Senator Square: Carson City School District's superintendent sends encouraging letter

Dear Friends, happy spring time! While our newest season officially arrived March 20th, it seems just now I am starting to believe winter is finally losing its grip and giving way to the kinder, gentler, days of spring. With each day, I see a little more of the renewal of life we have come to associate with this time of year.

As the daffodils bloom, and the robins look for worms, there are many signs of emerging activity which has stayed dormant during the long winter months. In our busy professional lives, the school year also has a variety of recognizable events to indicate our respective academic ‘seasons’.

Student testing, planning for the Senior Prom, and the big push to finish up our assigned curriculum and duties all clearly signal we have arrived at the critical season leading to the end of the school year. I purposely use the word ‘critical’ because at this time of year, much is at stake. First, our students depend on our support to remain successful.

Our work is demanding and challenging, and great effort is required. It is normal to feel the cumulative effect of our daily work, and we must guard against fatigue and exhaustion. During this time of year, it is easy for people to lose patience, make poor choices, or become ineffective because they are weary in mind, body, or spirit.

In a few days, we will have the blessing of taking a break from our labors. I hope you will be able to use your days off to refresh and renew yourselves physically, mentally, and spiritually. Your knowledge, skills, and abilities are essential to the success of our mission. Second, our students and colleagues will need our best efforts as they too face their own demands that will occur at the end of the school year.

Your renewed vigor and encouragement can strengthen, sustain, and lift people to new heights in their time of need. If you teach students who have special needs, be aware of signs of struggle. Reviewing their IEPs may provide additional insight and support.

If you know a colleague who is struggling, use your talents or empathy to lend your experience, or just spend time to listen. In short, use your individual superpowers in your usual, quiet fashion to do as you have always done, and that is to make a difference when it may be needed the most. Your ongoing support and consistency in our schools is what makes our district such a great place. Welcome to spring, and thanks for all you do. — Richard Stokes, CCSD superintendent.

BLUE THUNDER MARCHING BAND RECEIVES SUPPORT FROM GNCU
At the 27th annual Band-O-Rama, which takes place every year at CHS, the Greater Nevada Credit Union CHS Branch proudly presented the CHS Blue Thunder Marching Band with a $5,200 sponsorship check for the 2018-2019 school year. The check represented the total of GNCU’s sponsorship of matching cash donations, band t-shirts, and fundraising donations from the football and basketball games. GNCU has been a sponsor of the Blue Thunder Marching Band since 2015. The funds raised go towards the purchase of new music equipment, uniforms, and travel to the band’s myriad competitions. Currently, Dawn Cuellar is the Band Booster Club President, Julie Slocum is the GNCU Education Branch Coordinator, William Zabelsky is the CHS Band Director, and Michelle Bowler is the Band Booster Club Vice President. Also, several band and orchestra students, Mira Caraway, band, Hannah Oliphant, orchestra, Emma Rosen, orchestra, and Eleanor Sturm, orchestra traveled to Las Vegas for an All-State Music Festival on the UNLV campus from April 4 through 7.

SENATOR SNACK SHACK DONATES TO FEAT
To raise awareness of individuals with autism, and in recognition of World Autism Awareness Day and Autism Month, the CHS Comprehensive Life Skills staff will wear Autism Awareness shirts every Tuesday during the month of April. In addition, the Senator Snack Shack, operated by CLS teacher Kyle Jordan’s Job Skills class, took donations April 2 to help Families for Early Autism, a local organization. Senator Snack Shack is grateful to the amazing CHS Staff and everyone else who made donations, as a total donation of $121 will now go to FEAT.

PARTNERSHIP CARSON CITY VISITS CHS HEALTH CLASSES
This week, CHS Health teacher Erin Bean brought some guest speakers into the health classes and had them participate in a Partnership Carson City presentation called Overdose Lifeline. The purpose of the program is to reduce the effects of the opioid epidemic, and other forms of addiction, through education. Along with PCC, Cyndi and Edward Yenick, founders of the organization BubHugs, shared the story of their son Bub. Their mission is to educate and prevent addiction of high school and collegiate student athletes to pain-killing prescription drugs and alcohol. For more information about the program, please visit www.BubHugs.org.

ADVANCEMENT VIA INDIVIDUAL DETERMINATION MEMBERS VISIT UNR
Students, their teacher, and their counselor traveled to UNR for a field trip recently in order to directly introduce students to both university life and the opportunities available in terms of majors, minors, and career opportunities. These students are a part of Advancement Via Individual Determination, a non-profit organization that provides professional learning for educators to improve college readiness for all students, especially those traditionally underrepresented in higher education. For more information about AVID, please contact CHS English Teacher Rachel Avidano at ravidano@carson.k12.nv.us or CHS Counselor Nicki Hendee at nhendee@carson.k12.nv.us.

WNC JUMP START OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE NOW
Jump Start Career applications are still being accepted. Jump Start Career is a program which allows students to take elective classes at WNC in order to earn college credit and learn career building skills. Core classes are taken at CHS. To be eligible, students need to be juniors not deficient in credits and have a desire to attain skills in one of the following programs: Auto Tech, Automated Industrial Technology, Construction, or Cybersecurity. Any current CHS junior student interested in applying for a Jump Start Career needs to pick up an application in the Guidance Office.

SUMMER JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS
Learn about available jobs and career opportunities with Carson City in the CHS Library and Career Center. Students must be at least 15-years-old to apply to be a lifeguard or a recreational aid. Also, graduating seniors may come and learn about seasonal firefighter positions with the Carson City Fire Department and Dispatch positions with the Carson City Sheriff's Office. Students interested in receiving lifeguard training that leads to a paying job can apply with the Carson Aquatic Facility for April 15 to 19 as well. Interested? Visit carson.org/jobs to see all available jobs, requirements, and pay.

FREE HOT AIR BALLOON RIDES COMING TO CHS
CHS teacher and military veteran Michael Reynolds, along with Karalyn Mumm, pilot and owner of hot air balloon Citrus in the Sky, will be offering tethered hot air balloon rides to CHS students directly after Spring Break, April 23 beginning at 7:40 a.m. Additionally, the Balloon Federation of America is offering the High Sierra Balloon Camp June 23 through 28 at Donner Ski Ranch, 19320 Donner Pass Road in Norden, California. Those interested may find more information by looking them up on Facebook, going to highsierraballooncamp@gmail.com, calling Karalyn Mumm at 225-1284, calling CHS teacher Michael Reynolds at 283-1630, or emailing him at mreynolds@carson.k12.nv.us.

COMMUNITY FATHER DAUGHTER DANCE COMING SOON
The “Under the Big Top” Annual Father-Daughter Ball, a community-wide event for all ages held at CHS, is coming April 26 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Tickets are $40 per couple and $10 for each additional daughter. The event has sold out each year and will definitely sell out again this year.

Order tickets by going to eventbrite.com and search for Father-Daughter Ball – Carson City. Online ticket purchase fee applies. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the CHS main office on the following dates only: March 26, 27, 28 between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. or March 30 between 9:00 and noon at the CHS Big Gym entrance.

Only cash or checks taken for in-person ticket purchases. No credit cards please. Circus actors will be taking photos of fathers and their little princesses, and light desserts will be served. This event is a fundraiser for the following CHS Organizations: FBLA, SkillsUSA, WebDesign, Leadership, and Photography. Please email CHS teacher Angila Golik at agolik@carson.k12.nv.us for more information.

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
CHS Athletic Department’s Athletes of the Week for March 25 through 29 were Ashley Britt for Girls Varsity Track and Jakob Heller for Boys Varsity Track, and for April 1 through April 5, Amaya Mendeguia for Varsity Girls Softball and Garritt Benavidez for Varsity Boys Baseball. These athletes, and all students who participate in school functions through leadership, clubs, and sports, deserve a high level of recognition and congratulations.

STUDENT OF THE WEEK
CHS junior Kiana Martinez is the Student of the Week. Nominated by CHS teacher Ty McMillen, Kiana is a very high academic-achieving young lady whose strength is in how she cares for others. Kiana is both an active member and leader of Fellowship of Christian Athletes and also very active in Future Business Leaders of America, competing during both her freshman and sophomore years. Kiana has been the manager for the CHS Boys Soccer team for the past three years and is a glue in the school community to students and staff of all backgrounds. Congratulations to Kiana Martinez.

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
CHS is pleased to recognize Jane Fliegler as this week’s Senior in the Spotlight. Jane has a weighted GPA of 5.05 and is currently continuing her academic pursuits with a full load of classes, three of which are Advanced Placement. In addition, she is enrolled in the EDU 110 class which allows her to earn 3 credits through UNR. As part of this class, Jane is interning at Carson Middle School twice per week in an 8th grade English class. Jane is a member of National Honor Society and is a four time recipient of an academic letter.

She has also been a member of the Varsity Tennis team and was an officer for the Gay Straight Alliance club. Jane has volunteered at the CHS Craft Fair and at the polls during the mid-term elections. She tutors four times per week for the Empire Elementary X-Factor program where she works with 4th graders who are struggling in math and reading. In addition to her outstanding academic work, Jane is passionate about art.

For her Senior Project, a CHS graduation requirement, Jane challenged herself to learn how to produce portraits in a variety of mediums. She worked in water color, oil pastels, and charcoal. The finished products are outstanding and are being displayed as part of a sponsored exhibition of student artwork at Capital City Art Initiative’s the Brick. Jane will be attending UNR next year on a Presidential Scholarship where she plans to study art, history, and education. CHS wishes Jane the best of luck and looks forward to the future accomplishments of this talented student.

— Phil Brady is an English teacher at Carson High School in Carson City, Nev.