Dr. Sandra Shedlon, superintendent of the Churchill Conty School Disrtrict, welcomes new teachers to an orientation conducted on Thursday.
Seven first-year Churchill County School District teachers attended their first meeting on Thursday, while seasoned classroom veterans will attend a district-wide meeting this morning and then work on their classrooms later in the day.
Meanwhile, students have several more days to enjoy their summer vacation before the district’s six schools open their doors for business on Monday morning.
First-year Superintendent Sandra Sheldon, who greeted the new teachers, welcomed them to the district and offered them some advice.
“Make sure you know your colleagues, make sure you know your parents and make sure you know your students,” she said.
Sheldon encouraged teachers to rely on their colleagues for assistance and to work with them as a team.
Although seven teachers attended the meeting, Sheldon said a total of nine new teachers will begin work with CCSD. Sheldon said the turnover in staff was very low this year.
“Stability is good,” she added.
Even with school slated to open in four days, Sheldon said the district has five vacancies including two positions for special education teachers.
On Monday, the school buses begin to roll across the Lahontan Valley, picking up hundreds of children. Transportation Manager Steve Russell said buses do not make stops on U.S. Highway 50 but pull over on the shoulder; however, he said buses make 16 stops on U.S. Highway 95 south and one on U.S. 95 north in the afternoon.
The complete bus schedule is in the Back to School Guide, which was printed on Aug. 14, or can be found on the school district’s website.
Unless a barrier divides the highway, the Nevada Highway Patrol said vehicles must stop in both directions for the flashing lights.
Students are to report to their various schools after 8 a.m. At the Churchill County Middle School, students are asked to report to the blacktop area behind the school to receive directions to their first class.
The county’s charter and private schools, however, began school this week.
Oasis Academy, a charter school, welcomed on Monday 180 students in grades K-8, said Principal Melissa Mackedon. She said the school has about 15-20 new students in kindergarten and spread out among the other grades. She added Oasis Academy has reached its maximum number of students.
Mackedon said the major changes for the school center on security, specifically with a new entrance. She said minor adjustments have been made with the student growth data and testing.
At Logos Christian Academy, Principal Jack Beach said school for 89 students in K-8 began Wednesday. He said the school has two new teachers for a total of nine and 17 new students.
As with Oasis Academy, he said Logos beefed up its security.
Beach added that Logos is still accepting applications for enrollment, and interested parents may call him at 775-428-1825,
The Fallon Seventh-day Adventist Church School has students enrolled in kindergarten through eighth grade, reports Principal Kathy Melendy, who also doubles as a teacher.
She said security has been improved at the school. Additionally ,she said curriculum is constantly reviewed to ensure the best instruction for students.
The SDA school, according to Melendy, is still accepting enrollment, and interested parents can call her at 775-423-4185.