15 new schools, $3.5B in facility projects could be in CCSD’s future

The Clark County School District’s bond oversight committee is recommending spending about $3.5 billion on dozens of facility projects over the next 14 years.

The committee called for the School Board move forward with the projects, including 10 new elementary schools and five new high schools, in a vote late last month.

It’s the fifth revision to the district’s 2015 capital improvement program, which allows the district to issue bonds to construct new facilities.

“This is a very large revision,” Chief of Facilities Jeff Wagner told the committee, also noting the focus of the plan is shifting from building capacity to modernization.

The School Board is expected to consider and possibly approve the projects sometime in December.

In response to community concerns, the committee tabled a decision about combining Mitchell and King elementary schools and Garrett Middle School in Boulder City into a new kindergarten through eighth grade school.

Dozens of projects approved as part of the district’s 2015 capital improvement program already have been completed or are underway, including 20 new schools, 37 classroom additions, 18 replacement schools, five phased replacement schools and 82 modernization projects.

It was originally supposed to be a 10-year program, but the state Legislature authorized extending it this year through 2035.

The district anticipates approximately $3.5 billion in bond revenue will be available for revision five projects, compared with about $4.2 billion available for bond revisions one through four.

New school for sex-trafficking victims

The committee recommended approving a proposal to build and operate a school at St. Jude’s Ranch for Children in Boulder City.

The project, projected to cost about $5 million, would serve about 60 child victims of sex trafficking who would live at the ranch.

The school would be part of the Healing Center, a new offering that will provide services for sex trafficking victims at St. Jude’s Boulder City property.

“An onsite school is a really important part of this process,” Christina Vela, CEO of the organization, told the Review-Journal.

She said victims shouldn’t immediately go to traditional public schools for safety reasons and because many of them will be behind on class credits.

The hope is to break ground on the school in mid-January 2022, Vela said, noting she believes it will be about a 12-month construction process.

School District Superintendent Jesus Jara told the bond oversight committee on Oct. 28 — just hours before the School Board voted 4-3 to terminate his contract — that the St. Jude’s school is a “very special project” for him and the community.

It has a low dollar impact, but will have a huge impact in saving lives, he said, noting Las Vegas is a hub for child sex trafficking.

Vela said the school will be mostly a high school, but could also include middle schoolers. She expects the age range of students would likely be 13 and up.

Other projects

The committee’s other recommended projects include 10 new elementary schools and five new high schools.

The high school projects include two “comprehensive” high schools — one in the southwest and one in the northwest — and two “choice” high schools — one in the west and one in the southeast.

Also, Robison Middle School in the central valley would be converted to a “choice” high school.

The committee is also calling for replacing 17 elementary schools, including Kelly Elementary School in Las Vegas’ Historic Westside through a special program with community partnerships, and 16 middle schools.

The district wants to convert Laughlin Junior/Senior High School into a kindergarten through 12th grade campus. The existing Bennett Elementary School would also be converted into a kindergarten through 12th grade campus.

The district also wants cafeteria additions at Eldorado, Bonanza and Basic high schools.

Additionally, the bond oversight committee voted to allow the district flexibility to use $525 million for technology and land acquisition for facility modernization instead.

Contact Julie Wootton-Greener at jgreener@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2921. Follow @julieswootton on Twitter.