OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Virgin Valley Community Education Advisory Board Meeting - August 21, 2025

City Council & CommitteesThursday, August 21, 2025
BodyMesquite, Nevada
SessionCity Council & Committees
DateThursday, August 21, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record

STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

All right, we'll go ahead and get started.

0:01

If you please stand for the follow me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:06

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

0:14

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

0:24

All right, we'll go ahead with agenda item one public comment.

0:28

If there is any, come on up, give us your name, and you got three minutes.

0:34

You got nothing.

0:39

Oh I got nothing.

0:41

Oh, okay.

0:41

That's right.

0:43

Uh my name is Spencer Apple.

0:45

I live in Sun City, and I play a lot of pickleball.

0:49

I spoke to Mr.

0:51

Poole at the high school back in May about bringing pickleball to the high school or even the middle school.

0:59

So he told me it's not a state sport.

1:02

It's gonna be done as a club.

1:05

So my question is how do I do this?

1:09

And who do I go to to find out how do I get this started in the in the schools?

1:20

Mr.

1:21

Perkins.

1:22

Sorry, right?

1:23

Wow.

1:25

Put you on the spot.

1:27

I would recommend you talk to the CAP and see what they can do.

1:34

They're playing pickleball back and forth, right?

1:39

I don't think the middle school school can't do it.

1:45

Middle school had them for a long time because of the city.

1:48

They put that uh come out to the gonna get you on the minutes.

2:02

Okay, Maurice Perkins, uh Clark County School District, school associate superintendent.

2:06

The middle school did have pickleball courts for quite a while uh with the in a collaboration with the the city of Mesquite.

2:13

Umce they built the pickleball courts over there.

2:17

They did play it, they still do, they still have the nets.

2:20

Um, but it is not a sanctioned sport, and that is not something Clark County School District has any control over.

2:26

That's uh a matter for the NIAA.

2:29

So, yeah, if you want to look at sanctioning sports and doing that, I would recommend going to the NIAA to see about it.

2:37

So if it's a club, is that just up to the school site to figure if they want to have a club for it?

2:45

They can do after school if there's student interest, and then they have a sponsor, someone that will supervise that club, then they can offer it as a club.

2:53

Yeah, okay.

2:54

So it's up to each school.

2:56

Right.

2:56

Up to a club, interest if there's interest.

2:59

If they want to.

3:00

Okay.

3:01

All right.

3:02

Figure out at the high school, I guess, who to talk to.

3:05

A principal, yeah.

3:07

Talk to Mr.

3:07

Wade, I guess, right?

3:09

Vice principal.

3:10

But I haven't got a response back.

3:12

Or Yori, who's over the um academic, I mean the athletics director.

3:18

Okay.

3:19

Good enough.

3:20

Not Yori.

3:21

Mr.

3:21

Poole.

3:22

Mr.

3:23

Poole.

3:23

Oh, okay.

3:24

Mr.

3:24

Poole, that's the guy to talk to.

3:26

Go back to him.

3:27

Thank you very much.

3:28

All right.

3:28

Thanks, you guys.

3:34

All right.

3:34

We'll close public comment and move on to agenda item two, consent agenda.

3:40

Consideration of approval of the Thursday, June 26, 2025, Virgin Valley Community Education Advisory Board meeting minutes.

3:47

And the Thursday, August 21st, 2025, Virgin Valley Community Education Advisory Board meeting agenda.

3:53

Looking for a motion.

3:55

Go ahead.

3:56

I'll make a motion.

3:58

Okay, we have a motion.

3:59

Do we have a second?

4:02

I'll second that.

4:03

We have a motion, the second.

4:04

All those in favor say aye.

4:07

Aye.

4:07

Anyone opposed?

4:11

Okay, we'll close that agenda item and move on to agenda item three.

4:15

Principals, comments, and reports.

4:18

Who wants to go first?

4:25

JL Wilson, uh, Hughes Middle School.

4:28

Um, we had uh we've had a great start to the school year.

4:32

Um, actually, an amazing start in my perspective for it.

4:36

Umrollment-wise, we're sitting about 549, um, which is a little more than projected, but still affects funding with the way it funding formula is.

4:48

I'll be funded at about 531, um, which is 11 less than I was projected in in January.

4:57

Um, we started, we had a flag football tryouts this week.

5:01

Um, we'll start cross-country tryouts next week, and then we'll do drill team tryouts the next week.

5:07

Um, so those are all great things going on.

5:11

Um, we we did a reward for S back testing for any student that showed growth on their S back test.

5:21

Um, and I was pretty liberal on, I guess not even liberal.

5:25

My goal when I do stuff for my school is to reward as many kids as possible.

5:31

When I present stuff, it's about recognizing and doing the things that are going to affect the majority of my kids, um, regardless of what I'm presenting and who I'm presenting it to.

5:43

Um, so I was able to feed give or take 477 middle school students last week on Thursday, because that was my promise to them that if they showed growth and I went through personally every single test result, um, and we delivered to the high school last Thursday to the freshmen that tested last year with us and then rewarded the this year's seventh and eighth graders with canes because that's what they wanted.

6:13

Um, and like I say, I had 477 out of about 530 kids qualify that tested 531 that showed some of it was almost had to get the protractor out to make sure that line was tilted upwards, but it was tilted upwards.

6:30

Um, and so just a great day to recognize them.

6:33

You know, the the ninth graders were appreciative of us, you know, showing up with that for them and and doing what we said we would do for them, and um, so we were able to you know recognize all of those students on that day.

6:46

We've had um the way the SBAC works, it's a one, two, three, or four.

6:52

Four is the highest that you can score on math or or ELA on the English language arts.

6:58

So I had 18 students that are freshmen this year that scored a four on both tests, and I had 10 eighth graders and 10 seventh graders.

7:08

So I'm gonna get them in my office probably next week and do I put it to them.

7:14

One of my girls today said we want chocolate milk and donuts.

7:18

So I'll talk to a few more of them, but I'm gonna have a group of them in my office probably next week just to recognize them for um doing great on on the on the S back.

7:30

Um, but other than that, school's rolling.

7:32

Um I say it's been a great start to the year.

7:35

We changed to a six-period schedule off the block schedule that the school's been on just because of staffing and and not having enough staff to continue with the block.

7:45

Um, but it's worked out great.

7:47

Um, kids are getting to class and teachers are adjusting a little bit to have a little bit shorter time in classes, but overall it's been a like I say, a great start to the year.

7:57

So that's all I got.

8:00

Thank you.

8:01

Does anybody have any questions or I just want to know how your uh your billets for teachers did you have you got them all filled or yeah, we're fully staffed um right now, so good.

8:13

Yep.

8:15

Thank you.

8:16

Awesome.

8:17

Thank you.

8:19

Mr.

8:19

Bennett, Matt Bennett, Principal Virgin Valley Elementary School for the record.

8:27

Um we have how also had a great.

8:30

I told our staff Tuesday, knock on wood.

8:34

Uh, one of the best openings I've been a part of.

8:37

So um, I don't want to jinx it, but it was a good opening.

8:40

Um, there are some things that obviously uh we weren't planning on some changes, but they you know, we we roll with that.

8:48

But as far as the kids showing up, um the amount of time needed to deal with the angst of starting a school year.

8:57

Um, it was pretty good, and I judge my uh success on how much sleep I'm getting too.

9:02

So I I'm averaging above four hours a night.

9:05

That's a good thing.

9:06

So the other night I got a full eight, and I woke up and thought it was still summer.

9:10

So anyway, um, it was it's been a good opening, and so um as far as staffing, because I think that was the last thing that's on my mind.

9:17

We are fully staffed, except for so in the in the classrooms, but we have a couple of support staff.

9:24

One I'm waiting on knowing my budget, budgets come out between the third and the fifth count day is next Wednesday for our staffing count, and then uh that Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, sometime in that time frame after Labor Day, we'll get our budgets.

9:40

Um I'm also hesitant about we're we had one of our night custodians also retire.

9:46

So um it was the the summer cleaning that didn't know.

9:51

I think it was just his time.

9:52

So he retired, and so I'm kind of waiting to kind of see what budget is.

10:00

Although we are, you know, we need that custodian, but several of the other pieces are not in place yet until I know what my budget looks like.

10:07

We have one new staff member in our autism.

10:11

So Ms.

10:13

Walker, we picked her up from the other valley.

10:16

So we're fully staffed in that area.

10:20

So as far as staffing goes, we we're sitting all right.

10:23

Our numbers right now, as of yesterday, I think I looked yesterday, was 619 total.

10:32

But as far as you have to take away certain amounts that count towards what they tell us we should be, because a lot of those sped numbers, they subtract those because those teachers are paid out of the special education district budget, not out of my budget.

10:47

So my numbers, I think we were projected in the 580s, and we're sitting in the 560s.

10:54

So I think it's 587, I believe, was a total.

10:58

So we're in the 560s, so we're sending positive vibes out to the universe every day to try and see if we can get some more kids to move in before next Wednesday.

11:06

But um, again, that's that's kind of why I'm a little bit more um, just want to wait and see kind of thing as far as hiring more people because you don't want to bring them in and three weeks later saying for being here.

11:19

So uh I don't think as far as activities, we're um already in the process of planning for our September fifth grade uh trips to Zion National Park.

11:32

So we got approval that we could announce that we're doing that again this year, and now we're just in the final planning stages to make sure we have student lists and medical things taken care of and get all that information back to the region for that.

11:45

That's going to be three weeks in September.

11:47

Um, different classes will go each week.

11:50

Great program there.

11:52

We also I received paperwork.

11:53

They're going to be doing a speed meet, the annual speed meet down at Wappa Valley High School.

11:59

That's going on again this year, so that's in uh October, and then in November, gentlemen, oh, he's not still here, but we always have our pickleball that we take our fifth graders on a walking field trip to go over to the pickleball courts, and I believe Mr.

12:16

Allen's still planning on doing that in November.

12:19

Um, the only other kind of activity we may have is sometimes Mrs.

12:23

Good puts in for the Philharmonic down at the Smith Center, and the Philharmonic usually will send us in the spring, usually around the end of January, early February.

12:33

But last year they sent us with the fall group.

12:36

She hasn't heard back on that, but that may be an upcoming field trip that we need to plan as well.

12:42

Um also we just scheduled with the fire department for fire prevention week.

12:47

It's in October, and so they'll be at the school Thursday, the I think the 9th of October.

12:54

Is that a Thursday?

12:55

Anyway, um, we got that on the schedule too.

12:57

That's always a fun time.

12:58

We get our kinder first and second graders that go in and they they really ham it up for us, clowns and just it's an educational thing.

13:06

So the fire prevention week's been planned.

13:09

Um think of anything else.

13:12

As far as the start of school, any questions?

13:15

Uh, did I miss anything?

13:19

Questions?

13:19

Go ahead, Jeff.

13:21

You had a teacher that was gonna leave and go north, and apparently it didn't work out.

13:25

Is she back now?

13:27

Um straighthead, Moap.

13:31

Oh, yeah, yeah.

13:32

She uh she did she looked at some things, um, you know, some opportunities.

13:39

Um, but then when it came down to, you know, there's a lot of stuff to be in a move, you know, selling property and right where and buying properties.

13:48

Back teaching.

13:49

She she continued with us, never actually separated with Clark County.

13:53

So that's why I say she's a fourth grade team, yeah.

13:56

Our fourth grade team is secure.

13:58

In fact, we rolled up one of the third grade teachers into fourth grade this year because our fourth grade numbers are 113, I believe.

14:07

That's a huge group.

14:08

So two years from now, you'll be having them a huge group.

14:11

But our fifth grade is at 96.

14:14

No, a hundred and six.

14:16

So next year's groups, so we have a hundred and six fifth graders and a hundred and thirteen fourth graders.

14:22

And traditionally, that fourth grade group and third grade, I had five teachers last year, and then I rolled one up with them because it's just such a large group.

14:30

We want to keep those class sizes manageable, even though that's not necessarily part of class size reduction.

14:36

The state mandates that are for second and third grade.

14:39

Um, we watch those numbers pretty close.

14:43

Good question.

14:44

Anything else?

14:46

Anybody else?

14:47

All right, thank you.

14:48

Thank you so much, Ken.

14:50

Um associate superintendent Perkins, did you want some time?

14:57

Okay.

14:58

The things that you did this last week.

15:03

I want to go over and have dinner tonight.

15:07

We don't have enough time for that.

15:09

Is there any public comment on this agenda item?

15:13

All right, thank you.

15:16

And we will move on to agenda item four discussion and possible action regarding the CAP grant requests.

15:24

Um Julie, I don't know if you had something else.

15:27

We we were gonna have it on the 26th City Council agenda, but we didn't quite make it.

15:33

Is there anything I need to do?

15:35

I just have question on so it says this is not it.

15:44

Oh, yeah, it is.

15:46

Um so you first wanted it to be your first one is the victory vault.

15:53

Do you want me to start that and take that to them to the council?

15:58

By speaking openly and honestly.

16:00

The the last thing I want, it the the only time the middle school's been talked about this year in city council was incredibly negative.

16:10

I don't want that to happen again.

16:12

I don't I have amazing teachers and students at my school, and the last thing I need is the public perception that the principal's an idiot because he asked for something that would benefit his kids, and it was talked about for 20 minutes at city council meeting.

16:27

So I don't want that to happen again.

16:30

So I just need you to tell me what you want me to do, or just tell me it's done.

16:35

And so this is what I have on here.

16:38

So I have the victory vault, which is one, or I have supporting my we have two non-sang sports.

16:44

Well, would you prefer I take the victory vault to them?

16:47

And then if that doesn't go, then take the other, or do you want me to put it on there as two?

16:53

I Jodi asked me to give you two proposals, so I guess I'll leave it to you guys what you think will work.

17:02

I don't I don't know.

17:04

I like I say I don't want it to be something where my school is again talked about in a negative way for however long it was the 15 minutes and city council meeting.

17:14

So if that's gonna happen again, then take that off and give me the do the other.

17:18

I can put it on consent agenda again, and because that's normally how it's done.

17:22

It was just there was questions with this one.

17:25

So I can put it on consent, and then if it gets pulled off, then they'll be discussing it.

17:32

So I so here's my well, I guess my suggestion.

17:38

If we put it on consent agenda for um what's it called?

17:44

Tech review, right?

17:46

So if I attend there, or if you're able to attend there, tech review, they don't you're not till september.

17:51

Is it that way they take it off, or is that they're gonna take it off of the meeting?

17:55

Well, you wouldn't in the beginning.

17:58

I don't think that you'd because the way we do tech review now, it's pretty much do you have something to add, or to they're not gonna discuss anything.

18:06

So if they with the city council, we don't know how they're gonna go either.

18:10

So we can't and I can't talk to them either.

18:16

Patty Gallo's one that said take it to tech review and the and the June meeting.

18:22

Well, tech review just got switched to be different now.

18:26

So okay.

18:28

Um and Patty is listening on in here, she just was homesick.

18:33

So, I mean, if I if I knew, I mean, I don't know that I can sit down with them in two by twos and just see how they're thinking, like if there's like no way, I don't care what you say.

18:44

You know, if I could talk to them and make sure they understand I talked to four of the five of them about the the room, the arcade room, victory vault, whatever you want to call it.

18:53

Let's not say arcade room, victory vault.

18:56

Yeah, and I explained to them what my line of thinking was.

19:00

I outlined it on that paper that it's it's not gonna be kids sitting in a room all day playing video games, it's gonna be about 20 minutes or maybe 30 minutes.

19:12

It'll be we just took map testing, my kids that grew most or classes that grew most in map.

19:19

I want to reward them.

19:20

I've I've got to incentivize my middle school kids to be able to perform.

19:25

That's and that's something that motivates them.

19:28

But like I say, I don't want that presented if it's gonna result in the same thing happening again.

19:34

I know one question that Wanlis had was is it gonna be shut down by the school district?

19:41

Yeah, and I tried to call him and was never able to talk to him, but there are other schools that have them.

19:49

I presented that on their Stanley Middle School has one, priest elementary school has one.

19:54

Those are two that I was able to get in contact with.

19:58

It's it's well that's good to know.

20:00

So it's an incentive for my students.

20:05

So I guess that's my question.

20:07

Do I come and try to present that at tech review and try you saying instead I don't think tech review because Adam has changed our tech review to where you come in?

20:20

He says Mayor says, Is there anything you want to add or take off?

20:25

They don't have any public comment.

20:27

Yeah, there's no discussion.

20:30

So if you come if it gets pulled off of consent, then you'd come to the council meeting.

20:40

So if it gets pulled off, then we can if you want to pull it totally and go with the next one, the next option.

20:51

And we won't know that until the day of the meeting, like right.

20:55

Usually when you pull something, don't you pull it right at the beginning of the meeting with the agenda?

21:00

Yeah, but we we know before that that okay somebody wants to pull it.

21:05

All right.

21:08

I guess my I'm just struggling a little bit because you know, we've always told the principals, like the principals know what their kids need and what's going on in the school and what their worst um, you know, issues that they're fighting or trying to deal with with the kids, like I don't we don't know.

21:24

No, you know, city council doesn't know, but I feel like Jay Dell knows, and he's knows what his kids need, and what would um you know help him the best to get his kids where they need to be.

21:36

I think a little frustrated more weight if the principal actually, if if they needed something to be said, he is the man with the most weight.

21:47

I could get up and say stuff, but I don't have any weight, you know.

21:50

And he would because he is the principal, he's well respected.

21:54

I think he is.

21:55

Uh no, after the last meeting, I'm not.

21:58

But but that's my question, though.

21:59

And I and I brought this up in June.

22:01

All right, Patty's.

22:03

What is the expectation?

22:05

Like, we I don't I can't speak for these guys, but I don't even know what the expectation is.

22:12

I I asked in the last meeting, how many times have principals been asked to go to city council meeting and talk about their request?

22:20

And the answer, Jody is in the very beginning.

22:24

We did.

22:25

We brought it to the city.

22:26

Which was how long like years when it was first started, whenever we have to look it back, it was years and years, 18, 17, 2017, somewhere in there.

22:35

So is it now the expectation that we go to city council meeting to represent our request?

22:42

If you have something that's very dear to you and very important that that you want, if I were you, I mean, I can't speak.

22:51

If I were you, I would come up and speak because that's you know, and that's like Pat is the most weight.

23:05

So we're we're changing that then.

23:08

Here's the thing like based on this, so that the arcade just through they just pull it, just take that off, just take it and present my athletics one, and if they'll agree to that, giddy up.

23:23

I I'm not gonna have my school, I'm not gonna have that pulled and have my school talked about in a negative way again.

23:30

My kids don't deserve that, and I'm not gonna bring my why bring my kids to present when it's gonna be denied.

23:36

I I'm not going to put my kids and my staff if they want to come at me about it, whatever.

23:41

I could care less.

23:43

Like I don't care, but all they did was talk about the middle school.

23:47

This the middle school, why are they doing this?

23:49

Why do they want this?

23:50

There's a reason I asked for it.

23:52

It's not just for my kids to sit all day long and play video games.

23:56

Yeah, it used to come on the consent agenda.

23:59

They would just pass the whole thing.

24:01

I understand that three.

24:02

Yeah, but that this council changed that.

24:05

We didn't have anything to do with that.

24:07

No, they changed it.

24:09

So uh and they look at it as basically a line item, and they they scrutinize it more so much more than they did before.

24:20

But that's this council.

24:21

So I would say do the the athletics one is pretty vanilla.

24:26

Okay, and that one is I just added it up, and it's the 775.

24:32

The athletics, yeah.

24:34

Redo, whatever I gotta take off to make it the 7,000, the other half of what I didn't get.

24:41

75.

24:42

I got I got 8,000.

24:44

I think we're okay.

24:45

I mean, because that's so just I think that the seven seven.

24:50

So I'll just put your you want to come up.

24:54

Oh, okay.

24:56

Oh, okay.

24:57

Yeah.

25:00

I think that the I think we're okay if we just go to that next one and request that.

25:03

Put it on consent.

25:07

Which one do you really want?

25:09

Well, the one that's gonna impact the majority of my students is a victory volume.

25:13

Because there's other ones for his athletics.

25:15

The other one is for my cross country and volleyball, which is great.

25:19

I I need to have those and support those, and they're unfunded by the district.

25:23

I mean, I just I was on the line today.

25:25

I the bus for my cross-country team for the one meet that we go to Vegas, I have to charter a bus.

25:31

It was 2100 last year for one meet.

25:35

Yeah, it's one bus because they have to dead, they have to drive out, pick my kids up, take them to Vegas, bring them back, and drive back to Vegas.

25:44

Um, and the district won't, because it's a non-sanctioned sport, they won't give me um school bus for it.

25:52

And then same with volleyball.

25:53

Volleyball is gonna go seven times, um, which is not gonna be two thousand dollars.

25:59

I think it's gonna be about five hundred bucks a trip when volleyball goes that I've got to come up with to pay for that.

26:05

But that's gonna benefit.

26:06

I think we had 50 kids last year that ran cross country.

26:10

Um, I'll probably have 30 that play volleyball that'll make the team 15 per team, or the other would benefit you know, majority of my students.

26:20

But I I'd say just go with the what the sports one and so can I make a recommendation on that?

26:27

Go ahead, Ben.

26:29

You really want Victor, you said victory vault.

26:33

Victory vault.

26:34

Yes, that's what it is.

26:35

I would suggest keeping that one on the agenda as the can on the consent agenda.

26:40

If city council decides in the meeting to pull it off, you're here to speak to that and say, hey, we'll just table this, we'll come back with a different um proposal.

26:51

The next city council, it's gonna delay you two weeks, but at least they won't it won't be discussed.

26:57

And you can come right up during that item and say, Hey, I want to let's just table it.

27:02

I've got a different proposal.

27:03

If this one isn't going to be approved, it's gonna be scrutinized.

27:05

I've got a different one that's just as good that I'll bring next time.

27:11

That would be my recommendation.

27:15

Can you submit both of them at the same time?

27:16

Like you wrote it up.

27:19

Just do what?

27:20

Just do the athletics one.

27:21

I think you go to the matter, it's just instead of so I think say something.

27:33

Look, it's all green lit up for you.

27:38

All right.

27:39

Uh is there any other comments up here?

27:44

Okay, so the final comments from the final say is to do the athletics.

27:51

Yep, public comment, yes.

27:54

I used to be on the CAB, and I was on the city council.

27:56

And I remember when this was first presented.

27:58

I thought it was like I was a hard no, but you brought the students to talk about it.

28:04

And I think I wasn't the only hard no up there on CAB.

28:07

When those students came up and told us this is what they need, it was like a no-brainer.

28:13

And those students, Jadel, this will go through if you have the students present it.

28:18

Okay.

28:19

Well, I you can come up and hang out with me.

28:21

I was gonna hang out with you, but I didn't know if I was allowed to I here's the problem.

28:24

It was it was taken off after public comment.

28:27

I know it wasn't even a council members.

28:29

I did it take it off.

28:30

A guy came up in public comment and said, give the money to the elementary school.

28:35

I don't, yeah.

28:36

So now I'm gonna bring my kids and have this.

28:38

I'm not gonna put my kids in the middle of the state.

28:39

They're not gonna say no to both kids.

28:41

And have some guy from the back of the room come up and say that's a stupidest idea, give it to the elementary school.

28:48

I'd rather you just give it to the elementary school.

28:51

I so that's I know you're fighting for your kids, and and my kids don't go there anymore, but I'm telling you, from that point of view and the public point of view when they present it, it's not saying that you're a horrible presenter.

29:01

Because remember at the time I said, you know, I said that uh that they turned us, and they will turn the council too.

29:07

And I also feel this is constructive to help you.

29:10

Um, that if you sit down with your CAB rep who's on the council, Patty Gallo, and discuss this with her, get her on board first.

29:18

I have I I talked to her, I called her.

29:20

I explained to her, I explained to I spoke to Ms.

29:24

Fielding, I spoke to Mr.

29:26

Annis, I spoke to Mr.

29:27

Parrish.

29:27

I called, I texted her emailed every single one of them.

29:31

Was this before or after?

29:32

This was after that meeting.

29:34

And how do they feel now that you've explained it to them?

29:37

They I honestly don't know because when I talked to Miss Fielding, it was well, the money's supposed to go for programs or C.

29:46

That's not what I was told.

29:48

And they cut the safety part.

29:50

That's where I was confused, and I I spent way too long last meeting going over.

29:55

I don't even know what to ask for at this point.

30:00

So I I'm asking what I think is best for my school.

30:03

And if I'm gonna be a jerk about it, not a single one of you has spent time on my campus.

30:08

I would give high fives to my kids every morning out in front of my campus with me every single day.

30:13

It's the best 30 minutes of my morning from 7 30 to 8 o'clock.

30:17

Seeing my kids come in the door with smiles on their faces and seeing them there.

30:21

I have great kids at my school, and I want to fight for it, but I don't want my school drug through what it was drugged through in May, and it makes it sound like it's a horrible school because all I want them to do is play video games.

30:40

But as your point earlier, it was always on the con it was on the consent agenda after about 2019, 2020, and it got polled this last time for whatever reason.

30:50

It and I don't know why, but you have people on there, you have councilman parish, councilman Ennis, Patty Gallo, Jesse Whipple.

30:57

You you have these folks that I think if I I'm just telling you that if the kids present it, I know you don't want to put them in in a bad way, and I don't think you're going to be doing that by doing that.

31:07

I remember when we put when the kids were put in a bad way trying to get the marijuana funds to the schools in the first place when you had a councilman up there saying you guys don't understand what this is, you don't know what you're talking about.

31:17

This money was never meant for the schools, and he really chastised them.

31:20

And I thought it was pathetic.

31:22

Nobody up there is gonna do that to your students.

31:24

Nobody will do that.

31:25

And you could present it, but when the kids present it from their point of view, I don't know how anyone could say no, and that was all I was trying to get at.

31:32

And if you need anything I can do to if there's an I can do to help you, I would help you.

31:36

When would it be?

31:37

But it would be gonna see what I start athletics.

31:42

You guys will support him, right?

31:44

You guys will support these students, right?

31:45

Yeah, one of you will come up and support these students, right?

31:48

So it'd be the September 9th.

31:50

It's the day after my birthday.

31:51

Let's have a birthday party.

31:56

Well, and if we're all here, we need to be able to do that.

31:57

Everyone's speak on behalf too.

31:59

We need to people here at the meeting to speak on behalf, you know, so they see that this is supported by the community.

32:08

I'm at every city council meeting, so I'll be there.

32:11

And I'll if needed, uh I'll get up and talk speak it.

32:17

Okay, they'll just let me know because I'll put I'll put this on the the ninth meeting, and I'll put it on as the victory vault, and we'll go from there.

32:28

And let me know if it changes.

32:32

Thank you.

32:33

Thank you, guys.

32:34

Thank you.

32:35

I'm excited.

32:36

Hope we can get that through.

32:40

I will too.

32:42

City council at high.

32:44

Everybody, city council, 5 p.m.

32:46

September 9th.

32:48

Okay.

32:50

Okay.

32:52

Um agenda item five, board members' comments and reports.

32:57

Anybody, yes, go ahead.

32:59

Nikki Matter, Miss Gateworks Steam Center.

33:02

I don't know.

33:03

I guess you can hear me.

33:04

Um, just let you know.

33:06

We had so when we collected the data for the year, um, we had 366 students registered in our system.

33:15

Um, we are showing up to class.

33:18

We have over a hundred and thirty-six fourth graders.

33:22

So we have 80 preschoolers that we see.

33:26

I know.

33:27

Um 77th graders, those are just a little bit of the numbers.

33:31

Um, we are running 24 classes this semester, so we have quite a few classes.

33:38

We have one every morning, it seems like.

33:41

Um, but I also passed out to the principals uh copy of our upcoming events that we have at the Steam Center, and then just a little bit of data coming in the door, just signing in.

33:54

Um, we in the last six months we've had 3,599 people come through the door.

34:02

So we also have a teacher training coming up on September 13th on microplastics that's in the support of DRI, um, Desert Research Institute, and we have the American Revolution Experience um traveling exhibit that will be there September 22nd through 26th.

34:19

So if you want to share that with your students, you can also do a walking field trip that day.

34:23

Um, if you want to come see those, and I know they are also hosting a Wednesday night.

34:30

Um I forget the time, I didn't write that down.

34:34

A reception.

34:37

So at the STEAM Center.

34:38

So we have those going on.

34:40

So not busy at all.

34:45

We're also having Lego.

34:47

Um, we'll have some Lego tournaments and some drone tournaments as well coming up at the Steam Center.

34:54

Yeah, so lots of good things going on.

34:57

Thank you.

34:58

Anyone else?

35:00

Okay, I just had one we need to make sure of who is up.

35:07

We need um high school and elementary school reps for next time if you can get your person named.

35:20

Do you are do you have your person ready?

35:21

Oh.

35:23

So Matt Bennett again.

35:25

Um I spent probably oh, I don't know.

35:30

It's not again like hours worth, but I have tried.

35:34

Um, and I also spoke on the 7th when we had our back to school night.

35:39

Uh no one has approached me, but we do have SOT elections coming.

35:43

So before I do that, I'm gonna let PTO run our SOT elections, and hopefully we get more than enough candidates that I can go to that pool for an interest of you know, an interest, a parent with interest to help, and then see if I can appoint from there.

35:58

If not, we'll get our SOT started, and then I'll uh maybe knock on some doors because I had to bug um I had to bug the Whipples a couple of times before they agree.

36:10

I actually went after Jess first, and he's like, you know what?

36:12

My wife would be great at that.

36:14

So she was nice enough to take it, take that on.

36:17

So uh before I start pounding on doors, so yeah, with the next meeting, are you guys meet every month or every three months?

36:23

We've been doing it every three, so qu quarterly.

36:26

Yes, quarterly.

36:27

Um, unless anything comes up, then we can't.

36:29

Yeah, that's what I said online.

36:30

I told parents I said the most it would be is once a month, but usually it's once every three months.

36:34

So, and if you're on a committee, you might have to put a couple hours here and there in, but it's basically four hours a year.

36:41

I need your help, and you'd also be helping every school in the in the area, not just Virgin Valley.

36:47

So I'm trying, but again, like I say, I want to get the SOT.

36:51

We have a slight window to get our SOT placed before October.

36:54

So I'll try to do that first.

36:57

Okay.

36:57

Thank you.

36:58

Thank you.

37:00

And then um, Julie was gonna check on who is up on the at large and get that flown.

37:08

So if you know anybody that would like to fill that out, that'd be great too.

37:13

How many have our two?

37:15

I think just one is up, and then the other two will be next year.

37:19

I think she's gonna double check, but I'm pretty sure.

37:23

Okay, anybody else?

37:26

Okay, we'll close that agenda item and move on to agenda item six, public comment.

37:32

Do you have anything else?

37:36

Okay, we'll close that agenda item and we will adjourn at 5 38.

37:41

Thanks,

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Education█████████████████████████████████████████████58%
Public Engagement██████████13%
Funding███████9%
Youth Programs██████8%
Procedural█████7%
Technology and Innovation████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Virgin Valley Community Education Advisory Board Meeting - August 21, 2025

The Virgin Valley Community Education Advisory Board (CEAB) met on August 21, 2025, at 5:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting covered principal reports on the start of the school year, a discussion of CEAB grant requests for Hughes Middle School, and updates on community education programs.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the June 26, 2025, meeting minutes and the August 21, 2025, meeting agenda unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Spencer Apple, a Sun City resident, asked about starting pickleball as a club at the high school or middle school. Maurice Perkins (Clark County School District Associate Superintendent) explained that pickleball is not a sanctioned sport and suggested contacting the NIAA for sanctioning, or starting a club at the school site with student interest and a sponsor. Apple was directed to speak with principal Mr. Poole at the high school.

Principals' Reports

  • JL Wilson, Hughes Middle School: Reported a great start to the year with enrollment of 549 students (projected 531, funded at 531). The school rewarded 477 out of 530 students who showed growth on SBAC tests with ice cream (canes). 18 freshmen, 10 eighth graders, and 10 seventh graders scored a 4 on both math and ELA. The school switched to a six-period schedule and is fully staffed.
  • Matt Bennett, Virgin Valley Elementary: Reported a smooth opening, fully staffed in classrooms but waiting on budget for support staff (enrollment 619 total, funded around 560s). Planned field trips for fifth graders to Zion National Park in September, a speed meet at Wappa Valley High School in October, and a pickleball walking field trip in November. Fire prevention week is scheduled for October 9.

Discussion Items

  • CEAB Grant Requests: The board discussed two proposals from Hughes Middle School principal JL Wilson: a "Victory Vault" (arcade room) to incentivize student achievement, and funding for non-sanctioned sports (cross-country and volleyball, total $775). Wilson expressed concern about negative public perception after a previous city council meeting where the Victory Vault was criticized. Board members suggested putting the request on the consent agenda and having students present to the city council for support. The board decided to move forward with the Victory Vault proposal for the September 9 city council meeting, with board members pledging to attend and speak in support.

Board Members Comments & Reports

  • Nikki Matter, STEAM Center: Reported 366 students registered in the system, with 136 fourth graders and 80 preschoolers. The STEAM Center had 24 classes this semester and 3,599 visitors in the last six months. Upcoming events include a teacher training on microplastics (September 13) and an American Revolution Experience traveling exhibit (September 22-26).
  • Board Representative Needs: Matt Bennett is working to fill high school and elementary school board representative vacancies through SOT elections and outreach.

Key Outcomes

  • The board will submit the Victory Vault grant request to the Mesquite City Council on September 9, 2025, at 5:00 PM, placed on the consent agenda. Board members will attend and speak in support.
  • The board noted the need for community representatives and will continue recruitment efforts.

Meeting Transcript

All right, we'll go ahead and get started. If you please stand for the follow me in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. All right, we'll go ahead with agenda item one public comment. If there is any, come on up, give us your name, and you got three minutes. You got nothing. Oh I got nothing. Oh, okay. That's right. Uh my name is Spencer Apple. I live in Sun City, and I play a lot of pickleball. I spoke to Mr. Poole at the high school back in May about bringing pickleball to the high school or even the middle school. So he told me it's not a state sport. It's gonna be done as a club. So my question is how do I do this? And who do I go to to find out how do I get this started in the in the schools? Mr. Perkins. Sorry, right? Wow. Put you on the spot. I would recommend you talk to the CAP and see what they can do. They're playing pickleball back and forth, right? I don't think the middle school school can't do it. Middle school had them for a long time because of the city. They put that uh come out to the gonna get you on the minutes. Okay, Maurice Perkins, uh Clark County School District, school associate superintendent. The middle school did have pickleball courts for quite a while uh with the in a collaboration with the the city of Mesquite. Umce they built the pickleball courts over there. They did play it, they still do, they still have the nets. Um, but it is not a sanctioned sport, and that is not something Clark County School District has any control over. That's uh a matter for the NIAA. So, yeah, if you want to look at sanctioning sports and doing that, I would recommend going to the NIAA to see about it. So if it's a club, is that just up to the school site to figure if they want to have a club for it? They can do after school if there's student interest, and then they have a sponsor, someone that will supervise that club, then they can offer it as a club. Yeah, okay. So it's up to each school. Right. Up to a club, interest if there's interest. If they want to. Okay. All right. Figure out at the high school, I guess, who to talk to. A principal, yeah. Talk to Mr. Wade, I guess, right? Vice principal. But I haven't got a response back.

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