More new school sites set

Debra D. Bass

Thursday, March 7, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

The first phase of building now under way seems to have quelled public interest in where the remaining schools will be sited.

With relief on the way from 17 new schools in the next two years, there has been no public debate on siting the eight remaining new schools -- including one high school to open by 1999 -- that the current $605 million bond program is expected to yield.

The Bond Oversight Committee met Wednesday to consider how to site new elementary schools scheduled to open in 1997-98. And for the second time in less than a week, the public stayed away in droves.

With no one from the public to guide them, committee members voted to site four more schools. Members decided to leave siting of the remaining three elementary schools -- to open in 1998-99 -- in reserve until later this year.

The committee's recommendation for the elementary school sites will be presented at the School Board's March 19 meeting.

The proposed sites:

* Two schools would go in the area north of Cheyenne Avenue, west of Lamb Boulevard and east of Rancho Drive.

* One school would go in the area south of Windmill Lane between Eastern Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard.

* One school would go in east Henderson.

Committee member Leland Pace headed a team of city planners from every municipality in the county to develop a formula for siting the schools.

Ultimately, four methods were used to determine which areas were the most in need. The only site that showed up with all four methods was the area north of Cheyenne.

By 1997-98, that area is projected to have 1,292 more elementary students than available classroom seats. The two nine-month schools would close the deficit.