Girl-focused charter school near UNLV is closing

A public charter school in Las Vegas will close next month as a result of financial issues caused by low enrollment.

The board of directors for Girls Empowerment Middle School — also known as GEMS — voted unanimously Monday to close the school after the current school year ends May 19.

A statement posted on the school’s website says Principal Joyce Brooks and Assistant Principal Michael Taack provided an explanation in a meeting notice to parents.

The administrators wrote that they have worked tirelessly to try “novel methods” of attracting students, but those have not resulted in the enrollment gains they needed.

“Unfortunately, this has led us into a financial crisis from which we are unlikely to recover,” they wrote.

The decision to close comes after the Nevada State Public Charter School Authority’s board voted unanimously April 14 to issue the school a notice of breach over continued financial problems.

The school was required to submit a plan by Tuesday showing how it would sustain its operations through the end of June 2024, but did not submit one.

The charter authority said in a Friday statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal that it’s extremely rare for a school to decide to voluntarily close, and that it hadn’t happened in more than 10 years.

“The SPCSA understands that the closure of a charter school is very difficult for students, families, and staff of the school,” the authority said. “Our main focus will be to assist those affected and work to facilitate a transition process that is as smooth as possible.”

GEMS’ board also voted 5-0 on Monday to name Taack as the school’s trustee during the closing process. The appointment still must be approved by the state’s charter authority.

The authority’s board will meet at 3 p.m. Thursday, May 4, to discuss the school’s closure.

Taack will be responsible for helping the school complete closing requirements and helping families transfer their students to new schools for next school year.

Low enrollment and financial issues

GEMS, located on South Maryland Parkway near UNLV, opened in 2020.

The school only had about 70 students enrolled for next school year — significantly fewer than its 165-student target.

In the message to parents, school administrators wrote: “While it has been a point of pride that GEMS has had wonderfully small classes which allowed teachers, students, and staff to build trusting relationships and create a uniquely girl-focused, empowering educational environment, it has also been no secret that our enrollment numbers were less than what we had expected.”

GEMS’ board decided 5-1 in an emergency meeting April 10 to keep the school open and develop a plan to address financial issues. The decision followed a failed 3-3 vote to close the school.

A number of top executives at the school, including the executive director and a couple of board members, resigned this month.

GEMS is working with families to find other schools for students for next school year, the school said in a statement. It’s planning a school choice event at the campus on Thursday.

Families at the school that need more information or assistance should call 702-672-6386 or email info@gemslv.org.

Contact Julie Wootton-Greener at jgreener@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2921. Follow @julieswootton on Twitter.