Mayor
Jobin J. Lee
City Manager
Ryann Juden
Council Members
Pamela. Gaynts Brown
sot Black CY OF_W
Richard J. Chereho NORTH LAS VEGAS
Your Community of Choice
Department of the Mayor and City Council
2250 Las Vegas Boulevard, North - Suite 910 North Las Vegas, Nevada 89030
Telephone: (902) 633-1007 Fax: (702) 649-1302
www cinoftorthasvegas.com
December 7, 2020
Dr. Jesus Jara, Superintendent
Clark County Schoo! District
5100 West Sahara Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89146
Dear Superintendent Jara,
‘As we approach the spring school semester, | am very concerned that CCSD's continued distance-learning
model is leaving children behind, particularly North Las Vegas kids, who have been historically underserved
and institutionally discriminated against.
Not only does internet access and in-home support for distance education remain a barrier for many of our
community's most vulnerable (despite so many community partners’ efforts to expand access); but as you
know, we are seeing dire and widespread mental health effects in young people across the valley.
urge you to safely, and quickly, open schools in a way to get as many elementary students back in the
classroom as possible, For middle school and high school students | ask that at the very least you bring
back extracurricular activities, such as sports, clubs, band practice, dance, etc. Our children need
something to do; they need to feel and be productive.
My first goal is to safely open public schools for the children who are being left behind, and if this is not
possible, we must be creative in finding alternatives to address the learning loss and mental health issues
facing so many of our students. As a product of CCSD and as a proud parent who sent all seven of my
children to CCSD, I love and appreciate our public schools, But | also understand that “the best’ can be the
‘enemy of the good. Today's crisis calls for us to be doing much more than we are currently doing!
| understand the tremendous challenges you are facing, and | applaud you for all of your work and efforts.
Education is the great equalizer and, here in North Las Vegas, we have taken a proactive approach to
providing children and families with the resources they need during the shutdown by opening the Southern
Nevada Urban Micro Academy (SNUMA),
SNUMA offers an in-person alternative for children who would otherwise receive litle to no education or
supervision during these troubled times. Our program has been safe, with no COVID cases, and is
extremely effective. Many of the students coming into our program were performing one or two grade levels
below where they should be and now almost all of our program's participants are performing at or above
grade level. I'm sure you will agree these are tremendous gains!Without adequate public education alternatives, we are forced to expand the program to better serve more
students and families in need. A goal | know we share. | respectfully ask that ifthe CCSD Board of Trustees
does not approve plans for in-person instruction to commence by January 15, 2020, that you consider
renting some of CCSD's unused school buildings to the City of North Las Vegas. Also, as the District's bus
fieet is sitting unused with drivers available, we would like to make use of the Distric’s transportation
system. Taxpayers are paying for a system that is sitting idle — let us use it to bring children to and from the
schools allowing bus drivers to get back out on the road and children to arrive on site safely and efficiently
If we are unable to use our community's schools, | would request that you rent us desks so we can quick!
set them up in other public and private sector buildings to help our children
Government does a great job at planning but often lacks the ability to execute. Around the globe and
across the nation, and even here in the valley for families who can afford private school, schoo! districts
have demonstrated that they can safely operate
I know we both care deeply about the education and wellbeing of our community's children as well as the
health and safety of CCSD's wonderful teachers and staff. This worldwide pandemic has demonstrated the
need to be nimble, creative and innovative in our efforts to safely provide services to our residents and our
community needs leadership willing to think outside the box and act; not just plan!
look forward to working with you to find a student-centered solution that will benefit not just our kids but our
entire community. |