Summer ends early for many

The sign that summer has officially come to an end happens Monday as thousands of students in Churchill County return to school.

Dr. Sandra Sheldon, Churchill County school district superintendent, said all staff is ready for the return to school on Monday.

“We’re all ready to go,” she said. “All of the classroom are already completely set up or will be by the time Monday rolls around. Teachers are back as of today and ready for their students.”

Sheldon said all of the little projects that took place over the summer have been completed. She said the only one that will be worked on during the first few weeks of school is the exterior painting project going on at the high school.

The number of substitute teachers has remained the same, Sheldon said.

“We’re starting off the school year with roughly the same amount of subs we had last year,” she said. “We’ve added a few more to the list, and we’ve had some recently apply to become a sub.”

Sheldon said teachers have already returned to work to set up their classrooms.

“I’ll be holding a welcome back meeting today for our teachers and different departments in the district,” Sheldon said. “I have teachers coming at 8 a.m. and classified personnel at 10 a.m. There have been several teachers within the district who have been to training throughout the summer to learn about the new technology we’ll have in the schools.”

The school year will be great, Sheldon said.

“This school year is all about the students,” Sheldon said. “Everything that we do and that we’ll focus on in the district will be about the students and getting them where they need to be. We’re excited to get the school year going. I’ve been to all of the schools and they’re all looking great, ready for Monday. The principals and the teachers … we’re all ready. I think it will be a smooth transition for everyone.”

With the new configuration of the schools Sheldon said E. C. Best Elementary School will be the hub for students on the transfer bus. She said if parents are interested in having their students transferred to E. C. Best due to multiple kindergarten students, parents can contact the Transportation Department at 775-423-7135 to set it up.

“Now the bus transfer isn’t for everyone,” she said. “Parents are only allowed to use it if they have multiple children in elementary school that aren’t at the same schools.”

On Monday, school buses leave the transportation department’s parking lot to pick up several hundred students for their first day of school. The complete bus schedule can be found in the Back to School Guide, which was printed on July 31 in the Lahontan Valley News, or can be found on the school district’s website.

Students are to report to their various schools after 8 a.m., specific times can also be found on the district’s website or by calling the schools.

The county’s charter and private schools begin this week too.

Oasis Academy, a charter school, welcomes 363 students in grades K-8 on Monday, said Administrative Assistant Julie Evans. She said the school is also welcoming the new high school students including 80 freshmen and sophomores and 100 students in the Jump Start program.

During the summer the school was busy expanding to make room for the high school and improve its fence and playground area.

Evans said K-9 is full, but Oasis is still accepting applications for grades 10-12. Interested parents can call the school to get information, 775-423-5437.

Logos Christian Academy Principal Jack Beach said school begins Wednesday for students in grades K-8 from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. He said enrollment is up from last year and is now in the mid 70s. He said over the summer a small renovation project on one of the bathrooms was completed.

Beach added Logos is still accepting applications for enrollment, and interested parents may call him at 775-428-1825.

Fallon Seventh-day Adventist Church School welcomes seven students enrolled in K-8 grade on Monday, said Principal Kathy Melendy. She said enrollment numbers are down by almost half from last year. Classes are Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-2:45 p.m. and kindergarten from 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Melendy said the school is still accepting applications for new students, and interested parents may call her at 775-225-0267.