Education notebook

CAESARS FOUNDATION DONATES $750,000 FOR CLASSROOM SUPPLIES

The Caesars Foundation gave a three-year grant of $750,000 to the Public Education Foundation to the support its Teacher EXCHANGE initiative.

The program provides public school teachers with recycled and gently used materials for their classrooms. Caesars has donated nearly $1.5 million since 2008 to the program.

For more information about the Public Education Foundation, visit thepef.org.

WIN YOUR SCHOOL A SHARE OF $20,000

Nevada State Bank plans to donate $20,000 to three public schools in the state that receive the most votes on the bank’s Facebook page. The Nevada State Bank $20K Giveaway: You Vote, Schools Win campaign is open through Oct. 14. To vote, "like" the Nevada State Bank page and you will be directed to a voting page. Voting is open to anyone with a Facebook profile, and there is a limit of one vote per day. First prize is $10,000, second is $6,000, and third is $4,000. The winning schools will be announced the week of Oct. 24.

GROWTH MODEL DATA AVAILABLE ON DISTRICT WEBSITE

Growth model data from the past three years is available on the school district’s website, ccsd.net, for individual schools for grades four through eight.

The Clark County School District is putting more emphasis beginning this year on annual school growth, as opposed to Adequate Yearly Progress. School growth summaries are based on past criterion-referenced tests.

LIBRARY DISTRICT WEBSITE OFFERS TUTORING FOR STUDENTS

Students can get homework help on the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District’s website, lvccld.org. Select "Homework Help" under Quick Links on the Kids or Teens pages. A library card is required to access some services.

Information on a variety of subjects is organized by subject and grade level. The Homework Help page also offers HelpNow, an online tutoring site that can connect students with a live tutor to help with English, math, science, social studies and writing. Students also can take practice standardized tests.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION TO OFFER GRANT WRITING CLASS

The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension plans to present the Nuts and Bolts of Grant Writing, a one-day class, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 27 at the Lifelong Learning Center, 8050 Paradise Road.

Nonprofit and government organization participants will learn how to develop a community needs assessment, set goals, write outcome objectives, create a working budget, develop a budget and a budget narrative. The class instructor is Pamela Kahn-Van Pelt, emeritus resource specialist for the Cooperative Extension.

For those who already have attended the Nuts and Bolts class, an Advanced Grant Writing class is planned for Oct. 26.

Space is limited. There is a $25 fee due the day of the class to cover materials.

To register, call 257-5502 or email ryanb@unce.unr.edu.

CITY OF LAS VEGAS TO OFFER SAFEKEY REGISTRATION, PAYMENT ONLINE

The city of Las Vegas has begun offering registration and payment for the after-school Safekey program.

A pilot program will include 18 elementary school sites, but based on the success of the program, it could be expanded to 68 sites.

Registration and payment are offered at individual sites and community centers, but the online program could save an estimated $185,000 in operating costs. This past year, more than 9,300 children were enrolled in the Safekey program.

During the pilot period, parents will still be able to make credit and debit card, check and money order payments at the pilot school sites.

For more information on the pilot program or to register your child, call the Safekey office at 229-2526 or visit lasvegasnevada.gov.

TOURO UNIVERSITY NEVADA TO HONOR STUDENTS AT RIO CEREMONY

Touro University Nevada’s White Coat Ceremony is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday at the Rio, 3700 W. Flamingo Road, to honor more than 220 students in osteopathic medicine, physician assistant studies and physical therapy.

For more information about Touro University Nevada, 874 American Pacific Drive, visit tun.touro.edu or call 777-8687.

Gibson Middle School principal wins national award

Gibson Middle School principal Linda Archambault was named the Middle School Principal of the Year by MetLife and the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

Archambault became the first Nevada principal to win the award and will be recognized Friday in Washington, D.C. She also will receive $5,000 in grants that she will use to fund an after-school mentoring program for at-risk students.

Archambault has been principal at Gibson, 3900 W. Washington Ave., for five years, and the school made Adequate Yearly Progress for the first time in 2009-10.