School board trustee takes time out for parents’ concerns
Parents had a chance to take their concerns, big and small, straight to Clark County School Board Trustee Lorraine Alderman at a recent open forum.
Alderman’s meet-and-greet program, Making Connections, took place at the East Las Vegas Community/Senior Center, 250 N. Eastern Ave. About 20 mothers attended and waited for a chance to have a one-on-one discussion with Alderman. A translator was available for Spanish speakers.
The most common concerns were traffic-related. Parents, especially from Lunt and Cambeiro elementary schools and Martin Middle School near downtown Las Vegas, asked that something be done to alleviate traffic congestion and make it safer for students walking home.
Lt. Roberto Morales of the school district’s police department was present and took notes that he planned to discuss with Alderman to try and help the situation. The biggest problem, he said, is not likely to be fixed anytime soon.
“The design is horrible,” Morales said. “We can’t ignore the truth.”
Morales said there are some programs that the police could work with the school to implement that could help. He suggested getting parents more involved in educating others about traffic safety before and after school.
A shortage of resources, said Morales, prevents police from being able to personally help out at every school in need.
Parents from those same schools also expressed concerns for their kids who stay late in after-school programs that do not end until 5 p.m. Parents said there are no lights to alert drivers in the area that students are crossing.
The second most popular concern came from parent volunteers at Sunrise Acres Elementary School, 211 28th St. The juice they receive for breakfast is always frozen, leading kids to stab at it with their spoons, creating a mess on their tables.
Hazel Jackson, ombudsman for Area Service Center 2, also was present for the meetings. An ombudsman, as Alderman described it, is a “problem solver.”
Jackson said the juice, which is shipped frozen, was not being ordered early enough to thaw.
Parents’ concerns, whether about juice, parent-teacher conferences, campus construction, translators being available at school ceremonies or traffic, were taken seriously. Some parents needed only five minutes with Alderman; others took 15. Alderman never rushed to get through the line and ended up staying about an hour later than scheduled.
She asked every parent if there was something the school could be doing better and thanked them for coming. She even gave each parent her business card with her personal cellphone number on it.
“Some parents aren’t comfortable going to a (school) board meeting in front of a crowd to ask a question,” Jackson said. “Having the ability to talk one on one, that’s important. They all seemed comfortable.”
Alderman previously held Making Connections programs in the Henderson and Paradise areas also included in her district. The next program is tentatively scheduled in January near Clark High School, 4291 W. Pennwood Ave.
Contact View education reporter Jeff Mosier at jmosier@viewnews.com or 224-5524.
