Leticia Servin, bilingual parent engagement coordinator at Carson High, was honored as the 2024 School District Employee Making a Difference at the Nevada Association of School Boards (NASB) Annual Conference in Reno this past weekend. Additionally, Carson City School Board Trustee Mike Walker assumed the role of president for the 2025 NASB Executive Leadership Team. He previously served as the president-elect in 2024.
Once a year, NASB recognizes the achievements and contributions of school boards, school trustees, teachers, administrators, educational advocates and others from across the state of Nevada.
The School District Employee Making a Difference award recognizes the invaluable service provided to Nevada’s children by an employee who often works behind the scenes to impact learning and achievement.
As the Bilingual Parent Engagement Coordinator at Carson High and the Hispanic Parent Liaison, Ms. Leticia Servin supports the district in complying with the mandates from the 81st Legislative Session, Bill AB 195 in disseminating information to the parents of English Language Learners about the services the district is required to provide the children to learn English. Her contributions are critical to execute the student outcomes of eliminating the learning gaps among the student subgroups while also raising the overall average of student success in Nevada.
Ms. Servin proactively develops bilingual presentations and trainings in English and Spanish to help parents advocate for their sons and daughters, and she helps increase awareness of new programs and extra-curricular activities that enhance student involvement among this sub-population. Last year, she offered families a presentation titled “Finish Strong.” The presentation’s content focused on providing strategies for the students and their families to make the last weeks of the school year count. This initiative was instrumental in increasing the number of students that met their graduation requirements. Another successful initiative was the development of the JUNTOS (together) program, which involves parents and students engaging in conversations related to their education.
Additionally, as the lead translator for the Carson City School District, Ms. Sevin helped assist the School Board with an initiative to offer bilingual School Board meetings through Zoom (during COVID-19). This helped include Spanish-speaking families in live discussions that impacted this district. Her expertise was vital during the discussions on fluid regulations or protocols related to the pandemic.
Ms. Servin has also participated on various boards and committees to better serve the needs of the families in the district. Those include the Nevada PTA, the State of Nevada Family Engagement Advisory Council, Hispanic Chambers and the Family Engagement Planning for the Carson City School District. She has also served as the PTA President for Carson High School. As a result, Ms. Servin has been awarded a variety of recognitions for her contributions to the district. Among those awards include a recognition from a former United States Senator for her “Outstanding Service” to the community of Carson City. Last year, she was also recognized as the Carson High School Educational Support Professional of the Year 2023. Her colleagues refer to Ms. Servin as “genuinely one of the most crucial staff members at Carson High School.”
Mr. Mike Walker was elected to the board in 2016. During his first four-year term, he has served as a board member, clerk, vice president and president. He earned an Ed. S. in school administration, master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Elementary Education from University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), and an associate’s degree from Truckee Meadows Community College.
He taught third grade at Seeliger Elementary for 7 years and worked as a school administrator at Carson Middle School and Fritsch Elementary for 5 years. He then served as an Education Programs Professional in the Nevada Department of Education as the State Coordinator of Education for Homeless Children and Youth and a Title I program manager for 2 years.
He is the current principal of Sutro Elementary School in Dayton and is the past president and current member of the Board of Directors for Food for Thought, a local non-profit organization that provides meals for impoverished students in Carson City through a backpack and summer foods program. While teaching at Seeliger, he was also voted Carson City’s Favorite Teacher in the Nevada Appeal Reader’s Poll.
Established in 1963, the Nevada Association of School Boards is dedicated to strengthening public schools through local citizen control. All 17 school districts in Nevada are members of the association, giving a common voice for public education.
