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

🏫 New superintendents take over — On Friday, Joe Ernst finished his first week as the new superintendent of the Washoe County School District. Ernst served as the district’s chief continuous improvement officer prior to being offered the position in May.

Interim Superintendent Kristen McNeill handed the reins to Ernst after serving for months following former Superintendent Susan Enfield’s February resignation. In a summer message featuring McNeill packing up her office and Ernst moving in posted on the district’s YouTube page, McNeil said her retirement plans include spending time with family, gardening and riding her horse, Xander. The video ends with the pair riding off into the sunset. 

Also, the Douglas County School District welcomed new superintendent Angelo “Frankie” Alvarado last Wednesday, a day after its school board approved the former Northern California district leader’s four-year contract in a split vote that fell along the same lines as the vote to offer him the position in June. 

School Spotlight

Vegas HS students now published authors as part of ‘We are America’ class project

About two dozen students from Southwest Career and Technical Academy in teacher Laura Jeanne Penrod’s English classes have a new title: published author. 

The students published their personal essays as part of the We are America project — which works with teachers and students nationwide to define what it means to be American through their own stories — and to spark a new national conversation about the American identity today led by the next generation. The project was started by a Massachusetts teacher and her former students. 

Penrod, the 2024 Nevada State Teacher of the Year, said she wanted her students to participate in the project to help them grow not only as writers, but as people, especially for the seniors who graduated in May. 

“We're connecting as Americans through our growth versus where we're from or how long ago our families immigrated,” Penrod said. 

The book opens with an essay where students describe their skin tones by comparing their skin color to foods such as “a freshly brewed cup of masala chai,” or “Texas Roadhouse rolls smothered in cinnamon butter.”

“I just loved how it really taught them how to embrace themselves and how to love themselves,” Penrod said. 

The book includes personal essays from 27 students who were enrolled in Penrod’s English college-level courses. Some of the essays were also published online at the project’s website, along with audio of the authors reading their stories. 

Justice Sidney, who graduated from Southwest in May and is starting at UNLV this fall, wrote about her experience feeling constant pressure from her father to have perfect grades. In her short story titled More Than A Transcript, she comes to understand that her father’s feelings stemmed from his own “unfulfilled dreams” and she needs to prioritize her mental health over “letters on a transcript.” 

“It just kind of helped me adapt a new sort of mentality into one of growth and acceptance and patience with myself, and realizing that the standards that I've been holding myself up to aren't healthy,” Sidney said. 

Other students wrote about how they overcame insecurities, family trauma and mental health issues.

“So I think my students left this year feeling a little bit more ready to be an adult, even if it's incredibly scary,” Penrod said.  

Penrod said she hopes to continue this project with her new students next school year. 

Editor’s Note: Laura Jeanne Penrod is a contributing columnist to The Nevada Independent

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

Clark County School Board won’t appeal ruling on nonvoting trustees’ rights

The Clark County School Board voted 5-2 Thursday against pursuing an appeal on a May ruling on a board policy limiting nonvoting trustees' powers.

Clark County schools using the summer break to track down chronically absent students

The Clark County School District is optimistic that efforts such as summer home visits will help it decrease its chronic absenteeism rate. 

Extra Credit

New home, school for sex-trafficked victims taking shape in Boulder City

The new school is expected to open in early November, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. 

Nevada eligible for USDA grants to help states implement Summer EBT

Nevada is on track to distribute the $120 grocery benefit for each eligible school-aged child in mid-September as part of a new summer nutrition assistance program, known as Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer, the Nevada Current reported. 

WCSD, Trustee Jeff Church clash over legal fees amid pending lawsuits

In a court filing, the Washoe County School District has asked a judge to sanction Church and award attorney fees for defending itself against the trustee, the Reno Gazette Journal reported. 

Events    

🌃 Multicultural Night Market Crawl — July 16, 8-11:59 p.m.  

The event hosted by the local NAACP branch will include traditional foods and dance performances. It will take place at the Historic Westside School located at 350 W. Washington Ave. in Las Vegas. 

📕 Through the Pages event — July 17, 5-7 p.m. 

United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra and Scheels have partnered to host a literacy event for families with children as old as 9 at Scheels Sparks, located at 1200 Scheels Drive in Sparks. The event will feature literacy-themed activities such as a scavenger hunt, crafts and a giant word search. The first 100 children will receive a free book. All participants will have a chance to win a $150 Scheels gift card. 

Featured social media post

⭐️ Congrats to this rock star Vegas elementary school teacher.