December 2021

CARSON CITY

School District

Community Quarterly Newsletter | CARSON CITY, NEVADA | Winter, 2021

PRINTABLE PDF VERSION HERE

A NOTE FROM OUR SUPERINTENDENT

I I have always loved Christmas. The sights, the sounds, the gifts, the food, and the Hallmark movies! What’s not to love?! However, as I have matured, Christmas has become a more reflective time. My personal thoughts, while inspired by Christmas, include all of the poignant periods of growth in my life. These reflections stir my soul and help me realize that the people I have met and the events I have experienced have combined to add color, texture, and contrast to my life. Each recalled situation has helped me to recognize the importance of human interactions and reconcile the life lessons that have shaped who I am. With apologies to Mr. Dickens, the Christmases of my past and present have become sacred to me. My life’s relationships and experiences have deepened and broadened my perspective on life and provided direction and guidance as a student in the classroom of life.

I feel blessed and content with my own perspective of Christmases Past and Present. However, like Mr. Scrooge, I find the concept of Christmases “yet to come” to be a little frightening. Since none of us know exactly what future Christmases hold, I plan to rely on what I have learned from both the past and present as I prepare for the uncertainties of the future. We should take comfort from our life’s work. We are students of human nature and recognize that there are far more good people trying to make the world a better and brighter place than the other way around. In just a few short weeks, we will return to our students and resume what we do best. We will continue to provide kindness, patience, encouragement, tolerance, and understanding as we help prepare our students as they manage their own Christmases “yet to come.”

Thank you all for your efforts in helping to shape the citizens of tomorrow. This noble work is no easy task and I can think of no finer group of professionals to accomplish the job than you. I am proud to be your colleague. Tiny Tim’s closing words from, A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens seem appropriate now, “God bless us all, Everyone!”

I wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Sincerely,
Richard Stokes
Superintendent, Carson City School District

BUS DRIVER JILL SARGE RETIRES AFTER 41 YEARS (JESSICA GARCIA, NEVADA APPEAL)

Jill Sarge, Carson City School District’s longest tenured employee, has transported special needs students and young parents in its New Horizons program for many of her 41 years. She drove bus 17 for 17 years and has worked with bus attendant Jerri Powers for nearly 20 years, sharing laughs, experiences and an enduring friendship. Sarge enjoyed the daily routine of the job and developed an extending patience, love and care for the position.

Sarge worked in constantly changing conditions but always remained one of the most pleasant drivers on the team, according to Transportation Department Supervisor Cheri Fletcher, who has been with the district for about 24 years. Sarge also was named Transportation Department Employee of the Year for 1998-99 and received other accolades for working with special needs students.

“She’s the most patient driver,” Fletcher said. “She’s very sweet, kind and she never got a complaint. I’m going to miss her. … It’s been a miracle. I love Jill. She’s an awesome person, both of them are (Sarge and Powers).” Her ability to handle stressful situations might have been due to her training, but Sarge was “never in a hurry” to react as most others usually do on the road, Fletcher continued.

When Sarge first began, she was worried about being able to drive a school bus. She simply hoped to get hired. During her driver’s test, she had knocked down all the cones trying to steer a larger vehicle than she had ever operated before.

“I was desperate to get a job,” she said about her initial interview. “The lady, she liked me, and she said, ‘See you tomorrow, we’ll get you a job.’ She took me out, we drove around, went up the hill, came back to the (Department of Motor Vehicles) and I got my license. … I’d never driven a stick shift in my life. I said, ‘What if I don’t pass?’ She goes, ‘Oh, you’ll pass.’ Well, I passed.”

With Sarge’s departure, Powers says she plans to continue as an attendant, but she won’t be reassigned to another driver; they’ll be reassigned to her, she confirmed with a smile. She said she looks forward to helping Carson City’s students stay in touch with Sarge. “I’m going to call her at 6 in the morning and say, ‘Time to get up!’” she joked.

Sarge was surprised with a retirement party this mid-December with about 35 of her colleagues, including drivers and mechanics. “There came a time where I wanted to be able to do some things for myself while I still can,” she said. “It’s been great.”

FREMONT STUDENTS SWORN TO MAKE GOOD CHOICES IN PILOT PROGRAM

Many thanks to Carson City Sheriff’s Deputy Gage Mead and Fremont Elementary Principal Jennifer Ward-DeJoseph for their leadership introducing the needed SWORN program, an updated and adapted version of the Drug Abuse and Resistance Education (DARE) series founded in 1983.

SWORN’s format offers a safe space for students to think on the risky behaviors and the dangers they pose, a chance to clear up misinformation they’ve heard on sensitive issues and an opportunity for the youth to hold discussions amongst each other and with their teachers and SROs. Modules were designed in 45-minute sessions covering peer pressure, tobacco and vaping, social media, prescription drugs, alcohol and marijuana to help students understand that engaging with these behaviors often leads to dangerous consequences.

The joint effort is intended to have all the school resource officers visit the elementary school classrooms and potentially the middle schools and high schools as it would be adapted, Mead said, once the officers have been provided with instructional practices. The goal to is have all the SROs designated to a school to teach this program. It can be in person, in a lecture format or in an online format. Likely next semester, all SROs may be teaching the program.

CHS COUNSELOR AND SCHOOL TRUSTEES HONORED WITH NASB AWARDS

The Carson City School District is pleased to announce the most recent Nevada Association of School Boards (NASB) Award winners. Carson High School Counselor Bridget Gordon was honored as the state’s School District Employee Making a Difference; Trustee Mike Walker was honored as the state’s Director of the Year; and school board Trustee Joe Cacioppo was honored as the Individual School Board Member of the Year.

Once a year, NASB recognizes the achievements and contributions of school boards, school trustees, teachers, administrators, educational advocates and others from across the state of Nevada. Click here to read the full story.

BOURNE & CROFT HONORED AS FINALIST FOR NEVADA TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Bordewich Bray Elementary School fourth grade Teacher Rachel Croft was honored Sept. 20, as one of the five statewide finalists for the 2022 Nevada Teacher of the Year, recognized by the Nevada Department of Education.

Ms. Croft was surprised during the school’s afternoon faculty meeting where KellyLynn Charles, education programs professional in the office of Educator Development Licensure and Family Engagement with the Nevada Department of Education, made the announcement via Zoom. Please click here to view the CarsonNow.org and Nevada Appeal stories.

Mark Twain Elementary School Music Teacher Christina Bourne was also recognized for being a 2021 finalist. Due to the pandemic, the Nevada Department of Education elected to forgo award ceremonies.

PREPARING OUR KIDS FOR SUCCESS PARENTING CLASSES OFFERED

More than a dozen parents attended Preparing Our Kids for Success Parenting Classes at Bordewich Bray Elementary School this past November. The 2.5-hour truancy intervention parent class was designed to augment school attendance review boards (SARB) and local Truancy Abatement efforts. The class helped parents rekindle their dreams and wishes for their children, recognize the necessity of creating structure for students, identify effective strategies for getting kids to school and much more. The class is offered through a partnership with the University of Nevada, Reno Cooperative Extension Office and will be offered on an ongoing basis in both English and Spanish. For more information, please contact Parent Engagement Coordinator Leticia Servin, 775-283-1620.

NEVADA FLOOD AWARENESS WEEK COLORING CONTEST

Poster Contest The River Wranglers and Nevada Division of Water Resources awarded winners of the first ever “Nevada Flood Awareness Week Coloring Contest.” Special congratulations are owed, as all of the top three awards came from Mrs. Quisenberry’s third grade class at Fremont Elementary School: Paige May, 1st Place; Valeria Ramirez, Runner-up and Katherine Verdin Zambrano, Runner-up. Our sincerest appreciation and congratulations to these winners.

ACTOR JACK BLACK WISHES CHS STUDENTS A MERRY CHRISTMAS

Actor and comedian Jack Black wished the Carson High School Senators a Merry Christmas in a new video. As part of a longer Christmas broadcast put on by students at the Carson City high school, the 'School of Rock' actor chimed in to send well wishes to students, faculty and staff for the holidays.

You can watch the full Senator’s Now video here. “Jackie Blackie Claus” is featured at the 2:12 minute mark.

POSADA EVENT HELD TO INCREASE FAMILY INVOLVEMENT AT MARK TWAIN

Administrators and educators at Mark Twain Elementary School hosted Posada 2021, Friday, Dec. 10. The outdoor event, open to all Mark Twain students and families, was part of the school’s English Second Language (ESL) Department’s iCan Initiative designed to increase ESL parent and family involvement and to help reinforce and extend learning taught during regular classroom instruction. It included piñatas, crafts, traditional Hispanic holiday food, mariachi music, family activities, photos and more. Click here to view the KOLO 8 News report.

NOTABLE FUTURE DATES (Dates & Times are Subject to Change)

Please refer to the School District’s Academic School Calendar for additional information regarding school holidays and other important releases. Below are some notable and important future dates.

Jan. 3 (Monday) Christmas Break (School Holiday: Dec. 20 – Jan. 3)
Jan. 4 (Tuesday) School classes resume
Jan. 11 (Tuesday) School Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Community Center, Bob Crowell Room
Jan. 17 (Monday) Martin Luther King Jr. Day (School Holiday)
Jan. 24 (Monday) District Early Release Day
Jan. 25 (Tuesday) School Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Community Center, room TBD
Feb. 7 (Monday) Non-School Day (Staff Professional Development)
Feb. 8 (Tuesday) School Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Community Center, Bob Crowell Room
Feb. 14 (Monday) District Early Release Day
Feb. 21 (Monday) President’s Day (School Holiday)
Feb. 22 (Tuesday) School Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Community Center, Bob Crowell Room
Feb. 23 (Wednesday) Community PLC Meeting, 6 p.m., location yet TBD
March 1 (Tuesday) All 11th grade students take ACT test (only juniors attending High School)
March 7 (Monday) District Early Release Day
March 8 (Tuesday) School Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Community Center, Bob Crowell Room
March 13 (Sunday) Daylight Savings Time begins, set clocks forward 1 hour
March 14 (Monday) Non-School Day
March 22 (Tuesday) School Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Community Center, Bob Crowell Room
March 30 (Wednesday) Elementary Parent Conf. Min. Day, elementary dismisses at 12:40 p.m.
March 31 (Thursday) Elementary Parent Conf. Min. Day, elementary dismisses at 12:40 p.m.
April 4 (Monday) District Early Release Day
April 11-18 Spring Break (School Holiday)
April 12 (Tuesday) School Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Community Center, Bob Crowell Room
April 25 (Monday) Non-School Day (Staff Professional Development)
April 26 (Tuesday) School Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Community Center, Bob Crowell Room
May 4 (Wednesday) Community PLC Meeting, 6 p.m., location yet TBD
May 10 (Tuesday) School Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Community Center, Bob Crowell Room
May 16 (Monday) District Early Release Day
May 24 (Tuesday) School Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Community Center, Bob Crowell Room
May 30 (Monday) Memorial Day (School Holiday)
June 1 (Wednesday) Minimum Day, Carson High School, dismiss at 11:40 a.m.
June 1 (Wednesday) Minimum Day, Pioneer Academy, dismiss at 11:30 a.m.
June 1 (Wednesday) Minimum Day, Carson Middle School, dismiss at 12:00 noon
June 1 (Wednesday) Minimum Day, Eagle Valley Middle School, dismiss at 12:00 noon
June 1 (Wednesday) Eagle Valley Middle School 8th Grade Promotion, 1 p.m., EVMS Gym
June 1 (Wednesday) Pioneer Academy Graduation, 6 p.m., Community Center, Theater
June 2 (Thursday) Minimum Day, Last Day of School
June 2 (Thursday) Carson Middle School 8th Grade Promotion, 1 p.m., CMS Gym
June 4 (Saturday) Carson High School Graduation, 9 a.m., Carson High School, Football Field
June 14 (Tuesday) School Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Community Center, Bob Crowell Room
June 28 (Tuesday) School Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Community Center, Bob Crowell Room

Eagle Valley Middle School Hosts Topping Out Ceremony

Carson City School District celebrated a pinnacle moment in the construction of a 23,000 square-foot classroom expansion at Eagle Valley Middle School Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021.

Students, teachers, school board trustees and local dignitaries all had the opportunity to sign their names to the final steel beam that was set in place at 12 noon in a ‘Topping Out’ ceremony.

EVMS Construction The school campus expansion will add 10 new classrooms, two STEM labs, office and workroom space, restrooms and storage areas and additional room where an existing SMART lab will be relocated.

The project began June 14 with a planned completion date for July 2022. The anticipated budget was approximately $14 million. The district hired CORE Construction as the contractor. Go here to watch a video produced by the Carson City School District or watch the KTVN, Ch. 2 News report here.

TESTING SEASON IS UPON US

Test Spring is the beginning of the testing season for elementary, middle and high school students. There are state and national tests (SBAC/ACT) for students in grades 3-12. District assessments (MAP) for grades K-8 begin now and continue through the end of the school year and many of these tests are mandated by legislation.

All 11th grade students (juniors) are required (in order to graduate) to take the ACT Tuesday, March 1. Please note, students will not have access to their cell phones during the ACT. Also, CHS does not provide calculators, so students will need to bring their own (review Calculator Policy here). Every student has been notified of their testing room assignment and should arrive at the school by 7:30 a.m. All 9th, 10th and 12th grade students do not attend school that day (March 1). If students have questions about testing room assignments, they should go to the main office for assistance.

TIPS AND HOW TO PREPARE FOR TESTS

There’s no secret formula when it comes to passing a standardized test. It’s important to remember that anxiety may hinder performance for the test taker, so take a deep breath and read through a few practical tips to help students prepare for standardized assessments. And please note, don’t schedule doctor’s appointments before, after or during tests. As soon as a student begins taking a test, if they need to leave for an appointment, they will likely not be able to reschedule or finish the exam.

Take practice tests. The Nevada Department of Education website offers practice tests, which can help prepare children with understanding the test expectations, including the content and mechanics. SBAC offers good examples of practice tests. If the test format seems familiar on test day, kids are more likely to feel comfortable and know what to do.
Promote a positive attitude. Parents should be positive about learning and testing. Kids need to take tests seriously and be strategic, but also feel confident and mentally prepared. Parents can help children feel prepared for the test by encouraging them to visualize success on test day. In other words, ask them to close their eyes and imagine themselves taking the test and feeling great about it.
Discuss what to do if you finish early. It’s important to discuss that this is a good opportunity to double check and verify their answers for accuracy. Parents can coach them to review certain questions that were hard and use the process of elimination to rule out some of the answer choices.
Eat well, exercise and rest. In the weeks leading up to the test, it is important for students to have adequate sleep (eight hours is recommended), eat balanced meals, drink plenty of water, and get exercise. Foods high in protein, and water help to stimulate the brain. Exercise, such as stretching and walking, helps to supply the brain with oxygen. Eating a healthy breakfast before school, particularly on the day of the test, gives the body the fuel it needs to maintain long periods of concentration.
Plan enjoyable and relaxing activities. Trying to squeeze a little more preparation in immediately before the test is not advised because it can lead to feeling overwhelmed. Studying the day before or day of the test leads to increased anxiety and should be avoided. Instead, plan enjoyable activities to feel relaxed and ready.

THREE STUDENTS WIN STATE FIRE PREVENTION POSTER CONTEST

The Carson City School District was pleased to announce the artwork and design of three fifth grade students from Fremont and Seeliger Elementary Schools who won the “2021 State of Nevada Fire Prevention Week Poster Contest.” The Nevada Department of Public Safety, State Fire Marshal Division selected the winners this year based on the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) theme of "Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety." The student winners include (alphabetically by school):

Ragan Beach, 5th Grade, Fremont Elementary, Carson City
Cage Kordonowy, 5th Grade, Fremont Elementary, Carson City
Sophie Rodriguez-Ramirez, 5th Grade, Seeliger Elementary, Carson City

The winning artwork was featured on billboards in Carson City, Reno/Sparks, Elko and Las Vegas during Fire prevention week, observed Oct. 3-9, 2021. The State Fire Marshal and Sparky the Fire Dog made special visits to each school to present the awards. More info at the Nevada Appeal.

NINE WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR AMERICAN CITIZEN ESSAY CONTEST

The Carson City School District’s Board of Trustees was pleased to announce nine student winners of the 20th Annual American Citizen Essay Contest. Each winner was recognized at the school board meeting Tuesday, Nov. 23, and received the following cash prizes: First Place: $80, Second Place: $30 and Third Place: $15. Click here to read the full story in the Nevada Appeal or CarsonNow.org. Grade level winners include the following.

Elementary School Level:
1st Place – Lillian Marler, 5th grade, Empire Elementary School
2nd Place – Jessica Hagen, 5th grade, Seeliger Elementary School
3rd Place – Colin Schwartz, 5th grade, Mark Twain Elementary School

Middle School Level:
1st Place – Madeline Lyons, 8th grade, Bethlehem Lutheran School
2nd Place – Greyson Ricks, 8th grade, Bethlehem Lutheran School
3rd Place – Grace Emery, 6th grade, Bethlehem Lutheran School

High School Level:
1st Place – Jax Whatley, 9th grade, Carson High School
2nd Place – Eva Lindbloom, 9th grade, Carson High School
3rd Place – Alexandra Nerska, 9th grade, Carson High School

COACH ROMAN RETIRES AS HEAD FOOTBALL COACH, BOSHARD STEPS UP

Coach Blair Roman has retired as Head Football Coach after 14 seasons leading the Senators Football Program. Coach Roman’s record at Carson High School was 81-63. The Senators won 6 league titles under his guidance: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015. His teams also qualified for the play-offs 9 times.

In the post season Coach Roman’s record was 11-9. The Senators advanced to the Regional Championship game 5 times, two of which were state semi-final contests. The program sent well over 50 players on to play at the collegiate level, primarily at the JC, Division III and Division II levels. He was named Coach of the Year in 2009 and Sierra League Coach of the year in 2013 and 2014.

After spending the last four years as an assistant with the Carson High football program, Ryan Boshard has been promoted to head coach. Boshard has spent 17 years coaching and, prior to linking up with the Senators, spent five seasons in various roles with Liberty High School in Las Vegas under Richard Muraco.

After coaching at Liberty, Boshard spent a season as the associate head coach at Gustine High School in California. He said his first memories of Carson City date back to 1990 when he had a chance to work in town for a summer.

“I fell in love with the area and the people. Fast forward 28 years, I finally got the chance to move here with my family to Carson,” said Boshard.

Like his time at Liberty, Boshard has served in a number of roles since joining the Senator staff. Last season he served as the offensive coordinator with previous roles being offensive line coach, defensive backs coach and in his first season as JV defensive coordinator.

“I cut my teeth with Blair, starting out wherever he needed me to be. From there, I was up front and forward with him that I wanted to take over as the head coach,” said Boshard. “Hopefully, if everything runs right, and by the praise of God it happened. Blair is a huge mentor in my success, learning from him in the different capacities in how to be a coach will always be something I can take forward and cherish,” added Boshard.

For more information, please read the Nevada Appeal write-up on Coach Roman’s resignation and the appointment of Coach Boshard in the Nevada Appeal or Reno Gazette Journal.

HELP WANTED! WE HAVE VACANCIES.

The global pandemic has proven challenging to businesses and organizations across the state, country and world. Many local school districts cannot find people to fill open positions including transportation, custodial, nutrition, nursing, paraprofessionals and crossing guards. Many are struggling to maintain enough substitute teachers.

With the state’s new school funding mechanism projecting flat or decreased funding in Nevada for the next several years, many districts are “belt-tightening.” However, there are necessary operational positions that still need to be filled. The Carson City School District currently has open positions for:

Custodians
Bus Drivers
Para-Professionals
Special Education Teachers
K-12 Teachers
School Nurses (R.N. required)
Substitute Teachers (emergency sub. license available)
Nutrition Workers
Substitute Custodians
Substitute Nurses
Substitute Special Education Paras
Substitute ESL Paraprofessionals
Crossing Guards

The Carson City School District said one reason for the lack of candidates is due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused hardships on families, where working from home has forced adjustments on career assignments as well as the challenges of remote learning where students are home more often. For those who are interested in applying, contact Human Resources, 775-283-2130, or visit carsoncityschools.com.

'READ AND TREAT' FALL FESTIVAL AT EMPIRE ELEMENTARY

The Many thanks to all the parents and families who joined us at Empire Elementary School in Carson City on Wednesday, Oct. 20, for the outdoor fall festival and "Read and Treat."

Principal Susan Squires emphasized the importance of families reading with children every night. The event was also designed as an information fair where parents were reminded of forthcoming parent-teacher conferences and to make trick-or-treating fun and safe for the students.

Thanks to community partners: Ron Wood Family Resource Center, Nevada Healthcare Centers, Partnership Carson City, Western Nevada Safe Routes to Schools, Varn, ELI in Home Program and the Empire Elementary School PTA members and teachers.

CONNECT WITH US

Be sure to FOLLOW and LIKE CCSD’s social media channels. Each provide real-time district and school news to the community. The pages are used as a tool to relay information of school closures, emergencies, good news, events, etc. Be sure to change your notification and priority settings for our page. Choose to "See First" so you never miss an important news update. From there, you also can choose to get notified every time our page posts or goes live.

Find us on Facebook: (facebook.com/carsoncityschooldistirct), Instagram (instagram.com/carsoncityschooldistrict), Twitter (twitter.com/carsonschools) and YouTube (youtube.com/user/CarsonCitySchools) pages.

The channels aim to engage the community about local, state and national education news/topics, report from live board of education meetings and other district meetings and events and post student and staff pictures and achievements.

SHARE YOUR PHOTOS WITH US!

Have you captured some amazing photos at some of our school sites or around town?

Please share your photos with us. Feel free to email our Public Information Officer Dan Davis, APR, [email protected], with any shots you’d like to share publicly through our social media. Or tag us @carsoncityschooldistrict on Facebook, @carsoncityschooldistrict on Instagram or @carsonschools on Twitter.

Mountains Pink Aiguillettes Food Drive

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Carson City School District carsoncityschools.com
1402 West King Street, Carson City, NV 89703 | Phone 775-283-2000 | Fax 775-283-2090

Carson City School District