early childhood

With cuts made to the program because of the sequester, Head Start in Nevada will receive a $2.5 million boost after the Department of Health and Human Services announced Thursday it will receive a grant.

The $2,559,327 grant is designed to expand projects in Nevada and will be funded through the University of Nevada Reno, said Sen. Harry Reid.

Carson City District Attorney Neil Rombardo and Assistant District Attorney Mark Krueger recognized moms and their children at the Boys and Girls Club of Western Nevada.

The awards were in recognition of the first graduating pre-school class of the District Attorney’s Moms Program and recognition to the moms for learning new parenting and job skills to help them into the future, according to a news release.

Western Nevada College will graduate 543 students this spring. Commencement was held Monday in Carson City with a ceremony to be held Tuesday in Fallon. The class of 2014 will receive a record 581 degrees and certificates.

Also on Monday, the WNC nursing program graduates celebrated with a traditional pinning ceremony at the Carson Nugget. Dr. Tom Kubistant, a WNC psychology and communications instructor, delivered the Carson City ceremony commencement address.

CARSON CITY, NV – Nevada's First Lady Kathleen Sandoval will join Superintendents Pedro Martinez and Richard Stokes, Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong, and Michael Dermody, founder and chief executive officer of Dermody Properties at the Governor’s Mansion, Tuesday, April 22, at 10 a.m., for a press conference to launch the Strong Start Nevada initiative in Northern Nevada. The event takes place in the Nevada Room at the mansion, 606 N. Mountain St.

CARSON CITY — Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health Administrator Richard Whitley announced the appointment of Ellen Richardson-Adams as Deputy Administrator of Clinical Services, a new position within the division.

“Ellen is well respected by those she works with, is very experienced in a wide variety of public and behavioral health issues,” said Whitley in a press release.

As Deputy Administrator, Richardson-Adams will have direct oversight of Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services, Northern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services, Lake’s Crossing and Rural Services.

CARSON CITY — For the fourth consecutive year, Western Nevada College will graduate its largest class in history. The class of 2013 is 505 students strong, with 530 degrees and certificates being issued.

Four students will receive Bachelor of Technology degrees in construction management, and three students will graduate with bachelor’s degrees as part of WNC’s teacher preparation partnership with Nevada State College. The graduates span 60 years, from the youngest at age 17 and the eldest at 77.

CARSON CITY – The Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce today commended Sen. Michael Roberson, R-Las Vegas, for his commitment to seek $20 million a year in funding for English language learner programs in the Clark County School District.

CARSON CITY – Gov. Brian Sandoval will support some level of funding in his next budget to continue the work of implementing a statewide longitudinal data system (SLDS) to allow for the measurement of individual student performance over time.

Western Nevada College students who are beginning fall classes should be better able to succeed, thanks to a new admission and college preparation process.

‘Project Graduate’ is reinventing the way new degree and certificate-seeking students are preparing for classes. In addition, WNC now requires advising services to new students before they register.

“It’s changed our admissions process, changed our entire counseling and advising processes,” said Deborah Case, director of Counseling Services. “It’s very impactful in the way we do business for new students.”

CARSON CITY – A state panel charged with implementing a system to track individual student performance from preschool through entry into the workforce is recommending that $4 million in state funds be appropriated by Gov. Brian Sandoval and the 2013 Legislature to help accomplish the task.

There were a few surprise candidates who threw their hats into the ring for this year's elections on the last day of filing.

(Update: Change in the candidates for school board, below)

Stacie Wilke-McCulloch, who currently serves on the Carson City School Board, filed to run for Carson City Board of Supervisors Ward 2. She joins three other candidates looking to succeed current Supervisor Shelly Aldean, who decided not to run again. Brad Bonkowski, Dennis Johnson and Maurice White are the other candidates.

Carson City District Attorney Neil Rombardo met with Senator Harry Reid, Senator Dean Heller, Representative Shelly Berkeley, and Representative Joe Heck on Capitol Hill today to urge continued support of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and Fight Crime and Invest in Kids, an anti-crime organization dedicated to early childhood crime prevention.

In recognition of National Adoption Month, Carson City Library will host author Jennifer Lauck on Friday, November 18th, at 6:00 p.m., at the Business Resource Innovation Center (BRIC), 108 East Proctor Street in downtown Carson City. Her personal journey tells the story of heartbreak and tragedy. Her early childhood was spent living in Carson City. The telling of her story is about perseverance, courage and the remarkable capacity of humans to transcend the worst of losses with grace.

Gov. Brian Sandoval yesterday signed an executive order directing the P-16 Advisory Council to review education data systems in Nevada.
The Council, created by state statute, is intended to help coordinate education efforts in Nevada from the preschool through postsecondary levels and has the authority to address the data information system for public school students.

Dayton High School’s Culinary Arts class, one of Lyon County School District’s many Career and Education classes, prepared and served an elegant luncheon for Governor Brian Sandoval and area officials and community leaders Wednesday.

Thanking the students, Governor Sandoval said, “I had an opportunity last week to have lunch with former President George W. Bush at the Bellagio in Vegas. This lunch is every bit as good as what is offered at the Bellagio. This was very professional; the service was impeccable. You should be proud. You all have bright futures ahead of you.”

A Nevada program designed to help parents with early childhood development is under threat of having much of its funding yanked, the Las Vegas Sun reports.
Scores of young mothers in Las Vegas and Carson City accompanied by noisy children pleaded today for the state to save the Family To Family program that has helped them deal with problems of early childhood. Click here to read the story.

By Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY — Nevada’s primary education system would change dramatically under the proposals Gov. Brian Sandoval delivered tonight in his State of the State address.
He would use student achievement data to evaluate educators, provide merit pay for effective teachers and end extra pay for longevity and advanced degree attainment.

The University of Nevada Reno's highly acclaimed Early Childhood Autism Program is getting some help from the Sierra Kids Foundation next week, Dec. 16 – 18, when it sponsors the Wild West Shootout basketball tournament.

The annual foundation tournament will be held at Reno High School. More than $100,000 in scholarships for children needing the program's services has been given away over the past seven years, according to Patrick Ghezzi, director of the program and Nevada psychology professor.

Christy McGill likes to use a gardening metaphor when she explains Healthy Communities Coalition of Lyon and Storey's mission to reduce substance abuse and promote recovery.

“The Coalition is planting the seeds of hope that alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse prevention works, treatment is effective, and people do recover,” said McGill, who serves as director.

The Comma Coffee Lecture Series continues with host David Dummar following the topics of Christianity, psychotherapy, and recovery. This month's free presentation is on Parenting insights. David is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor. He currently works as a Therapist with American Comprehensive Counseling Services in Carson City and Pioneer Health Resources in Reno. 

The Heavenly Ski and Snowboard Foundation at Lake Tahoe has opened registration for the 2010-2011 Alpine, Freestyle and Snowboard Programs. With a variety of options from the One-Day Program to the Full-Time Competitive Program, the Foundation has something for all ages and levels of skiers and riders. Registration packets are available online, at the HSSF building, or by calling the HSSF administration office.

Flu shots for anyone over 6 months of age, and commodities food distribution for those in need from Dayton, Silver City and Stagecoach takes place at the Dayton Food Pantry at 4 Enterprise Way and Highway 50 in Dayton on Oct. 21, between noon and 5 p.m.

Health and Human Services recommends that everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine. On Oct. 21 only, between noon and 5pm, Carson Health nurses will be able to provide the following types of flu shots at the Dayton Food Pantry at 4 Enterprise Way:

September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, and Healthy Communities Coalition of Lyon and Storey is celebrating the month by “planting the seeds of hope” that prevention works, treatment is effective, and people do recover.