Four new schools to open midyear

Terry Webster

Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2001 | 9:36 a.m.

The Clark County School District's fight to keep up with growing student enrollment continues with four new schools opening midyear.

Despite enrollment figures that came in slightly lower than expected, school officials are predicting the district will keep rapidly expanding.

The 2001-2002 student enrollment of 244,684, represents an increase of about 5.9 percent or more than 13,500 students over last year.

"We've been looking at new information that shows the housing market was up in October," said Dusty Dickens, director of demographics, zoning and realty. "Some of the homes were probably in the process of being bought before Sept. 11 hit. It is actually up in comparison to October of last year."

Much of the growth centers in the northern and southwest parts of the valley. Dickens said there is plenty of growth in the north and northwest areas, especially near Decatur Boulevard and U.S. 95. There also are master-planned communities cropping up between Rainbow and Jones and Rainbow and Durgano boulevards, she said.

"We're starting to see a lot of construction starts and rooftops in the southwest," she added. "For us, that has always been our 'finger in the dyke.' "

The midyear opening of new schools calls for Twitchell Elementary, 2060 Desert Shadow Trail, Henderson, and Heckathorn Elementary, 5150 Whispering Sands, to open Jan. 4, said Pat Herron, assistant superintendent for facilities.

Another school, a replacement for Sunrise Acres Elementary, one of the older schools in the district, is expected to open at the end of January. Finally, Leavitt Middle School, 4701 Quadrel St., opens in March.

When the time comes to move into the new schools, teachers and students will only have to change buildings. Teachers for the new schools have already been hired and their students are being housed in portable classrooms on existing campuses. The new schools will relieve overcrowded conditions at existing schools, Dickens said.

Combined, the schools opening midyear will house more than 2,000 students. The district, which builds about one new school a month, plans to open eight new schools next fall.