15 new schools a zoning challenge

Terry Webster

Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2000 | 10:30 a.m.

With 15 new schools expected to open in 2001-2002, the Clark County School District's Attendance Zone Advisory Committee is bracing for a busy schedule of planning and public meetings.

The committee will contend with drawing attendance boundary lines for five elementary schools, four middle schools, two high schools and one alternative high school, which are all slated to open next August. During the school year two elementary schools and a middle school are scheduled to open.

"Any time you rezone students, it's difficult," committee chairwoman Carolyn Edwards said. "There is never one that is harder than the other. But the high schools become very emotional issues. There are two of those, and they are going to get a lot of public attention."

As a rule the district does not rezone seniors from a high school they are currently attending. One of the new high schools, at 7610 S. Cimarron Road, will relieve Durango High School. The other, being built at 1001 Coronado Center Drive in Henderson, will provide relief for one of the district's most crowded high schools, Silverado.

Additionally, a new alternative high school is under construction at 10250 W. Centennial Parkway. All three are scheduled to open in August 2001.

In addition to the committee, school staffers last week began analyzing information that will help guide decisions on attendance zone boundaries.

"We're looking at demographic numbers and data, and we're looking at what information to go forward with," Kim Vesely, a spokeswoman for the school district's facilities division, said.

Under a new meeting format this year, the committee will study the schools by area instead of looking overall at elementary, middle or high schools. The school district will mail fliers to notify families who could be affected by attendance zone changes, Vesely said.

A meeting to study schools in the southwest is being scheduled for next week, Vesely said.

Elementary schools opening in August 2001 include William E. Snyder at Colorado Avenue and Lamb Boulevard; an unnamed school at 5625 Corbett St., Lucille S. Rogers, 5535 Riley St.; an unnamed school at Commerce Street and Tropical Parkway in North Las Vegas; and Marshall C. Darnell on West Tropical Parkway.

The middle schools include Brian and Teri Cram, 1900 W. Deer Springs Way, North Las Vegas; Mario C. & JoAnne Monaco, 1870 N. Lamont St.; Marvin M. Sedway, 3465 Englestad St., North Las Vegas; and Jack Lund Schofield, 8626 Spencer St.