Technical education may get boost

Editor's note: This is the final story in a three-part series about the 2010 rollover bond. This installment details the projects that would be included in the second and third phases.

Unlike the first phase of the bond, where the projects have been specifically identified, the second phase of the 10-year rollover bond still is a work in progress.

The $10 million phase would begin in 2013 and be completed in 2014.

The possibilities being considered are renovating or expanding Pioneer High School and improving career and technical education, including fine arts, at Carson High School.

Pioneer High School

Pioneer, the school district's alternative high school, is housed in the former Corbett Elementary School that was built in 1953.

"It's presented challenges for us in heating and cleaning and upkeep," said Principal Jason Zona.

The building, a single hallway with classrooms down one side, is struggling to accommodate increasing enrollment. The school has 175 students this year, a 75 percent increase from last year.

"The good news is we're getting more kids and graduating more kids," Zona said. "But we're struggling with size. We're outgrowing our physical space."

The rest of the campus is made up of eight portable buildings, which house the principal's and Adult Education offices, a computer lab, distance education classroom, a new cafeteria and other services.

With the distance-education program expanding, technology improving and the school population growing, those buildings also are insufficient, Zona said, as well as more expensive to operate.

Students also would like to see some changes.

"It's a pretty old school," said Julio Mayoral, 16. "We're starting to get a lot of kids, and the classes are getting packed."

Edy Martinez, 16, sees the need for some improvements, but also wants to maintain the integrity of the school, where graduation rates have continued to climb, jumping 20 percent in the past year.

"Some stuff here is outdated, straight up," he said. "But it's better here than at the high school. There's not a lot of people. Not a lot of drama."

Students said they also would like to see additions other than classrooms, like a gym or cafeteria. Now, the only recreation the school offers is an outdoor basketball hoop, and the new cafeteria is too small to accommodate all the students. They usually opt to eat outdoors or in their cars during inclement weather.

"We have no place to gather at," said Ana Ruiz, 16.

Career and technical education

While initial suggestions called for a performance arts center to be built at Carson High School, plans have been scaled back to restructure career and technical education.

"Rather than building a new structure, we can redesign some of our existing square footage," said Richard Stokes, superintendent of the Carson City School District. "We need to give these programs the square footage at the school to be able to roll out and expand these programs."

Welding instructor Charles Shirley would like to see more emphasis on the career and technical programs at the high school.

"Just looking from the data side of it, graduation rates and proficiency rates drastically improve when you have career and technical education," he said.

He explained that learning skills like welding or auto mechanics or culinary arts often enhances rather than replaces academic learning.

"It gives a practical knowledge to everything they learn across the hallway," Shirley said. "You come out here and see the real-world application of geometry and basic math. It motivates them to learn because they know how it applies."

Learning technical skills, he said, can make students ready for the job market as soon as they graduate from high school.

"I have a ton of kids employed in the welding industry," he said.

Or they can use those skills to put them through college, even earning college credits for their work in high school classes.

Mick Poole, 17, is in his fourth year of welding at Carson High School, and took three years of it in middle school. He'd like to see more resources dedicated to programs like it.

"We can't do projects because we can't afford the metal for them," he said. "If we had a little more money maybe I could do flex core arc welding."

Phase III

The third phase of the bond would be to upgrade technology throughout the district.

The rollover bond allows for a "pay-as-you-go" component that the district would use to provide upgrades beginning in 2011 through 2020.

Officials estimate they will have $500,000 per year for the program.

Final details

If the bond is passed during Tuesday's election, officials will commission a study to determine which needs are most crucial and how best to address them.

"As soon as the bond passes, we will hire an independent contractor to assist the school district to help us organize and make sure the interests of the school district and the community are being met," Stokes said.

Zona has faith the bond will pass and the projects completed.

"I am confident the citizens of Carson City will vote to help out these students," he said. "I think they see the big picture."