Education news in BC largely positive

In her quarterly report to the city council, Clark County School District Regional Superintendent Deanna Jaskolski was full of positive takes on public schools in Boulder City.

“So we had 141 students earn their high school diploma from Boulder City High School with honors and distinction,” she said. “The senior class was accepted into 37 different colleges, institutes and universities. They received more than 200 different scholarships or awards and earned almost $3 million in scholarships.”

Jaskolski also said that Garrett Junior High School is fully staffed and their class sizes are smaller for next school year.

“In their awards night they recognized over 120 students for their achievements. Five students were presented with a UNLV STEM scholarship to attend a summer camp with the choice of drones, robotics, generative AI and coding,” she said.

“In the performing arts, they traveled to Universal Studios and they came away with top honors. They placed first in both the mixed choir and show choir and earned the coveted esprit d’corp award given to one group that best embody spirit, encouragement and positivity toward others.”

“They also would like to share that they have a number of students that are coming in on the change-of-school assignment (COSA) opportunities through the Clark County School District and they do have a few seats available for any students that would like to join the Bobcat community.”

She reported that King Elementary is also fully staffed. They currently are enrolled at 372 students, which is above the projection. If they were to receive additional funds because of the over-enrollment, the top priority is to hire a full-time or a part-time school counselor to “support their social emotional goals.”

“I want to share a 5% increase in graduation rates,” she noted. She also reported a “significant increase” in students in middle school that are taking algebra one and geometry courses, which are high school courses but are offered at the middle school. In three years the number of students taking those classes has gone from 36 to 65 to 84. Also noted was a continued decrease in chronic absenteeism and a decrease in “out-of-school suspensions” for any behavior infractions.

But when it came time for questions from the council, the emphasis was not so positive. Councilwoman Cokie Booth, who grilled Jaskolski three months ago about continued issues with proficiency in math, science and reading, took that subject up again.

“I’m still interested in how many of our children are proficient in math and reading. That’s the most important thing. I was shocked when I saw how bad it was,” she said. Then, waving a copy of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, she continued, “Then I got my RJ today. I don’t know if you’ve had time to see but it says that, in terms of failing children, Nevada ranks 47th in the country.”

Jaskolski responded with talk of data and district programs but Booth was apparently unimpressed.

“So what are you doing to bring this ranking up so that maybe we could be in the top 10 instead of the very bottom?” she asked.

“I wish, council members, that there was a simple easy answer to that,” Jaskolski responded, citing funding concerns and the fact that, at just six hours and 11 minutes, Nevada has the shortest school day in the country.

Councilwoman Denise Ashurst took a different tack. “You know, the city is a bright spot in the state and we kind of get pulled down because the state is at 47, which is almost rock bottom, but the city is a bright spot.”

Councilwoman Sherri Jorgensen probably hit on the biggest challenge moving forward — a marked decrease in the number of students as the number of people choosing to have children continues to plummet. As funding formulas for public schools are based on the number of students in school on any particular day, the future effects could be sweeping.

“I noticed in the latest information given at board meetings that there was a decline in elementary-age school kids and junior high,” Jorgensen noted. “I think they said that high school this year was the kind of the last boom of kids that we have and then it’s at a decrease. Would you agree with that?”

“Yes,” Jaskolski replied.