Education notebook

BENDORF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RECEIVES BLUE RIBBON AWARD

Bendorf Elementary School, 3550 S. Kevin Way, received the Blue Ribbon National School designation from the U.S. Department of Education. The award was presented to 304 schools nationwide that are academically superior or have made dramatic gains in student achievement and helped close the gap in achievement among minority and disadvantaged students.

Bendorf will be recognized for its accomplishments at an awards ceremony in November in Washington, D.C. Advanced Technologies Academy, 2501 Vegas Drive, also won the award.

SILVERADO HIGH UNDERGOES LOCKDOWN

Silverado High School, 1650 Silver Hawk Ave., was placed on lockdown Sept. 15 when Clark County School District police and Silverado administrators were notified that two students were being chased by a man with a firearm. Officers took the suspect, 49-year-old Zachary Campbell, into custody and recovered an unloaded 9 mm handgun.

COMMUNITY PROGRAM PLANS WORKSHOP

The Public Education Foundation's We R Community program has a kickoff workshop scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 4 at the University of Phoenix, 7455 W. Washington Ave. We R Community introduces teens to the importance of leadership, service, philanthropy and the nonprofit sector. During the yearlong program, students create a mission statement, research nonprofit groups, review grant aplications and fund grants. Each participating class is given $5,000 to decide which nonprofits to fund.

The 14 high schools participating in the 2011-12 program are Basic, Chaparral, Cimarron-Memorial, Clark, Desert Oasis, Green Valley, Las Vegas, Liberty, Mojave, Northwest Career and Technical Academy, Rancho, Sierra Vista, Valley and West Career and Technical Academy.

Students are asked to volunteer for two to four hours each month at a nonprofit group as part of the program. For more information, visit thepef.org.

COMPUTER CLASSES FOR SENIORS
TO BEGIN IN NOVEMBER

The Las Vegas SeniorNet Learning Center, 6615 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 104, plans to offer two-hour computer courses once a week for six weeks beginning Nov. 7.

Classes are peer-taught by computer-fluent senior volunteers in subjects such as Computer Fundamentals, Email Basics, Microsoft Windows Basics, Internet, and Scanning and Digital Imaging.

SeniorNet, a nonprofit group started in 1986, is available for adults 50 or older. Membership is $40 for the first year and $30 thereafter. Some classes may require an additional $15 fee.

For more information or to sign up for classes, call Mary Myers at 279-4939.

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. today 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.

GROWTH MODEL DATA AVAILABLE ON DISTRICT WEBSITE

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

The Clark County 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.

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.

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 are scheduled to be announced the week of Oct. 24.

GREENSPUN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL RAISES $1,418 FOR CANCER RESEARCH

Greenspun Junior High School, 140 N. Valle Verde Drive, was the top fundraising middle school in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at the Fremont Street Experience in May. The Greenspun team of staff members, their families and other community members raised $1,418 for the marathon.

A-TECH RECEIVES BLUE RIBBON AWARD

Advanced Technologies Academy, 2501 Vegas Drive, received the Blue Ribbon National School designation from the U.S. Department of Education. The award was presented to 304 schools nationwide that are academically superior or have made dramatic gains in student achievement and helped close the gap in achievement among minority and disadvantaged students.

A-Tech will be recognized for its accomplishments at an awards ceremony in November in Washington, D.C.

Bendorf Elementary School, 3550 S. Kevin Way, also won the award.