Kent Roberts has accepted a job as principal of Green Valley High School in Henderson, leaving a vacancy at Boulder City High School, according to the Clark County School District.
Roberts had been principal at Boulder City High since 2011. During the 2012-13 school year, the school had a graduation rate of 88 percent, one of the highest in the school district. It was a 6 percent increase from the year before.
Boulder City High was ranked as a ‘Five Star’ school for the 2012-13 year, according to the district’s School Performance Framework.
This past year’s graduation numbers will not be available until spring, according to the district.
“Our graduation rate is phenomenally high, and we have many very smart and very talented students,” Roberts said at the school’s Scholarship Night in May.
Roberts also pushed to secure more iPads for teachers and students. During his first year as principal, the high school saw an 11 percent increase from the previous year in students who passed their advance placement exams, in large part because of the convenience of iPads.
The next year, that number increased another 11 percent to 64 percent overall, according to the Nevada Education Department.
Roberts said Green Valley is a community-based high school, similar to Boulder City. Although he plans on maintaining the culture and traditions at Green Valley like he did at Boulder City, he said it will be difficult getting to know his new students personally.
“When you have 600 kids, you get to know a lot of them on a personal level,” he said. “I’ll get that here, too, but it’s harder to get to know 3,000 as opposed to 600.”
Roberts credited Boulder City’s staff with being highly motivated and professional, positive effects that trickled down to the students. He said one key to success is setting expectations for students, whether it’s in academics, athletics or extracurricular activities.
“Regardless if they’re Harvard-bound or not, you set expectations,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what school you’re at, those things need to be taught.”
Boulder City’s volleyball coach Cherise Hinman praised Roberts for his involvement in the lives of student athletes.
“From a head coach’s perspective, Mr. Roberts was extremely supportive of all the programs here on campus, whether home or away,” she said. “He took an active role in the student-athlete life at Boulder City … He knew everyone and what sport or extracurricular activity they were involved in.”
District spokeswoman Melinda Malone said it has not found a replacement for Roberts, and does not have a timetable to find one. The 2014-15 school year begins Aug. 25.
Laura Hubel contributed to this story. Contact reporter Steven Slivka at sslivka@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow @StevenSlivka on Twitter.