I believe that we can do better for the students in Clark County.
​
When we come together to create policies and programs that help our most vulnerable students, we can pave a road to success for everyone. When we genuinely support our teachers and provide them with the tools they need, everyone benefits.
​
As the 5th largest school district in the nation with robust mining, technology, and tourism industries, we have the capacity to give our children a world class education. Yet, Nevada continues to rank at the bottom in funding, quality, and opportunity.
We can create an equitable and inclusive education for every student.
Together, WE WILL do better.
Together we can do better.
Together we will.
Meet Eileen
Education:
Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with a minor in Special Education from Marian College (Now Marian University) in 1997.
Career:
Eileen began teaching in 1997 after earning her degree in elementary education with a minor in special education. She started her teaching career in Indiana; since then she has taught in Maryland, Virginia, Mississippi, and Arkansas.
Eileen retired from teaching in 2012, but has continued to work with children and the community. Since 2020, she has been consulting on political campaigns for candidates whose positions on education have aligned with and strengthened her own.
Issues
Education
Before anyone at any age can learn, they need to feel cared for and safe. Safety in our schools is an issue of paramount importance for all members of our community. We can’t continue to ignore the mental health issues our children and teens are facing that often go unchecked and lead to violence. How can we face this issue as a community? We need to come up with solutions together.
Standardized Testing
Student assessment should be part of the learning process, not the end result. While we need measures in place to assess student learning, student test performance should not be used to evaluate teachers. We don’t evaluate dentists or doctors based on how many patients are sick or not, because that would be ridiculous. It’s equally ridiculous that we hold teachers to such a standard.
Funding
The Nevada Plan needs significant revisions, as it no longer reflects the reality of how a classroom in CCSD actually functions. Funding is the root cause of the majority of issues facing our students and teachers. Nevada is ranked in the 10 lowest per pupil spending, and our current funding formula is failing our students.
Racial Tension
There is no denying that we live in a world with systemic racism, and we need to stop pretending that we don’t have to address the issues of racism and intolerance in our schools. To combat racism, we have to be intentional with the social context of programs, curriculum, and clubs. Kids will learn to navigate these complex issues by observing the adults around them, and teachers need the tools and resources to help students develop the critical thinking skills necessary to form their worldviews. There are programs and curricula that can facilitate productive, age-appropriate conversations about tolerance and inclusion. These conversations should be taking place beginning in kindergarten through graduation.
Splitting Up the Clark County School District
A comprehensive evaluation must be done to determine how dividing CCSD would impact equity among students.
Teachers
Our teachers are overworked in a school system already limping on inadequate resources. Teachers are often called upon to use their scheduled planning period to fill in as substitutes for classes well outside their areas, as there is a shortage of qualified substitute teachers. This forces them to work longer hours outside of the school day. We must stop blaming the state of education on the teachers. We must treat our teachers like the skilled professionals they are and provide them with an income that is commensurate with the critically important work that they do.
Charter Schools
CCSD must be a school district that has a place for all children in Clark County. I’m dedicated to providing options for parents who struggle to find their child’s place.