptly treated with antiviral treatment.

Building a growth mindset at King

Sometimes as adults we can spend too much time focusing on “wins” and “losses.” This is true in education as well.

Busy fall season at Garrett Junior High

As we wrap up the fall season at Garrett Junior High, there’s so much to celebrate.

Sometimes simple appliance DIY can spare you costly service calls

Wasn’t I embarrassed when I couldn’t figure out why my friend’s dishwasher wouldn’t start. I troubleshot as best as I could, given my limited time visiting her. It was getting power, the door was closed properly, yet when I pressed “start,” it just wouldn’t. I advised her to call a local appliance repair company. $85 later she was informed that it somehow went into its “locked function.” Simply holding down the Heat/Dry button for three seconds unlocks it. That’s all it needed. Boy did I feel dumb. I mean, I’m the Toolbelt Diva, after all.

A look into Día De Los Muertos at BCHS

For nearly a decade, Boulder City High School has created a tradition in their Spanish Honors classes to build ofrendas in honor of the Spanish holiday, Día De Los Muertos also known as Day of the Dead.

Calculating breast cancer risk

Absolute risk versus relative risk and what you need to know about calculating the risk of developing breast cancer. Let’s define both and gauge the risk.