Las Vegas students return to classroom

Terry Webster

Monday, Aug. 28, 2000 | 11:42 a.m.

One minute before the start of classes on the first day of school this morning, dozens of parents and students were still standing in the registration line at Clark High School.

"We moved two blocks and were placed into a different zone," parent Juan Roman said. "My daughter wanted to go back to Durango High School, but we couldn't get a variance. I tried to fight for her, but it wasn't working. I understand it, though."

Voices of students and staff roared through the crowded hallways, echoing off of cement floors still bare from a renovation project.

"See how loud it is," said Principal Wayne Tanaka, moving quickly through the crowd. "It's really hard to hear."

Tanaka was at the school until 11:30 p.m. Sunday, putting together the final touches on the school he has led for the past eight years.

Meanwhile bewildered freshmen wandered aimlessly through the halls this morning, looking at room numbers, then looking at their schedules, hoping they had found their match.

One student was so lost, she broke down in tears.

A female student, in clear violation of the dress code, was stopped by Henry Thomas, a dean.

"You're not dressed for school," he said. "You're wearing a lace, see-through top."

Administrators asked if there were any T-shirts available in the office that she could wear over the ensemble.

Superintendent Carlos Garcia, who was out visiting a series of schools, said opening day appeared to be running smoothly.

"It's wonderful to see all of the employees out providing service with a smile to all of the people registering at the last minute," he said. "The bus runs have been going pretty well. I think its very exciting. It's a great start to the school year."

About 231,000 students attending 250 schools today returned to the classroom in the Clark County School District, the nation's sixth largest.

Among the returning students are Ivan Cordoba and John Armando Lopez, both seniors -- for the second time.

The fifth-year high school students, both 18, decided to come back to Clark High School to earn the credits they need to graduate.

"I wanted to come back to this school, I really like it," said Cordoba. "I need to work on my English and complete 4.5 credits. This is a good thing."

Lopez said he refused to get a General Educational Development (GED) degree.

"My dad told me it wouldn't do me any good," said Lopez, who needs six credits to graduate. "He said that if I get my regular diploma I can get better jobs and everything."

Lopez said he brushed up on his math skills over the summer. He failed the math portion of the High School Proficiency Exam last year by just 4 points.

"It's really hard," Tanaka said. "These kids come in, sitting at the edge of their chair, begging you to give them another chance. Some of them are just too far behind to make it. Others, you know they will."

Tanaka predicted that he'll see Lopez and Cordoba walk across the stage with their high school diplomas in hand at the end of this year.

"Can't you hear the hope in their voices?" Tanaka said. "Down the road, they will remember that someone helped them. They'll remember that someone lifted them up. Isn't that what public education is all about?"