Senior Projects discussed between superintendent, teachers

Cutting the position of the person who organized the senior projects does not mean the program cannot continue, said Carson City School District Superintendent Richard Stokes.

"Senior projects have great value," he said. "So while some of our changes in staffing require us to do things differently, by reallocating the work load, we can keep senior projects going for as long as we want it to go."

Stokes is scheduled to meet with Carson High School teachers Tuesday to discuss alternate ways of coordinating the senior project.

Nine years ago, the senior project became a standard requirement to pass most Carson High School English classes. It is an intensive project where students choose a certain subject, write a research paper on it, create a project around it, compile it all into a portfolio then present their work to a panel of judges.

Members of the community serve as mentors to the students, and almost 400 people volunteered this year serve as judges on the panels.

However, due to an anticipated $7.2 million budget shortfall, about 25 positions in the school district have been eliminated.

One those was the language arts department secretary, Darlene Nevin, who spent much of her time devoted to coordinating senior projects and community volunteers.

Nevin was reassigned to a different job.

English teachers Cheryl and Jason Macy, who are in charge of the project, say without that position, no one else has the time to dedicate to coordinating the project.

Stokes said possible solutions could include expanding the role of community volunteers or involving all high school teachers in organizing the projects rather than only the English department.

He said he would also consider hiring a part-time position.