CCSD, College Football Playoff Foundation enter $3M partnership
The Clark County School District is collaborating with an organization aimed at helping teachers go the extra yard in the classroom.
School district leaders announced a $3 million partnership with the College Football Playoff Foundation on Tuesday morning. The money will be used to improve teacher retention by providing schools with more STEM classroom materials and offering educators professional development opportunities, Superintendent Jhone Ebert said.
The partnership comes ahead of the 2027 College Football National Championship game, which will be held at Allegiant Stadium. Britton Banowsky, executive director of the College Football Playoff Foundation, said the foundation began as a way to give back to the host cities that hold the championship game.
“It’s not just about playing a football game and leaving, but it’s about leaving a legacy of impact that is meaningful,” Banowsky said.
This additional funding, he added, will also go toward renovating school libraries as well as targeting improvements to middle school math proficiency, a cause Ebert has labeled as one of her priorities.
Surprise celebration
Gray Elementary School was the first school in the district to benefit from some of the new money.
At an assembly Tuesday morning, the foundation surprised educators and administrators with $50,000 to improve the elementary school’s library, $5,000 to principal Ashley Gannon and $1,000 to first grade teacher Tiffany Chu. Banowsky said the foundation will do similar surprises over the 15 month lead-up to the championship for at least 50 other schools in the district.
Addressing the room, Ebert told educators that the $3 million investment will help them continue and improve at their work.
“I am making sure that all of our staff, all of the teachers, all of you know that you’re respected,” she said. “We have a lot of work to do, but we’re going to make sure that you all are successful in what you do.”
With an additional $50,000, Gray librarian and computer science teacher Claire Yates said she hopes to fill her shelves with more copies of highly requested books, purchase 3D ink pens and add to the school’s stock of robots she uses to teach coding.
“I’m just excited to buy some more books for the kids that I know they’ll love and will get them reading, because that’s the most important thing,” Yates said. “I love my job so much, and I love the community I serve.”
Gannon said she plans to create a sensory room for her school’s special education and pre-K students with her newfound $5,000.
“Education is a community effort, and we need all the support possible,” Gannon said. “This is wonderful, not just for Gray Elementary School, but truly for the Clark County School District.”
Contact Spencer Levering at slevering@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0253.