Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

District names principals at 3 schools in improvement program

Chaparral

Justin M. Bowen

Students rally outside Chaparral High School on Wednesday, March 9, 2011, in protest of the district’s plans to reorganize the school. The school district on Tuesday announced new principals who will lead Chaparral and two other schools.

New principals

KSNV coverage of announcement of three new principals for schools in controversial turnabout program, March 22, 2011.

The three principals who will be inheriting some of the schools involved in a controversial turnaround program were identified Tuesday by the Clark County School District.

New principals are being appointed for three of the five schools that are applying for a federal School Improvement Grant, which requires at least half of the schools’ staff to be replaced.

The district said Keith France will be the new principal of Elizondo Elementary School, Antonio Rael will be principal at Mojave High School and Dave Wilson will be principal at Chaparral High School.

The principals will take over the schools after the school year ends.

All three currently are principals at other schools. France is at Lincoln Elementary, Rael is at Fremont Middle and Wilson is at Virgin Valley High.

The district announced earlier this month that is was applying for a grant to improve the three schools, as well as Hancock Elementary and Western High.

The grant is part of a federal program that awarded funds to eight states, including Nevada, with the goal of improving schools. Nevada received $9.4 million. The Clark County School District is asking for money to perform a “turnaround” program on the five schools beginning in the fall.

How much of the funding the district will receive won’t be known until the state Department of Education announces the awards in May.

The program requires principals at schools who have been in their positions for more than three years to be replaced, leaving only Western and Hancock with the same principals next year.

In addition, all staff at the schools will have to reapply for their positions and the grant says only a maximum of 50 percent can be rehired.

The schools would then get extra money to reduce class sizes, offer longer school days or for other programs.

The district has said no one is being fired or laid off, as staff members who are not rehired will be able to get jobs at other schools.

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