| "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas"…is | | | | take time away from lesson planning. |
| the most recent slogan to come out from the city, | | | | The school district will have to find more teachers |
| enticing tourists to come out and cut loose. | | | | using creative recruiting techniques. The number of |
| Unfortunately, Las Vegas Schools are struggling, while | | | | applications is down by a third from last year, and |
| the casinos enjoy seemingly limitless profits. In fact, | | | | Las Vegas Schools have almost twice the number of |
| most Nevada tax dollars actually go to the casinos! | | | | teaching positions still to fill. |
| Not only do the Las Vegas Schools struggle on a | | | | The Las Vegas Schools superintendent Walt Rulffes |
| meager budget, but they also struggle consistently to | | | | said, "Everything revolves around the success of a |
| recruit and keep teachers. These folks, | | | | good teacher." |
| understandably, are the lifeblood of any school | | | | The superintendent believes that quality teachers |
| system. Without the teachers, the students have no | | | | anchor all of his educational initiatives. Rulffes claims |
| guidance in their learning. Without the teachers, the | | | | he has done everything he can to attract teachers - |
| city's 215,000 children would have no school. | | | | even partnering with national programs. In fact, many |
| The Las Vegas Schools recently made a public plea | | | | Las Vegas Schools have teams of principals in cities |
| for teachers. The school district needs 1,163 teachers | | | | that are downsizing their teaching staff, hoping to |
| to fill vacancies before August 2007. That is almost | | | | draw those teachers to Las Vegas Schools. The |
| twice the number the district needed last year. There | | | | group was recently in Detroit, a school district that is |
| are not many options if the vacancies are not filled. | | | | seeing a major decrease in its student population. |
| Fewer teachers means that the Las Vegas Schools | | | | They are, therefore, dealing with the task of |
| will have to increase class sizes. Another solution | | | | eliminating instructional positions, and those teachers |
| would be to require some teachers to teach second | | | | need jobs. |
| classes in addition to their normal workload; that will | | | | |