Three valley schools to get ’empowerment’ money
Three public schools will each receive $50,000 in additional annual funding for the next three years, enabling them to become "empowerment schools," officials with the Clark County School District announced Monday.
Chaparral High School, Wendell Williams Elementary School and Staton Elementary School will adopt the empowerment model intended to allow schools the freedom and flexibility to innovate.
Principals at the three schools said they would like to use the extra funding to reduce class sizes, offer late busing so that more students can participate in after-school activities, and waive or reduce activity fees.
In addition, school employees could receive a 1 percent salary increase based on their yearly performance.
Chaparral is at 3850 Annie Oakley Drive, west of U.S. Highway 95 and north of Flamingo Road; Wendell Williams is at 1030 J St., north of Washington Avenue; and Staton is at 1700 Sageberry Drive, south of Summerlin Parkway and east of the Las Vegas Beltway.
The Nevada Women's Philanthropy group is providing the $450,000 to the three new empowerment schools, bringing the total number of empowerment schools in the district to 17.
Because of state budget cuts, the district has relied on private donations to fuel expansion of the empowerment school model.
In August, the district announced that a $13.5 million donation from the Lincy Foundation would help fund the empowerment program at 14 schools over three years.
Jeremy Hauser, the district's academic manager for empowerment schools, said he did not think that state budget cuts -- anticipated at $150 million for next year -- would wipe out the financial boost that the donations provide to empowerment schools.
The donations fuel "internal" changes in how the schools are run, he said.
Staton Principal Martha Gardner said the flexibility empowerment schools have is essential in adjusting to the challenges of the economic crisis.
"It's time to be really creative in how we spend our resources," Gardner said.
Contact reporter James Haug at jhaug@reviewjournal.com or 702-374-7917.
