Education Notebook: School news for Aug. 20-26, 2015

ACLUNV announces sex education essay contest

The American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada is hosting a sex education essay competition for Clark County students attending public schools. Specific limits within the district's current sex education program, student exclusion and delays in updating the curriculum, prompted the ACLUNV to create an opportunity for students to express themselves freely about their perspectives on sex education.

ACLUNV encourages students in grades nine through 12 to write a 600- to 750-word essay explaining their needs and perspectives about what sex education should be. Students should provide perspective in their essays on who should receive sex education, what sex education should include, what would make it more inclusive and effective, why sex education is important, what they did and did not learn in their previous sex education class, what they wish they had learned, and how sex education can be taught more effectively in schools.

Essays will be accepted until Sept. 18. Winners will be announced publicly Oct. 5. Scholarships totaling $10,000 will be awarded, with $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place.

Visit aclunv.org/sexedsay.

Nevada Connections Academy plans information session in Henderson

Nevada Connections Academy plans to host an information session from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 20 at the Seven Hills Conference Center, 3215 St. Rose Parkway.

The academy is a virtual public school, and the sessions will allow interested families to meet with its certified teachers and parents with children currently enrolled.

Visit connectionsacademy.com/nevada-virtual-school/our-school/home.aspx.

Landero Learning Center plans Aug. 22 open house

Landero Learning Center for Music and Arts, 9620 Las Vegas Blvd. South, plans to host an open house from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Aug. 22. Games with prizes, entertainment and snacks are planned.

Call 702-407-2787, email ginalandero@yahoo.com, or visit landerolearningcenter.com.

Business strategy classes planned

The city Of Las Vegas Redevelopment Agency is partnering with SUMNU Marketing to sponsor a series of business strategy classes this fall at the Urban Chamber of Commerce Business Development Center, 1951 Stella Lake St. Classes are planned from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesdays beginning, Sept. 9.

Topics planned are: Sept. 9, The Transformation; Sept. 16, Strategic Business Development; Sept. 23, Your Company's DNA; Sept. 30, Marketing Strategies; Oct. 7, Business & Marketing Development; and Oct. 14, Project Pitches & Certification.

Class size is limited. To sign up, contact Darren Harris at 702-229-6862 or dmharris@lasvegasnevada.gov.

Tutoring services available

Local business owner and English as a second language teacher Munazza Abbas is offering tutoring services through Zain Learning Center, for $5 to $10 per hour. Services offered include instruction in English as a second language, general learning needs, job searching and resume writing, as well as test preparation including high school proficiency and GED, Core Academic Skills for Educators and PLT, Graduate Record Exam preparation and Test of Essential Academic Skills.

Visit zainlc.com or call 702-882-1068.

Drop off school supplies at Nathan Adelson Hospice through Aug. 21

Nathan Adelson Hospice has partnered with Grant Morris Dodds law firm for its annual Back to School Drive to help local students. Through Aug. 21, the hospice and law firm locations will serve as drop-off points for school supplies for students at Robert Taylor Elementary School, 144 Westminster Way, and Sunrise Acres Elementary School, 211 N. 28th St.

School supplies needed are: backpacks, paper, crayons, markers, scissors, erasers, glue sticks, tissue boxes, colored pencils, pocket folders, rulers, binders, paper towels and zipper bags. Items can be dropped off from 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at Nathan Adelson Hospice at 4141 Swenson St. or 3150 N. Tenaya Way, on the third floor of the MountainView Medical Offices building; or from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Grant Morris Dodds at 2520 St. Rose Parkway, Suite 319, or at 10161 W. Park Run Drive, Suite 230.

The donations are scheduled to be delivered to the schools before the start of classes on Aug. 24.

Cox Communications plans back-to-school fair

The eighth annual Cox Back-to-School Fair, sponsored by Amerigroup Community Care, is planned from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 22 at The Galleria at Sunset, 1300 W. Sunset Road. It is set to feature more than 40 booths from community agencies, nonprofits and businesses.

Attendees can expect to find resources and information geared toward the back-to-school readiness, with scheduled participants set to include several divisions of the Clark County School District with information on food service, bus transportation, zoning and more. Low-cost immunizations will be provided through First Med Health and Wellness Center in partnership with Immunize Nevada.

Visit coxknowledgecollege.com.

Fantastic Indoor Swap Meet collecting school supplies through Aug. 30

The Fantastic Indoor Swap Meet, 1717 S. Decatur Blvd., is collecting school supplies for local students in partnership with the Clark County School District-Community Partnership Program. The drive is planned through Aug. 30, and guests who donate at the swap meet will receive free entry and be included in a raffle for the chance to win a $500 gift card.

Supplies needed include: paper, pencils, crayons, markers, scissors, erasters, glue sticks, tissues and binders. Donations collected will go directly to Clark County students in need.

Visit fantasticindoorswapmeet.com.

CASA Foundation plans annual back-to-school event

The CASA Foundation is looking for donations of school supplies for Clark County children in foster care. Backpacks filled with school supplies will be distributed during the annual CASA Foundation Back-to-School event hosted at Square Salon shortly before school starts on Aug. 24. The salon is donating free haircuts, styling and manicures, and Toll Brothers luxury home builders is collecting backpacks and school supplies.

"We are expecting as many as 400 children at our event, and we want to make sure they are well prepared to go back to school in style," said Elizabeth Ham, CASA Foundation board trustee. "We are hoping to have enough backpacks to distribute to foster children who attend, as well as those that are unable to make it to the event. "

Items needed include: backpacks, crayons (no glitter), pencils, pencil boxes and pouches, wide-ruled spiral notebooks and notebook paper, pocket folders, pink bar erasers, glue sticks, small tissue packs, small pencil sharpeners, colored pencils, markers and rulers.

Donations can be dropped off at the CASA office, 601-D N. Pecos Road; at Square Salon, 1225 S. Fort Apache Road; or at Toll Brothers, 3178 Porto Vittoria Ave., or at any Toll Brothers sales office.

Call 702-588-2272 or visit casafoundationlv.org.

Bank of Nevada collecting supplies for students in need

Bank of Nevada is collecting school supplies through Aug. 28 for students in need at Sewell Elementary, 700 E. Lake Mead Parkway; McMillan Elementary, 7000 Walt Lott Drive; Innovation International Charter School, 1600 E. Oakey Blvd.; and Virgin Valley Elementary in Mesquite.

The public can drop off new school supplies at any of the 11 Bank of Nevada branches in Southern Nevada from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Visit bankofnevada.com.

Mario Batali Foundation opens Books for Kids library downtown

The Mario Batali Foundation has announced the opening of a new Books for Kids library at the Variety Early Learning Center, 990 D St. This is the 10th Books for Kids library that the foundation has funded and its second in Nevada.

The center serves 120 children, primarily from the ages of 6 weeks to 6 years, year-round, and 70 percent live below the poverty line.

An opening dedication ceremony is planned for 10 a.m. Aug. 24. Special guests from the foundation and the Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group are set to attend, as well as guests from Books for Kids and the learning center. A ribbon cutting is planned, along with a reading of Dr. Seuss' "Green Eggs and Ham."

Visit booksforkids.org

Track Break Club planned for year-round students at Midbar Kodesh Temple

A Track Break Club for students who will be attending year-round schools is set to begin in August at Midbar Kodesh Temple, 1940 Paseo Verde Parkway. Students ages 5 to 12 are welcome to join in the camp-like fun, which will also include math, science, reading and computer technology. The club will coincide with the Clark County School District's year-round school calendar. Before- and after- care options are available.

Catholic Daughters offering scholarship for Bishop Gorman student

Catholic Daughters of the Americas Nevada State Court is offering a one-time scholarship of $720 to Bishop Gorman High School for a Catholic girl entering as a freshman in 2015. Applications will be accepted Sept. 1-Oct. 1.

Email State Regent Jina Couvrette at cdascholarshipnv@cox.net.

Health district plans back-to-school immunizations

The Southern Nevada Health District is offering back-to-school immunizations for pre-schoolers, kindergartners and seventh-graders for mandatory vaccinations at any of its public health centers. call 702-759-0850 or visit snhd.info.

Parents who cannot locate their children's immunization records can visti izrecord.nv.gov or call Nevada WebIZ at 877-689-3249.

Teacher EXCHANGE opens for school year

The Public Education Foundation's Teacher EXCHANGE, a re-use, repurpose and surplus school supply/material resource center for Clark County School District teachers, opened for the new school year on July 28 at 4350 S. Maryland Parkway. School district teachers and licensed staff and teachers at state-sponsored charter schools are invited to shop for supplies and materials needed for the upcoming school year. New members receive 100 free points to shop with. Additionally, members can make a $25 tax-deductible donation and receive 500 points. Donations help offset operational expenses.

The Teacher EXCHANGE will remain open throughout the school year. Summer hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Visit thepef.org/programs_exchange_calendar.html.

International Experience USA seeks host families for exchange students

International Experience USA, a nonprofit high school student exchange organization approved by the U.S. Department of State, is seeking host families in the Las Vegas Valley to provide room and board, help with transportation and provide emotional support to exchange students. The students provide their own insurance and personal spending money.

Visit ie-usa.org or contact Carol Myint at 507-301-3615 or c.myint@international-experience.net.

4-H membership drive planned for October

The 4-H youth development program plans its annual membership drive during October. The program, offered throughout the Las Vegas Valley, focuses primarily on positive youth development and is open to all youths 5 to 19.

Visit http://www.unce.unr.edu/4H/.