Magnet schools begin recruiting season

Flight simulators and sophisticated aviation equipment make the Rancho High School aeronautics lab a locally unique classroom.

Still, it's no wild blue yonder.

"I just want to get off the ground," said a wistful 15-year-old James Conroy, who dreams of becoming a U.S. Air Force pilot like his father.

Conroy is one of 210 students in Rancho's Academy of Aerospace and Aviation, a two-year-old program designed to teach students the basic principles of flight and prepare them to earn a private pilot's license. The magnet program attracts students from all over Las Vegas who want to be pilots and aerospace engineers.

The program is one of 15 magnets in Las Vegas that offer intensive courses of study from travel and tourism to drama, dance, and finance.

District officials consider their magnet programs among the crown jewels of their course offerings at a time when some activists are clamoring for school choice and charter schools.

This month marks the beginning of recruiting season for the magnet schools. District officials have scheduled 17 information meetings in January and February for parents.

"Be a good consumer," advises Glenn Cooper, who oversees the district's magnet programs. "Make an informed decision."

Roughly 7,000 students are enrolled in the district's magnet programs.

At the Academy of Creative Arts and Language at K.O. Knudson Middle School, seventh-grader Nicholas Holmes-Gull is studying drama, even though he said he wants to be a veterinarian.

"I just like the magic of the theater -- the lights, the smells, seeing the reactions on the audience's faces," said the 12-year-old, who recently had a part in the school's production of "The Emperor's New Clothes."

Most magnet programs have grade requirements for admission, typically at least a C average. Officials consider grades, student behavior, absenteeism rates, teacher recommendations and student essays as they review applications.

The magnet programs sometimes draw controversy, typically when the number of applicants outnumbers limited seats. The district uses a lottery to determine which students gain admission. Last year, nearly 1,000 applied for the Advanced Technology Academy High School, which had 243 open seats.

"If a student doesn't get in, I have to explain to the parents the procedure for admission," Cooper said. "It can be a bitter pill."

One parent, David Pancoast, last year filed a lawsuit on behalf of his son who was denied admission to the Academy of Science and Mathematics at Hyde Park Middle School. Pancoast alleged the school unfairly disqualified boys to meet a gender quota, which the district denies.

A judge dismissed the case.

Other parents have criticized magnets for gobbling up district dollars in programs that favor a small group of students. Cooper disagreed.

"Magnet schools are a place where we try to offer a unique curriculum that gets kids excited about learning," Cooper said. "You can get a fantastic education at any school if the child is motivated and wants to learn. Are you getting a lesser education at Western (High School) than in one of our magnet programs? No."

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