The Churchill County Middle School eighth-grade boys basketball team was recognized by the school board Dec. 18 as the Sagebrush League Champions. Front row, from left: Garrett Bartel, Timothy Kotsios, Hunter Gregory, Daemian Bueno and Carter Larson. Back row, from left: Trustee Matt Hyde, Camden Richardson, Emmitt Sorensen, DeQuan Wallace, Samuel Vinsonhaler and Benjamin Urso.
Sara Dowling | NNG
The school board said “goodbye and good luck” to one of their own Dec. 18, recognized the eighth-grade boys basketball Sagebrush League Champions, heard the dining services quarterly report and interviewed and appointed a new trustee.
Retiring Trustee Matt Hyde received a glass plaque in honor of his 10 years on the school board. Trustees took a moment to recognize Hyde, who was repeatedly praised for his commitment and dedication to the students in the school district and the athletes in the youth sports programs. Others spoke to the quiet impact he often had with his work behind the scenes.
Vice President Amber Getto said she appreciated Hyde and his mentorship and advice during their six years together. Because Hyde will now represent Churchill County as a commissioner for District 1 beginning in January, Getto also wished him good luck in working with her son, Commission Chair Myles Getto.
Hyde thanked the community and his fellow trustees.
“I have been truly blessed to work with some amazing board members,” he said. “Anything that I have accomplished, everybody I’ve served with has had a big hand in it. You are never going to make everybody happy, but if you do what’s in the best interest of the kids and keep it student-centered, everything will be just fine.”
Hyde also gave out his last set of student certificates as a trustee, recognizing the Churchill County Middle School eighth grade boys basketball team as the 2024 Sagebrush League Champions. After saying student recognition was probably the favorite task of every trustee, he emphasized to the student athletes the importance of staying involved in sports in the future, if possible. Although, he reminded them, “student first, athlete second.”
Chartwells Director of Dining Services Amber Scholl’s quarterly report included highlights of an Oct. 10 visit to Churchill County High School by celebrity chef Jonathan Zaragoza in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and the “Global Eats” program. The chef, who appears in “The Bear” and “The Taco Chronicles,” spent the day making and serving his personal recipes and chatting with CCHS students in the culinary arts and Spanish language classes.
Trustees interviewed four candidates in person and one by email to fill the vacancy left on the board by Hyde. Celestia Blakey, the only candidate to receive an unanimous vote, was selected as the incoming trustee. She will be sworn into office Jan. 6.
The meeting attendees received a surprise visit from Santa Claus and a couple of his helpers.
The board recognized Shaylee Orduna and Caiden Neitz who were selected to represent Fallon and Nevada in the U.S. Youth Soccer Development Program. The students did not attend the meeting. David LaCilento of SAVVAS Learning Co., and Assistant Superintendent Stacey Cooper presented an update on the implementation of the K-12 English Language Arts curriculum.
The board also discussed and approved Superintendent Derild Parson’s annual evaluation.
Video replays of school board meetings are available on the YouTube channel “ChurchillCSDBoardMeetings.”