Education notebook

GROWTH MODEL DATA AVAILABLE ON school DISTRICT WEBSITE

Growth model data from the past three years is available on the Clark County School District's website, ccsd.net, for individual schools for grades four through eight.

The school district is putting more emphasis beginning this year on annual school growth, as opposed to Adequate Yearly Progress. School growth summaries are based on past criterion-referenced tests.

COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN NEVADA OFFERS NEW GREEN A/C PROGRAM

The College of Southern Nevada is offering a new Air Conditioning Technology Program to train students and technicians in natural gas heat pump technology, a more efficient heating and cooling system that uses about 80 percent less electrical energy than traditional systems.

CSN received a $250,000 grant last year from the U.S. Department of Energy to install the equipment and design curriculum for instruction. The program includes two five-credit courses.

Classes are full this semester, but students are encouraged to join next semester's waiting list.

For more information, call 651-5000 or visit csn.edu.

WATCH UNLV STUDENT SHORT FILMS ON DEMAND

The Department of Film at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Cox Communications are hosting the Cox Channel 96/UNLV Student Film Festival through Sept. 22.

The student-produced films, most under 13 minutes, will stream on cox96.net from 8 to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and Sept. 21 and 22.

Films also will be available through Sept. 30 on Cox On Demand, under Freezone, Student Film Festival.

TOURO UNIVERSITY NEVADA TO HONOR STUDENTS AT RIO CEREMONY

Touro University Nevada's White Coat Ceremony is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sept. 25 at the Rio, 3700 W. Flamingo Road, to honor more than 220 students in osteopathic medicine, physician assistant studies and physical therapy.

For more information about Touro University Nevada, 874 American Pacific Drive, visit tun.touro.edu or call 777-8687.

SPREAD THE WORD NEVADA to HOST ANNUAL FUNDRAISING GALA Saturday

Spread the Word Nevada is scheduled to host its 10th Anniversary Storybook Gala at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South.

The Storybook Gala, "One Enchanted Evening," is the foundation's largest annual fundraising event. The event will feature silent and live auctions, prize drawings, entertainment and dinner.

Spread the Word Nevada is a nonprofit group that donates books to disadvantaged children to help them create home libraries. Since 2001, nearly 200,000 local students have received more than 1.7 million books. Individual seats are $250, and various sponsorship levels are available.

For reservations and sponsorships, call Sherry Walker at 715-5699.

For more information about Spread the Word Nevada, visit spreadthewordnevada.org.

LIBRARY DISTRICT WEBSITE OFFERS TUTORING FOR STUDENTS

Students can get homework help on the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District's website, lvccld.org. Select "Homework Help" under Quick Links on the Kids or Teens pages. A library card is required to access some services.

Information on a variety of subjects is organized by subject and grade level. The Homework Help page also offers HelpNow, an online tutoring site that can connect students with a live tutor to help with English, math, science, social studies and writing. Students also can take practice standardized tests.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION TO OFFER GRANT WRITING CLASS

The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension plans to present the Nuts and Bolts of Grant Writing, a one-day class, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Sept. 27 at the Lifelong Learning Center, 8050 Paradise Road.

Nonprofit and government organization participants will learn how to develop a community needs assessment, set goals, write outcome objectives, create a working budget, develop a budget and a budget narrative. The class instructor is Pamela Kahn-Van Pelt, emeritus resource specialist for the Cooperative Extension.

For those who already have attended the Nuts and Bolts class, an Advanced Grant Writing class is planned for Oct. 26.

Space is limited. There is a $25 fee due the day of the class to cover materials.

To register, call 257-5502 or email ryanb@unce.unr.edu.

HELP PROMOTE LITERACY IN SCHOOLS THROUGH BUCKS FOR BOOKS CAMPAIGN

All Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf locations in the valley will accept donations through Sunday as part of the Bucks For Books fundraising campaign to benefit the Public Education Foundation's literacy initiative, Clark County READS.

In exchange for a donation, the customer or employee may write his name on a card that will be displayed in the store. The proceeds will support libraries and classrooms throughout the school district.

The Public Education Foundation is a Las Vegas-based nonprofit group started in 1991 to improve schools. For more information, visit thepef.org.

CITY OF LAS VEGAS TO OFFER SAFEKEY REGISTRATION, PAYMENT ONLINE

The city of Las Vegas has begun offering registration and payment for the after-school Safekey program.

A pilot program will include 18 elementary school sites, but based on the success of the program, it could be expanded to 68 sites.

Registration and payment are offered at individual sites and community centers, but the online program could save an estimated $185,000 in operating costs. This past year, more than 9,300 children were enrolled in the Safekey program.

During the pilot period, parents will still be able to make credit and debit card, check and money order payments at the pilot school sites.

For more information on the pilot program or to register your child, call the Safekey office at 229-2526 or visit lasvegasnevada.gov.

WIN YOUR SCHOOL A SHARE OF $20,000 ON FACEBOOK

Nevada State Bank plans to donate $20,000 to three public schools in the state that receive the most votes on the bank's Facebook page.

The Nevada State Bank $20K Giveaway: You Vote, Schools Win campaign is open through Oct. 14. To vote, "like" the Nevada State Bank page and you will be directed to a voting page. Voting is open to anyone with a Facebook profile, and there is a limit of one vote per day.

First prize is $10,000, second is $6,000, and third is $4,000. The winning schools will be announced during the week of Oct. 24.North Las Vegas

MCCALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RECEIVES SCHOOL SUPPLIES

McCall Elementary School, 800 E. Carey Ave., received donations collected from Communities In Schools, a dropout prevention organization, in partnership with more than 20 Las Vegas nightclubs.

Students received backpacks, pens, pencils and other essentials such as toothpaste, shampoo and soap. More than 30 schools will receive similar donations from the organizations.