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. |