‘A great first day’ as Clark County students return to school
CCSD Superintendent tours new building at Bonner Elementary (Michael Quine/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
August 12, 2019 - 5:55 am
Updated August 12, 2019 - 3:56 pm

A Sunrise Mountain High School student poses on the school bus at East Owens Avenue and North Beesley Drive in Las Vegas on the first day of school Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto

The Liberty HIgh School football team had a welcome for students returning for the 2019-20 school year on Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Mat Luschek/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Sunrise Mountain High School junior Bryan Mungia, left, greets a friend who declined to give his name as they wait for the school bus at East Owens Avenue and North Beesley Drive in Las Vegas on the first day of school Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto

Sunrise Mountain High School senior Azaleah Saldana, left, and her sister Nevaeh Saldana, a sophomore, wait for the school bus at East Owens Avenue and North Beesley Drive in Las Vegas on the first day of school Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto

Sunrise Mountain High School students prepare to board the school bus at East Owens Avenue and North Beesley Drive in Las Vegas on the first day of school Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto

Sunrise Mountain High School students board the school bus at East Owens Avenue and North Beesley Drive in Las Vegas on the first day of school Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto

Students find their homeroom on the first day of school at Liberty High School in Henderson Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Elizabeth Page Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal @EliPagePhoto)

Students get directed to their homerooms on the first day of school at Liberty High School in Henderson, Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Elizabeth Page Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal @EliPagePhoto)

Sophomores Tashira, left, and Dashira McKay, 15, arrive on the first day of school at Liberty High School in Henderson, Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Elizabeth Page Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal @EliPagePhoto)

Students arrive for the first day of school at Liberty High School in Henderson Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Elizabeth Page Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal @EliPagePhoto)

Orchestra teacher Ryan Dudder helps direct students to their homerooms on the first day of school at Liberty High School in Henderson, Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Elizabeth Page Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal @EliPagePhoto)

Students find their homerooms on the first day of school at Liberty High School in Henderson, Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Elizabeth Page Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal @EliPagePhoto)

Liberty High School students are dismissed to their homerooms on the first day of school, Monday, Aug. 12, 2019 in Henderson. (Elizabeth Page Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal @EliPagePhoto)

Members of the Liberty High School football team preforms a ceremonial Haka for the first day of school Liberty High School in Henderson Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Elizabeth Page Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal @EliPagePhoto)

Liberty High School principal Derek Bellow, left, and student body president Sydney James great one another on the first day of school at Liberty High School in Henderson Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Elizabeth Page Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal @EliPagePhoto)

Student council members welcome fellow students on the first day of school at Liberty High School in Henderson Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Elizabeth Page Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal @EliPagePhoto)

The spirit squad arrives on the first day of school at Liberty High School in Henderson Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Elizabeth Page Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal @EliPagePhoto)

Students get directed to their homerooms on the first day of school at Liberty High School in Henderson, Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Elizabeth Page Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal @EliPagePhoto)

Kindergartners at Roberta Cartwright Elementary School lined up to enter their classroom during their first day of school on Monday, Aug. 12, 2019, in Las Vegas. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfaye

Natalia Rodriguez, 5, accompanied by her mother, Deborah, and her brother, Angel, arrives at Roberta Cartwright Elementary School for her first day of kindergarten on Monday, Aug. 12, 2019, in Las Vegas. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfaye

Khylan Bush, 4, accompanied by his mother Belle, left, and his father Warren arrives at Roger Gehring Academy of Science and Technology during his first day of Kindergarten on Monday, Aug. 12, 2019, in Las Vegas. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfaye

Cadwallader Middle School students arrive for the first day of classes, Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Cassie Soto/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Cadwallader Middle School students head into school on the first day of classes, Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Cassie Soto/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Sunrise Mountain High School students board the school bus at East Owens Avenue and North Beesley Drive in Las Vegas on the first day of school Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto

Clark County School District bus driver Christy Mattson inspects her bus as her supervisor Kevin Patterson looks on at the Wallace Transportation Yard in Henderson during the first day of the 2019-20 school year on Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfaye

Cars are lined up at Liberty High School for the first day of the 2019-20 school year, Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Mat Luschek/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Clark County School District bus drivers arrive at the Wallace Transportation Yard in Henderson for the first day of the 2019-20 school year on Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfaye

Clark County School District bus drivers arrive at the Wallace Transportation Yard in Henderson for the first day of the 2019-20 school year on Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfaye

Clark County School District Superintendent Dr. Jesus F. Jara, left, offers donuts to CCSD bus driver Dawn Haley at the Wallace Transportation Yard in Henderson during the first day of the 2019-20 school year on Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfaye

Clark County School District Superintendent Dr. Jesus F. Jara, left, offers donuts to CCSD bus driver Dawn Haley at the Wallace Transportation Yard in Henderson during the first day of the 2019-20 school year on Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfaye

Clark County School District Superintendent Dr. Jesus F. Jara, center, shakes hands with Karl Villaflores as Greg Jensen looks on after Jara delivered donuts to CCSD bus drivers at the Wallace Transportation Yard in Henderson during the first day of the 2019-20 school year on Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfaye

Clark County School District bus driver Alexis Quon inspects her bus at the Wallace Transportation Yard in Henderson before the first day of the 2019-20 school year on Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfaye

Clark County School District bus driver Sheila Diggins arrives at the Wallace Transportation Yard in Henderson for the first day of the 2019-20 school year on Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfaye
Adriana Purcell sat and drew a self portrait on her first day of kindergarten on Monday in a brand new classroom.
As thousands of students headed back to school in Clark County, Purcell was one of a lucky few to begin school in a new building at Bonner Elementary in Las Vegas.
The building — which replaces 15 portables on campus and is one of five new additions at schools in the Clark County School District — was one of several highlights showcased by district officials on the first day of the new school year.
Students returned to schools without any major hiccups.
“I feel that we’ve had a great first day,” Superintendent Jesus Jara told reporters after a busy morning of activities.
Many students began the day at bus stops throughout the valley.
On the east side of town at Owens Avenue and Beesley Drive, a crowd of Sunrise Mountain High School students waited patiently for a bus they said was consistently late last year. They finally all piled onto the bus by 7:31 a.m., just 14 minutes before school was scheduled to begin.
But overall, transportation fared pretty well. Only 3 percent of buses were delayed in the morning due to traffic, the district reported by midday. One bus broke down, and another bus hit a stationary object in a minor accident.
Later in the day, students at Bonner Elementary enjoyed their new playground and the 22 new classrooms that are a big relief to teachers like Katie Rios, who will no longer have to share a room with another class divided only by a temporary wall.
At Southeast Career and Technical High School, students in the construction program heard enticing pitches from those in the construction industry as district officials celebrated the launch of a new apprenticeship website that will connect graduates with paid career opportunities.
The new website, apprenticeship.ccsd.net, lists different opportunities across various trades, including in the medical field and cybersecurity.
The initiative shares with students that they can “earn while they learn,” noting that many apprenticeships will allow them to earn college credits.
“It’s the other option,” said Lou DeSalvio of the Laborers Local 872 union. “You don’t have to walk away with debt, you can actually walk away with college credits and use them down the line as you so choose.”
That sounded like a good deal to Thelma Zapata, a junior who wants to be a construction manager after graduation.
“I like building things,” she said. “I like thinking of something and then bringing it to life.”
The first day began without a teacher’s strike, although the union is not discounting the potential for one if the district does not work out its next two-year contract soon.
The district also is continuing school safety measures introduced last year, including a K-9 team to sniff out guns on campus and random searches with metal detector wands.
Contact Amelia Pak-Harvey at apak-harvey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4630. Follow @AmeliaPakHarvey on Twitter.
Now at Bonner Elementary, one of five schools this year that are getting new additions — meaning more classrooms, and less portables. The new Bonner addition adds 22 classrooms, replacing 15 portables. They also got a new playground! #NVed pic.twitter.com/Ix4th8hosC
— Amelia Pak-Harvey (@AmeliaPakHarvey) August 12, 2019
Great morning at Liberty High School. Great students, great staff and phenomenal leadership. You can feel the energy focused on students . https://t.co/uoTmy7Y46V
— Dr. Jesus F. Jara (@SuptJaraCCSD) August 12, 2019
All the kids are on board as of 7:31! Bus is about 15 minutes late depending on who you ask. School starts in 14 minutes #NVed pic.twitter.com/sWkmhuQZ9U
— Amelia Pak-Harvey (@AmeliaPakHarvey) August 12, 2019
I’m at a Sunrise Mountain High School bus stop this morning with the first two students waiting for the bus. #school #FirstDayOfSchool pic.twitter.com/pB5Qx9uL0x
— Kevin M. Cannon (@kmcannonphoto) August 12, 2019
Buses roll out of the Wallace Transportation Yard to begin the first day of the #ClarkCountySchool District’s 2019-20 school year. @reviewjournal pic.twitter.com/azZ9VNQP2H
— Bizuayehu Tesfaye (@bizutesfaye) August 12, 2019
Bus tracker
The district launched a new bus tracking app this year to help students and families locate their school bus. The app, called CCSD On board, provides real-time tracking of buses.
It’s one way the transportation department is hoping to increase transparency amid annual frustration over late school buses, a common problem in the district. The application requires a student identification number and the student’s date of birth to access the tracking information.