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City to weigh renewing special use permit for Quest Academy

After years of controversy, including a misappropriation of funds, Quest Preparatory Academy’s Roberson campus, 7485 W. Azure Drive, is facing possible closure due to the expiration of its special use permit, set to occur this summer.

Parents are fighting to keep the northwest campus open for the 2016-17 school year. A protest took place March 24 outside Las Vegas City Hall, 495 S. Main St., to show support for the school, which serves kindergarten through 12th grade.

“Our school is like our family,” said principal Lamont Colquitt. “It has a high concentration of special needs students that wouldn’t even be accepted into the Clark County School District. We’re fighting for our students.”

District spokeswoman Michelle Booth added that the district accepts any students, regardless of disability. “No one is turned away unless they don’t have updated vaccinations,” she added.

The Las Vegas Planning Commission is set to vote on the special use permit July 12. The issue is expected to go before the Las Vegas City Council during its Aug. 17 meeting, said David Riggleman, the city’s communications director.

If the city grants the school a special use permit, it would still need to renegotiate its building lease, the cost of which takes up 44 percent of its campus revenue, according to Colquitt. He added that the owner is willing to renegotiate.

“I have faith that we will be open next year,” Colquitt said. “We’re going to keep fighting to keep our school open.”

The school caters to roughly 200 students (approximately 65 of them with special needs), and each classroom has between 25 and 27 students to provide individual attention, Colquitt said.

“The education is just better here,” said student Precious Kawaa, 12. “I use to have Fs because the teachers weren’t taking the time to help me. Here, I’m able to meet with teachers one-on-one, and now I’m an A and B student.”

Colquitt said he found out about the school’s possible closure two months ago from parents, who said they heard about it from an email sent by Mayor Pro Tem and Ward 6 City Councilman Steve Ross.

“We’ve complied with everything that Steve Ross has asked for,” Colquitt said. “We made a deal to reduce the number of students; we made sure that traffic wasn’t a problem in the area and that we had our school lights up. Despite all of that, he remains adamant about the school closing. What kind of leader wants to dismantle an educational system instead of providing solutions?”

Due to its past problems with financial management, the state-funded school is being run by Joshua Kern, a receiver. Kern did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Colquitt acknowledged that the school had some prior money mismanagement but said that those responsible are no longer with the school.

The city addressed the issue with the following statement:

“Mayor Pro Tem Steven D. Ross and the city of Las Vegas staff have been monitoring the situation at Quest Academy for several months. During this time, the school has been experiencing financial difficulties and has been in the hands of a receiver since last fall. The receiver has been trying to deal with the financial realities and in December announced that the seventh-graders would be moving to another campus. In addition, it has been contemplated for several months that the school at the Roberson campus would move to a more conducive location. However, it is unclear if these changes will allow the school to become financially viable and continue holding classes into the future.

“While it is not the city’s position to advise parents about educational decisions concerning their children, given the financial situation at Quest, we suggest that parents communicate with the receiver and get a sense as to the future viability of the school.”

Betsy Johnson, the mother of a 14-year-old student, attended the protest and said she’s fighting for the school to remain open because she’s seen how much attention students receive, which in turn helps them grow in their education.

“Other schools don’t have time to baby-sit students with special needs or those who need a more direct level of attention,” Johnson said. “Some students require one-on-one attention, and they get that here. We have special needs students that are treated like family here. All of us parents have backup plans in case the school shuts down, but right now, we’re doing everything we can to keep it open.”

To reach North View reporter Sandy Lopez, email slopez@viewnews.com or call 702-383-4686. Find her on Twitter: @JournalismSandy.

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