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.

In case you missed it: We’ve shifted this newsletter’s publication frequency to every other week for the summer break. Hoping all teachers and students enjoy the break, and spending this time recharging. 

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

News briefs

💵 Clark County School Board sets superintendent salary — The board expects to offer its next superintendent a salary between $350,000 to $400,000. The board set this prospective salary range as recommended by its search firm during a Thursday work session that will be added to the position’s job posting. 

Former Superintendent Jesus Jara started at an annual salary of $320,000 and earned close to $400,000 a year before he resigned in February. Nancy Perez, chief operating officer of the board’s superintendent search firm, said the board could approve a higher salary depending on negotiations with their pick. 

Joe Ernst, the new Washoe County School District superintendent, was offered a starting salary of $280,000 — $30,000 less than his predecessor. 

🏫 Reno City Council to revisit charter school expansion appeal after tie vote — The Reno City Council deadlocked 3-3 on the Washoe County School District’s appeal to a proposed charter school expansion in the North Valleys area. According to an amendment application approved by the State Public Charter School Authority in January, Mater Academy of Northern Nevada, is looking to open a new K-12 school campus and shift its K-8 charter school, which predominantly serves low-income families, to an elementary school. Mater also wants to offer distance education options.

The Washoe County School District said it doesn’t support or oppose any project, but raised concerns about issues such as traffic, zoning and the process by which the project was approved. The district is also concerned with possible negative effects on student enrollment, which has been declining for several years. 

Councilwoman Jenny Brekhus was absent for the Wednesday vote. The city council is slated to take up the issue again at its July 31 meeting. 

The district’s school board voted 6-1 last week in favor of conducting a preliminary review of Mater’s application and the State Public Charter School Authority’s approval process, and proceed with litigation if the district’s superintendent and general counsel “believe viable claims exist.”

Summer program promotes construction trades as alternatives to college

Construction trades leaders have brought a summer learning program to Las Vegas in hopes of drawing local teens to their industries. 

Earlier this month, 11 teens spent their week getting hands-on experience in the mechanical trades — sheet metal, plumbing and heating, ventilation and air conditioning — as part of the Heavy Metal Summer Experience hosted for the first time by the Mechanical Contractors Association of Las Vegas and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association of Southern Nevada. 

Mandi Wilkins, executive vice president of the local associations, said the summer program started three years ago in Washington state as a way to recruit youths to construction trades beyond the typical career fairs, and present these career opportunities in the field as an alternative to the traditional four-year college route.

“I've been working in construction almost 25 years now, and I feel like we've always been talking about a shortage of a skilled workforce," she said. 

That includes drawing in more women. More than 40 percent of the students who participated in the summer learning program were female, said Member Relations Manager Rebecca Dirks Garcia. 

“That is part of the goal of the camp too, is to reach just people who may not be considered traditional in the construction industry, and it was cool to see the response from young women in our community who really were interested in exploring these careers,” she said.

During the week, the students, or the “junior tradies,” not only got to try their hand at skills such as pipefitting and air balancing, but also heard from current apprentices and journeymen who recently graduated from an apprenticeship program, where they received free education and training while earning a salary. The base pay for a pre-apprentice or helper with the Local 525 union is $17.28 in addition to benefits. 

“One of the No. 1 statements the first day from these junior tradies was how much they hadn't heard in school about these options and how they wanted something where they didn't have to sit at a desk or a computer all day, and instead could work with their hands,” Dirks Garcia said. 

Dirks Garcia said students also connected with construction companies that have worked on major projects such as the Sphere and professionals from Milwaukee and DeWalt tool manufacturing companies. 

The students practiced going through the application process, including submitting an interest form, applying for a position and going through a mock interview. Students left the week with a fully stocked tool bag that included a power drill and work boots. 

Incoming Boulder City High School junior Racheal Ramis, 16, became interested in soldering after watching Forged in Fire on Netflix and began practicing using kits her parents bought her. Ramis said she found the real thing to be easier than she thought. 

“It was just really fun,” she said. 

Ramis said she’s currently considering a career in theater, but thinks one of the construction trades could be a good backup option. 

Wilkins said she’s hoping to make the summer program an annual event and expand it to more students. 

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

Thousands sign petition opposing Clark County school policy banning cellphone use in class

Other parents raised concerns on punishments under another policy requiring ID badges for all sixth-12th graders. 

Extra Credit

With 5 months left in Trustee Church's term, tensions persist between him and president

Since his election to the board in 2020, Church has butted heads with other trustees and district officials many times, the Reno Gazette Journal reported. 

Events    

📕 Back to School Expo — Aug. 10, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. 

The Washoe County School District’s back to school event will include information on transportation, nutrition services, school choice and enrollment as well as a backpack giveaway. The event will be held at the Reno Town Mall at 4001 South Virginia St. in Reno.  

Featured social media post

A good time to remind readers that there’s about two weeks left until the start of the school year for students in Clark, Washoe and Churchill school districts.