| New Schools Equal New HiresLas Vegas Schools | | | | in 1998. The new design did cause a little |
| have ten new schools opening for the | | | | concern but it actually creates a very |
| 2006-2007 school year. Nine are brand new | | | | functional and friendly space which can add |
| schools, while one is a replacement of Rancho | | | | to the success of a school. The Rancho High |
| High School. This is part of a long term plan | | | | School principal plans to divide the school |
| to meet student population demands and create | | | | into four distinct sections each with its own |
| modern facilities. The schools opening in | | | | assistant principal and student services. |
| August are six elementary schools, two middle | | | | These sections will possibly be divided based |
| schools and two high schools. The new | | | | on grade level or program type.Rancho High |
| elementary schools are Hayden Elementary, | | | | School is well known for its magnet programs |
| Schorr Elementary, Steele Elementary, | | | | that aim towards the medical and aviation |
| Thompson Elementary, Ward Elementary and | | | | fields. These magnet programs will have new |
| Wright Elementary. The middle schools are | | | | offices and special facilities on the new |
| Johnston and Tarkanian and the high schools | | | | Ranch High School campus. The ROTC will also |
| are the new Legacy High School and the | | | | have a new area. The Rancho High School ROTC |
| replacement Rancho High School. All these new | | | | is one of the largest in the U.S. and the |
| schools create the need for more teacher and | | | | facility will be able to accommodate over |
| support staff. With this in mind Las Vegas | | | | five hundred students. The Ranch High School |
| Schools is engaging in a very active | | | | replacement is part of a long term |
| recruitment process including holding a | | | | replacement plan by Las Vegas schools. The |
| recruitment fair this summer to be held at | | | | plan was to replace five existing schools |
| the Desert Rose Adult High School. In the | | | | Sunrise Acres Elementary, Wendell Williams |
| area of academic staff Las Vegas Schools are | | | | Elementary and Rancho High School are the |
| hiring over one thousand new staff and | | | | first three with Booker Elementary and Virgin |
| teachers. But academic staff are not the only | | | | Valley Elementary to follow.Rancho High |
| ones needed to keep a school running. These | | | | School is Second to Have Mall DesignRancho |
| new member schools of Las Vegas Schools are | | | | High School is the second Las Vegas School to |
| also in need of bus drivers, transportation | | | | have the mall design. The first was at |
| aides, vehicle mechanics and substitute food | | | | Buffalo and Grand Teton. The mall design |
| service workers.The New Rancho High SchoolThe | | | | creates a new and unique space that provides |
| newest edition to Las Vegas Schools is the | | | | natural light and fresh air to the classrooms |
| placement of the old Rancho High School. The | | | | while creating a more secure environment than |
| new design may seem surprisingly familiar to | | | | a conventional school design. Both the |
| the students. The new Rancho High School is | | | | current principal and the president of the |
| based on the same design used in most | | | | construction company building the new school |
| suburban shopping malls. The new 330,000 | | | | are former Rancho High School graduates, who |
| square foot school was built on the site of | | | | are extremely pleased with the modern |
| the former schools athletic field. The old | | | | replacement.Stacy Andell is a staff writer |
| school will be torn down later in the school | | | | for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth |
| year. The new Rancho High School follows a | | | | reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 |
| two story mall design and the total building | | | | schools. Stacy has a nose for research and |
| cost was around $75 million. The money came | | | | writes stimulating news and views on school |
| from the Las Vegas Schools $3.5 billion | | | | issues. |
| capital improvement plan approved by voters | | | | |