Clark County School Board approves zoning changes

Arbor View High School, 7500 Whispering Sands Drive, opened in 2005 on 37 acres of orchard once operated by Bill and Ted Gilcrease. The school is named for tree-lined views of the orchard still visible from its second floor.

The Clark County School Board voted Wednesday to shift attendance boundaries for eight elementary schools, one middle school and one high school for 2014-2015.

The Clark County School District campuses targeted by rezoning are struggling with enrollments that exceed their capacities.

Some students attending Bozarth Elementary School, near Farm Road and Hualapai Way, will move to Bilbray, Scherkenbach, Thompson or Darnell elementary schools.

Without redrawing attendance boundaries for Bozarth, the school would have about 400 new students during the next few years as new houses are built in the area and families move in.

Bozarth has 1,066 students, which exceeds the 788-student cap for nine-month elementary schools and 967 for year-round. Crowding at Bozarth has eliminated full-day kindergarten.

One father spoke against Bozarth’s rezoning, saying many students in the northwest Las Vegas school were members of military families who moved frequently.

“My son’s grades have already gone down, and now we’re telling him he has to move again,” he said.

Students who might have attended Givens Elementary School will attend Lummis and Piggott elementary schools, but current students are not affected.

“It brings in an area that is under construction and is expected to bring students,” School Board member Patrice Tew said.

Four mothers who have children at Givens, near Alta Drive and the Las Vegas Beltway, opposed the rezoning.

Vijaya Poluri expressed concern for children who would have to be bused long distances because of leap-frogging, or rezoning to schools past nearer locations.

Tew said the district’s Attendance Zone Advisory Committee spoke to principals in an attempt to reduce crowding by reducing zone variances, which allow students to attend schools they are not zoned for.

“We’re being watchful of what principals are doing and if they’re willing to self-correct,” Tew said.

The board passed Givens rezoning 6-1. Trustee Carolyn Edwards opposed the measure because it would create leap-frogging. Edwards opposed the rezoning of Arbor View High School for the same reason.

Other student shifts include:

■ Thompson to Bilbray and Scherkenbach elementary schools.

■ Darnell to Allen Elementary School.

■ Rhodes Elementary School will accept students from Heckethorn and Neal elementary schools.

■ Triggs Elementary school to Heckethorn.

■ Rogich Middle School to Johnson Middle School.

■ Arbor View High School to Shadow Ridge High School

Contact reporter Kristy Totten at ktotten@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3809. Follow her on Twitter @kristy_tea.