Education:

Students back to school, staying close to home

West Las Vegas parents forgo other options to keep children in ‘Prime Six’ schools

Tiffany Brown

Devin McGee, 8, left, holds his class’ sign on the school yard during the first day of school at Kermit R. Booker Sr. Elementary. Booker is one of two “Prime Six” schools to have made “adequate academic progress” in 2008-09, as required by the No Child Left Behind Act.

By Emily Richmond (contact)

Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2009 | 2 a.m.

West Las Vegas -- First Day of School

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Summer's over: Clark County students back in the classroom (8-24-2009)

Many paths to teaching posts (8-23-2009)
School District again taking heat for unequal achievement (8-16-2009)

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Clark County School District

First Day of School in Henderson

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First Day of School in Boulder City

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Second grader Ayanna Walters showed up for school Monday in her new clothes — a red and black plaid blouse with matching shoes, crisp dark denim pants — and with her notebook and pencils carefully stowed in her hot-pink backpack.

“I’m ready,” said Ayanna, smiling broadly, deep dimples creasing her cheeks.

So was Ayanna’s school, Booker Elementary.

And that’s the good news for the Clark County School District, which has come under scrutiny in recent weeks over concerns that a 15-year-old program aimed at promoting valleywide diversity is shortchanging West Las Vegas.

Booker, one of the “Prime Six” schools, has typically been the standout for student achievement.

But it’s not the only campus showing strength despite significant odds against academic success.

Another one, a few miles away, is Quannah McCall Elementary. At the campus for Monday’s start of classes, Eura Wright was reduced to tears after leaving her daughter, Ruby, in the line of kindergartners. When asked where she lived, Wright laughed and wiped her eyes, before pointing just down the street.

When she’s a first grader next year, Ruby could leave McCall for a more successful campus outside the neighborhood, but her stepfather, Harry Wright, says that seems unlikely. “We want her close by,” he said.

Families with children attending Booker, McCall and the four other elementary schools serving West Las Vegas can send them to other Clark County schools instead. But by and large, the students haven’t left the neighborhood, and this year seems no different.

That’s one of the problems with the Prime Six plan, which was devised to encourage West Las Vegas students to attend schools elsewhere in order to promote diversity. Families are reluctant to give up the perceived safety and convenience of community campuses.

•••

On Monday the convergence of students and parents pouring onto the Booker Elementary campus, on Martin Luther King Boulevard, resembled a receiving line at a wedding reception. Principal Beverly Mathis greeted more than 400 students and their families like old friends.

“Good morning, good morning,” said Mathis, as she alternately offered handshakes and hugs. “Parents, thank you for your preparations.”

Booker is one of Clark County’s empowerment schools, earning extra money and more independence in exchange for being held more strictly accountable for its performance. But, like the other Prime Six schools, it remains largely isolated and segregated by ethnicity and poverty.

Booker, however, has still thrived.

The schoolwide approach toward the value of learning and respectful treatment of everyone was evidenced in Mathis’ words.

“Welcome, young ladies and young gentlemen,” Mathis said as she led students to the opening ceremony on the playground. “Are you ready to learn? Wonderful!”

•••

Test scores at most of the Prime Six schools are as much as 15 percentage points below the districtwide average, with the widest gaps for black and Hispanic students. Only Booker and Wendell Williams Elementary made adequate academic progress for the 2008-09 academic year, as required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

The district offers West Las Vegas elementary students transportation to outlying campuses as a means of promoting voluntary diversity.

But families in West Las Vegas have long been reluctant to have their children attend schools outside of their neighborhoods, even when the campus has a stronger track record of academic achievement.

The Prime Six schools got their identity in the mid-1990s when the district began phasing out what had been a mandatory busing program for black students. Instead of requiring them to attend campuses in other areas, once a means of ensuring diversity, black students were given the option of staying at their neighborhood school or applying to a local magnet program.

Participation in the choice options has dropped steadily in recent years. Most West Las Vegas parents choose to keep their children at a Prime Six campus rather than have them bused to schools that typically have higher academic achievement. And few West Las Vegas students apply to the neighborhood magnet schools.

Because of demographic shifts, the Prime Six schools are below capacity — anywhere from 50 to 200 seats. Built in 2006 for 600 students, Booker will have about 160 empty seats this year.

Why doesn’t Mathis recruit more students from the area, since increased enrollment would mean more funding to expand programs and services?

The Prime Six system was never designed for the schools to compete against one another, Mathis said, and it would be inappropriate of her to “poach” students assigned to other campuses.

“We need to be fair to the other schools,” Mathis said. All of us have the same objective — to help children learn.”

The Rev. D. Edward Chaney, who recently relocated his family to West Las Vegas from South Carolina to become pastor of the Second Baptist Church on Madison Avenue, said he was impressed by the warmth of Monday’s welcome at Booker.

“It’s a wonderful thing and certainly made us feel better, being new to the school,” said Chaney, whose son is in the fifth grade. “That’s really helped ease the nerves and the jitters.”

Aware of some of the controversy that has arisen recently about Prime Six schools, Chaney suggested more campuses be set up like Booker.

“You have a strong model, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel,” Chaney said. “When you walk in here you can tell it’s a collaboration for the school, local businesses and the community.”

•••

Quannah McCall Elementary

At Quannah McCall Elementary, Principal Maria Chairez hosted an open house Friday, drawing hundreds of families to campus.

Proximity to the campus, Chairez said, means families can walk to school to take part in activities— such as English as a Second Language classes. That’s just one of a number of extra programs offered at McCall, which like Booker is an empowerment school.

Chairez said she would like McCall to become a science and technology magnet school, building on two areas where the students are demonstrating interest and ability. In the meantime, the empowerment program pays for certain perks at McCall, including a full-time school counselor.

But Chairez and her staff face a steep challenge: Nearly four in 10 students will leave before the end of the academic year, and won’t fully reap the benefits of such programs and services.

She says there is a growing commitment, a tangible attitude, among parents and staff to improve the school — and that it’s paying off.

When she became principal in 2005, Chairez said, it was common for police to be called to campuses because of weekend vandalism.

Last year there wasn’t a single incident, and the extensive campus murals were left intact.

“There’s been a real turnaround in attitude,” Chairez said. “People protect this school.”

Discussion: 9 comments so far…

By vsestini

8/25/09 at 4:39 a.m.

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If the West Las Vegas residents can successfully battle to reopen a closed roadway that blocked their access to the rest of the community they certainly can use the same power and influence to change this lack luster school district's operation. Sometimes a little show of unity is all that it takes; the school board is not prepared to handle a crowd of 400 angry parents. Being soccer and pta moms board members are more accustomed to dealing with 'high tea' sessions of 'laugh and have fun follies' at their board meetings.

The residents of West Las Vegas need to continue their uniy and DEMAND that they get what they want. It is time to play hardball and demand equal educational opportunity for their children, future citizens of this community for all of us. Afterall these parents are taxpayers too, and deserve the best education for their children, and all children also.

It is time the board and its administration from district level to building level be held fully accountable for all of their actions and policies. The only way education in this district will improve for the better is when the community stands shoulder to shoulder and demand results, not just educational blabber and hot air!
By James_Kresnik

8/25/09 at 7:08 a.m.

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Amen to that vsestini.

I find it quite ironic that minority parents are often criticized by non-minority, tongue-clucking soccer moms for being uneducated losers, and yet, are patronized and insulted for wanting give their children a better education so they don't become losers.

So, is education for the tongue-clucking soccer moms on the board truly about providing excellence for motivated families or corralling everyone's tax resources to produce favorable outcomes for their own offspring at the expense of groups they don't identify or associate with?

During this ordeal, one answer is becoming painfully obvious.
By greg89052

8/25/09 at 9 a.m.

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I have a question and a comment. Who pays for the english as a second language programs in county schools? I do not want to sound like a racist spreading rehtoric, but as a citizen of this country and a friend to many naturalized citizens it offends me that we are offering english as a second language. Do other countries offer their national language as second languages in their schools? France, England, Mexico, China, Japan any information would be appreciated.
By sheilacatherine

8/25/09 at 9:21 a.m.

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Mr. Vestini,
If you are so concerned with "soccer and pta mom board members" that you are always lambasting, why don't you do something REALLY constructive and forward thinking and RUN for a position yourself? It is so easy to sit back and criticize so why not jump into the fire and show them how it's done? You're an experienced educator and you have the necessary qualifications. So, next go around, I would like to see you out there actively touting the change you feel we so desperately need!
By Patrick_R_Gibbons

8/25/09 at 9:41 a.m.

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An anecdote but in a recent debate: http://jaypgreene.com/2009/08/24/lets-ge... it was noted that in Jacksonville Florida just 6 charter schools served low-income students while there were 90 private schools serving low-income students.

Florida has the Step-Up for Students scholarship program which is wildly popular today. Low-income students receive scholarships to attend any private school of their parent's choice. The scholarships are paid by private corporations who get a dollar for dollar tax credit on their donation. The scholarships are awarded by private scholarship organizations which are required by law to spend something like 90% of their revenue on the scholarships -- leaving little for overhead (yet they still operate just fine).

Nevada, especially CCSD would benefit a great deal from such a program.

Read more about Step Up For Students here: http://www.stepupforstudents.org/
By SCHNORCHEL

8/25/09 at 9:52 a.m.

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After I read George Orwell's book "1984," obtainable at http://www.shopjbs.org/index.php/1984.ht..., I became aware of Orwell's slogan reversal, e.g., "War is Peace."

Based on such a slogan reversal, this led me to conclude that "No Child Left Behind" actually means "Every Child Left Behind."

Here is a short book review of George Orwell's book:

"The nightmarish world of the foreseeable future is described in horrifying and realistic detail, a time when the state reigns supreme and the words "individualism" and "dignity" are nowhere to be found in the "politically correct" vocabulary of "newspeak." Originally published 1949. George Orwell (1981 ed, 328pp, pb)"
By Patrick_R_Gibbons

8/25/09 at 10:42 a.m.

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School choice (parental choice) is a civil rights issue...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2veJ3GKvS...

This is a 10 minute video on a school choice rally in Florida, notice the diverse crowd...school choice is a nonpartisan issue.
By reg373

8/25/09 at 12:03 p.m.

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The economy will bounce back. Government spending created many jobs in the Great Depression, Hoover Dam for example. Some paint that as socialism, others as a wise public investment -- found a cool site; Balkingpoints ; incredible satellite view of earth
By rizzo1970

8/26/09 at 2:59 a.m.

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There staying close to home until the bus drops them off miles away...