School zoning changes prompt criticism from some parents

Terry Webster

Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2000 | 11:13 a.m.

After a show of support in the audience revealed a majority of happy customers, Dusty Dickens, director of the Clark County School District's Demographics, Zoning & Realty Department, joked that television cameras are never around when there's good news.

But not everyone was pleased with the proposed zoning changes aired at Green Valley High School in Henderson during the first in a series of Attendance Zone Advisory Commission public input meetings. About 60 people attended.

Monday's meeting centered on proposed boundary changes in the county's southeast area that would affect students attending Silvestri Middle School on Silverado Ranch Boulevard and Burkholder Middle School on West Van Wagenen Street in Henderson.

The commission will consider rezoning for Becker and Johnson middle schools Wednesday at Cimarron-Memorial High School, 2301 North Tenaya Way from 6 to 8 p.m.

Fliers about other meetings are sent home to families who live in affected areas.

Under the proposal heard Monday, Silvestri students south of Lake Mead Drive and Burkholder students between Lake Mead and Horizon Ridge will attend a new middle school under construction on Cozy Hills Street, Dickens said.

During public comments, one family said they bought a new home -- one they now don't want to move into after learning their child will attend Burkholder, an older school, instead of Silvestri.

Another parent, Brenda Ceron, said she has lived in the same neighborhood for 9 1/2 years and her daughter has been sent to different schools seven times.

Among the parents looking forward to the opening of the new middle school is Sandy Watson.

"We've been waiting for this for two years," she said.

One of the questions Dickens addressed was why a six-month timeframe is used to notify parents of zoning changes.

A longer projection period "would be too much speculation," she said.

The commission will consider comments made by the public before making a final recommendation to the School Board, Dickens said.

Some of the considerations made in making recommendations include: