LVHS staying at Old High School building

Lahontan Valley High School is staying put at its South Maine Street address, but another move the district is considering has another group of parents upset.

The alternative high school will remain at the Old High School building with reduced funding, the school board decided in a six-hour marathon meeting that began Thursday night and finished early Friday morning.

The most contentious issues in the meeting involved merging LVHS with Churchill County High School and converting Northside Elementary to the district's preschool and kindergarten site.

The school board chose not to merge LVHS with Churchill County High School after Principal Keith Boone informed board members he could operate the school with a reduction of $75,000 in funds.

The $75,000 saving is part of the $1.32 million in cuts the board made for its tentative budget that needs to be completed by Tuesday.

LVHS parents, staff and students told the board it would be a monumental mistake to merge the two schools.

Boone said he spoke to his students, and 98 percent stressed they would not attend the later 1-8 p.m. schedule the school district once proposed.

Another 76 percent said they would not attend the CCHS campus under any circumstances.

"That is alarming," he said, explaining some students would drop out rather than attend classes at the CCHS campus.

"The bottom line is I am imploring you not to make this merger. I am saying this with my pure conscience. Please take that into consideration," Boone said.

LVHS Student Body President Whitney Howell asked those not supporting the merger to stand, and about two-thirds of the 500 people in attendance stood.

Howell said the teacher-student ratio of 15 to one at the alternative school is a benefit many students need.

Rachel Dahl, a teacher at LVHS, said the thought of what could happen is painful, especially to students.

"LVHS is a model program for the community and the state," she said. "We have an incredible staff, and I get to be with these kids everyday."

When a 15-year-old student is not learning, the fault lies with the teacher, she said.

The board voted 6-1 to keep the LVHS site at the Old High school with Trustee Tom Riggins dissenting. Riggins said he wanted additional information before voting on the issue.