Senior projects likely to continue

Senior projects will likely continue in some form next year, said English teacher Jason Macy, who heads the senior project committee, after meeting Tuesday with Carson City School District Superintendent Richard Stokes.

"Our hope is that it will be the same standard it's been at," Macy said. "But it's not going to be the precision instrument it was."

Organizers worried after the department's secretarial position was eliminated because of budget cuts that this might be the last year of the intensive research and community-based project seniors were required to complete.

Macy said English teachers could continue to oversee students' research papers and speeches but would not have time to coordinate the nearly 400 community volunteers who judge the projects each year.

Carson High School's language arts secretary Darlene Nevin has sent out letters, organized training sessions and formed volunteers into panels for the past nine years the program has been in place.

"It's easy to see something happening without knowing what goes on behind the scenes," he said.

However, Stokes said it was not his intention to do away with the senior project when the position was eliminated.

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

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 also would consider hiring a part-time position.

Macy said he's not sure what the best solution is.

"Right now, we're just plugging around with ideas until we get something that's going to work for us," he said.

Macy said he understands that all district employees are making sacrifices as $7.2 million is shaved off of this year's budget, and he expects they'll find a way around it.

However, that may be bad news for this year's juniors who thought they might escape the senior project.

"Those few days of euphoria have passed," Macy said. "It's such an integral part of the culture at Carson High School and Carson City."