Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

A-Tech’ still striving to be better, principal says

Advanced Technologies Academy, known more commonly as A-Tech, has been consistently ranked one of Clark County and Nevada's top magnet schools.

The five-star school in the central valley was named a national Blue Ribbon school in 2002 and 2011. It also was named a “school of excellence” by the Magnet Schools of America.

U.S. News has recognized A-Tech as one of Nevada’s top-performing schools in previous years. Recently, Newsweek also named A-Tech one of the most-challenging high schools in the nation.

Despite all the accolades, A-Tech won’t be resting on its laurels, Principal Debbie Kral said. The school won’t stop until every student is on the path to success, she said.

“That kind of recognition is always exciting because it reinforces the notion that we’re on the right track,” Kral said, thanking faculty and students for their accomplishments. “It just propels us forward. It motivates and challenges us.”

A-Tech offers courses in eight career tracks: Engineering, architecture, business management, graphic design, legal studies, information technology, computer science and website design.

Although A-Tech is a magnet school, it has a diverse student population, Kral said. The majority of students is from a minority background and 40 percent of students speak a second language at home. This year, 37.5 percent of students receive free and reduced-price lunches.

“I believe that when you walk in the door of A-Tech, it’s evident throughout the building that everyone has a passion for learning,” Kral said. “Students are learning from their teachers and teachers are learning from their students. I’m thrilled for our faculty and students in our school community.”

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