CARSON CITY, Nev. – The Nevada Department of Education’s Office for a Safe and Respectful Learning Environment is partnering with the City of Las Vegas to host two free regional conferences. The Building Futures: Safer Schools, Healthier Students, and Stronger Communities conferences will take place from July 29-31 at Northwest Career and Technical Academy in Las Vegas, and from August 5-7 at the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino in Reno.
The two-and-a-half-day conferences will focus on creating safer learning environments. Participants will have access to informative 60-minute sessions, topic-specific workshops, and networking opportunities.
“We are thankful for the partnership with the City of Las Vegas that allows us to offer these two regional conferences that cover crucial topics,” said Jhone Ebert, Superintendent of Public Instruction. “We must ensure that students across Nevada are equipped with the supports they need in order to succeed.”
Registration is currently open for the Reno conference. Teachers, administrators, school-based mental health professionals, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, police officers, and school safety officers are encouraged to attend.
“I want to thank the Nevada Department of Education for bringing stakeholders together to improve our schools,” Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman said. “Safety is the city’s top priority, and we must ensure that students are part of the solution and learning individual responsibility.”
The Nevada Department of Education is also holding educator and employee recognition events on July 29 in Las Vegas and August 5 in Reno that will coincide with the regional conferences. Educators who received awards facilitated by the Nevada Department of Education during the 2023-24 school year will be recognized.
Those awards include Early Childhood Educator of the Year, History Teacher of the Year, Recognizing Inspiring School Employees Award, Nevada State Teacher of the Year, Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, Milken Educator Awards, and career and technical education awards. Nevada Department of Education employees will also be honored for reaching years-of-service milestones.
Conference sessions will cover topics such as cultivating a culture of community collaboration; multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS); opioid prevention strategies; promoting wellness and prevention in schools; restorative justice/practices; school safety measures; social/emotional learning; student transportation; and compliance with Nevada Revised Statutes.
Speakers include Superintendent Ebert and members from the Nevada Department of Education’s Office for a Safe and Respectful Learning Environment team including Director Dr. Kevin M. Higley. Other speakers include representatives from the City of Las Vegas’ Department of Youth Development and Social Initiatives including Director Dr. Tammy Malich; and members from MTSS team at University of Nevada, Reno.
Dr. Desirae King will serve as motivational speaker emcee at both events alongside two consultants from Nevada Department of Education: Dr. Steve Goodman partner at Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports as well as co-investigator Integrated Multi-Tiered Systems Support Research Network.
