Good morning, and welcome to the Indy Education newsletter. I’m Rocio Hernandez, The Nevada Independent’s K-12 education reporter. 

This newsletter provides a recap of the latest education stories and highlights interesting educators, students, programs and other events and resources throughout the state. Click here to subscribe to the newsletter and receive it each week via email.

I want to hear from you! Send questions, comments or suggestions on what I should be covering to [email protected]. 

News briefs

👀 A look at Clark County superintendent candidates — The slate of six candidates to be presented to the board today include three blasts from the Clark County School District (CCSD)’s past. They are: 

• Nevada Superintendent of Public Instruction Jhone Ebert, who started her career at CCSD as a teacher and later became an administrator. The former senior deputy commissioner for the New York State Education Department has previously applied for the CCSD and Washoe County School District (WCSD) superintendent positions. 
• Chicago Public Schools Superintendent Pedro Martinez has a history with CCSD and WCSD. He served as deputy superintendent for both districts before becoming the WCSD superintendent, until the board bought out his contract in 2014 after illegally firing him. In December, his school board voted to fire him without cause from his current position, but a clause in his contract allows him to stay on until at least June. (He’s also pursuing legal action against his board.)
• Camas School District Superintendent John Anzalone, a Nevada native, who previously served as a principal and assistant superintendent at CCSD before moving on to lead the Washington school district of about 7,200 students. 

Other candidates include: 

• Jason Glass, associate vice president of teaching and learning at Western Michigan University and former commissioner for the Kentucky Department of Education. He was also the superintendent at two Colorado school districts. 
• Joshua Starr, a former superintendent for school districts in Connecticut and Maryland. Starr has also served as a nonprofit CEO and a leader in the private equity-owned corporate sector.
• Ben Shuldiner, superintendent of the Lansing School District in Michigan, which serves more than 10,000 students. He founded and led a school in New York and serves as an instructor and dean fellow at City University of New York. 

The six were pulled out by the district’s search firm from among 46 applicants. The board is expected to decide during Tuesday’s meeting which candidates to extend interviews to. 

School Spotlight

New Washoe County trustee hopes to bring fairness and transparency to the role

The Washoe County School District’s newest trustee, James “J.J.” Phoenix, has a long history of public service in and out of Northern Nevada. 

Phoenix was appointed to the board last month to fill the seat left vacant after Joe Rodriguez was elected to the Sparks City Council. He’s the first Washoe County School Board member to be an accredited member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe.

Before that, he spent more than 30 years in military and law enforcement roles ranging from the Kansas Army National Guard to the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, the Reno Police Department and the Nevada Army National Guard. He was inspired to go into the military by his father, Albert, who attended Stewart Indian School in Carson City before he joined the Marines and served in the Korean and Vietnam wars.  

He said his background has developed him into someone who is grounded, transparent, patient and fair. 

“I take pride in this,” he said. “I have to hear both sides before I actually make a decision.”

He also has personal history with the district. Phoenix attended Sparks Middle School and Reed High School, among the schools he now represents in District C, and his children and grandchildren also attended district schools. In addition, he attended and graduated from Pyramid Lake High School, a tribe-controlled school funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and still resides on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Indian Reservation. He spent three years on the tribal council as a member and chairman.  

Phoenix currently works part time as a tribal liaison at the Nevada Department of Veteran Services.  

Phoenix was interested in joining the board in part to ensure Native and rural students have the opportunity to receive the best education, resources and representation the district can offer. During an interview last week, he touted many of the programs the district already has in place to elevate students of all cultures, including Native American cultures, to help them feel like they belong. 

He said one of his goals as a trustee is to build strong partnerships within the community and engage families. 

“That’s really how we are going to get them out there in the community and engage them to participate a little more with public education,” he said. 

Have a student or staffer who we should feature in the next edition of School Spotlight? Share your nominations with me at [email protected].

Reading Assignments

Court strikes blow to state’s funding plan for rural school construction

A Nevada district court has ruled that sections of a 2023 bill that essentially forced the Elko County Commission to earmark a portion of property tax proceeds for schools in exchange for funding to build a new Owyhee school are unconstitutional.

Bill seeks to ban immigration enforcement in Nevada schools after Trump opened door for it 

Just weeks after President Donald Trump rescinded an Obama-era policy that banned immigration enforcement activities at schools and churches, a state lawmaker is proposing a bill to prohibit immigration officials from accessing Nevada school grounds without a warrant or a court order. 

Extra Credit

Chalkbeat: Crucial research halted as DOGE abruptly terminates Education Department contracts

The Salt Lake Tribune: Ute parents coach kids to memorize tribal ID and phone numbers, fearing ICE sweeps near reservation

Events

🍎 Clark County School Board special meeting — Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2 p.m. 

The agenda includes a discussion and possible action on extending interviews to  superintendent applicants.

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