PRESS RELEASE - October 15, 2007

Nevada Association of School Boards Presents 2007 Awards and Elects New Officers —

On Saturday, October 13, at its Annual Conference held in Reno at the Airport Plaza, the Nevada Association of School Boards recognized the achievements and contributions of school board members and administrators for 2007 and elected new officers for the Association. 

Those receiving awards included:

1. Distinguished Service Award, Friend and Advocate for Public Education—Dr. Mary Pierczynski, Carson City School District. 

Dr. Pierczynski has served as a tireless advocate for the youth of Nevada during countless hours at the 2007 Session of the Nevada Legislature, providing information and reminding legislators of the importance of additional funding for Nevada’s schools. She has also served as President of the Nevada Association of School Superintendents, again representing Nevada students and ALL school districts.

2.  Distinguished Service Award, Local School Board—Lincoln County School District Board of Trustees. 

This school board has worked consistently to improve the achievement of students and to ensure that highly qualified educational staff provide classroom instruction for children. This school board also has worked to anticipate growth in Lincoln County and to prepare for the challenges that this growth will present.

3. Executive Director’s Award for Contributions to Nevada School Districts and the Association—Marty Johnson, JNA Consulting Group, Boulder City.

Over the years, Marty Johnson and his company have assisted school districts with their bond campaigns and their efforts to convince constituents of the need for school bonding. He has contributed generously to the Association. In addition, Mr. Johnson provides an additional stipend to the School Board of the Year in partial recognition of its achievements.  Mr. Johnson and his company exemplify excellence in corporate good citizenship.

4. Leadership Award, Individual School Board Member—Dennis Keating, Nye County School District. 

Mr. Keating has served as President of the Nye County Board of School Trustees. In that capacity he has worked with the Superintendent to streamline processes and to use school district staff more effectively. Through his leadership, school board meetings have been made more accessible to the public throughout Nye County.

5. NASB Director’s Award, Director of the Year—Paul Hinz, Churchill County School District.  

Mr. Hines has served for more than ten years on the NASB Board of Directors. He is informed and diligent in his presentations and inquiries. His desire is to expand his knowledge about how issues impacting public education are being addressed in all counties and how they will impact his own.  He has smoothed the way for many new school board members and served as an effective mentor to new members of the Board of Directors.

6. NASB Officer of the Year—Sheila Moulton, Clark County School District. 

Mrs. Moulton has held the office of Clerk, Vice President, and President of the Clark County School District Board of Trustees.  She has served for years on local and regional PTA and as a member of one of the District’s toughest assignments: The Attendance Zone Advisory Committee which serves the Board without compensation.  One of Mrs. Moulton’s greatest strengths is her ability to advocate for those she serves.  These activities range from work with the Nevada Legislature to finding more swimming pools for Clark County high school athletes.  Her commitment to children is unwavering.  Mrs. Moulton has served as Vice President and President Elect of the Association and currently holds the position of President.  She has been invaluable in lobbying legislators across the state for funding and support that will improve public education for all students in Nevada.  She has done all she can to ensure that everyone’s interests have been represented at the table. 

7. NASB Distinguished Service Award, New School Board Member—Harold Tokerud, Nye County School District.

Mr. Tokerud was elected to his position in November 2006. In the nine months and two weeks that he has served in Nye County, he has spent much time researching educational activities in schools and visiting schools to obtain direct knowledge of facility issues, instructional strategies, and community interests. Having served as an interim principal, principal, and interim superintendent, he brings to the position a unique perspective of educator and private citizen.  His deliberations as a board member are characterized by a heartfelt need to enhance public trust and confidence in K-12 education.

8. NASB Distinguished Service Award, Veteran School Board Member—Keith Roman, Douglas County School District. 

Mr. Roman is a retired professional educator and athletic coach. He has served Douglas County for seven years as an elected trustee.  Several years ago, Mr. Roman envisioned an Army H.S.R.O.T.C. program at Douglas High School. He has worked vigorously to lobby for the program and to enlist the support of school district personnel and Nevada Senators as well as the Army to establish the program. This year, the program will be implemented. His interests in the educational opportunities for Douglas children are wide-ranging and include service on truancy hearing panels, expulsion panels, and bond committees. He has not missed a school board meeting since his election.

9. School Administrator of the Year—Sam Santillo, Carson Middle School, Carson City School District.

Mr. Santillo has served four years as principal of a middle school having 1,150 students enrolled in grades 6, 7, and 8.  The school has a large English Language Learner population which presents unique challenges for classroom instruction. In addition, the school has a large population of students with disabilities, including those who are severely and profoundly disabled. Through his leadership, accommodations for classroom instruction have resulted in improved student achievement. He has worked with teachers to focus upon data analysis and retargeting instruction based upon assessment results.  During the current school year, he is dealing with a $12,000,000 school revitalization project while students are still attending classes at the school.  Not only does Mr. Santillo serve as principal but his daily duties include being an architectural assistant, safety officer, and construction manager during this revitalization process.

10.  Superintendent of the Year—Antoinette Cavanaugh, Elko County School District. 

Ms. Cavanaugh has worked with District staff and the school board to initiate the “Elko County Reads” program. This program involves more than 3,500 of Elko County’s population of 45,500.  It stimulates interest throughout the County in literacy and promotes reading for children of all ages. It encourages family reading experiences and provides books to children through partnerships with business and community leaders.  She also worked tirelessly to ensure that the new Adobe Middle School opened on time, providing an environment of rich educational opportunities for students and teachers. Her caring and concern for the welfare of children is reflected in all that she does as the District’s Superintendent.

11.  NASB Leadership Award, School Board of the Year—Douglas County School District Board of Trustees. 

Each member of this Board brings a diverse perspective to his/her duties yet works together through cooperative collaboration and with mutual respect to address the needs of children, teachers, and schools in Douglas County. Each Board member is appropriately prepared for meetings. Issues are attacked, not the people involved in them. The Board as a whole listens to the community and staff concerns and processes the information to reach consensus, regardless of the issue. The Board has taken a series of determined steps to move from “good” to “great.” Board members continue to focus upon student achievement and attribute success to others than themselves—recognizing students, teachers, and administrators during Board meetings to promote performance and to provide motivation for even greater achievement.

In addition, the Association elected new officers for 2008. Those included:

President—Sharla Hales, Douglas County School District;

President Elect—Irene Chachas, White Pine County School District;

Vice President—Jim Lemaire, Carson City School District; and

Legislative Chair—Nancy Hollinger, Washoe County School District.

For questions, please contact Dr. Dotty Merrill, Executive Director, Nevada Association of School Boards, 775/443-5988.