Magnet school will focus on leadership, law

By Emily Richmond

Monday, June 23, 2003 | 11 a.m.

When a new high school opens on Alexander Avenue in the northeast region of the Clark County School District in 2004, administrators hope to have in place a magnet program focusing on leadership and law studies.

Leadership would be the overall theme of the tentatively named Canyon Springs High School, said Marsha Irvin, superintendent of the district's northeast region, who initially proposed the plan.

"We want this to be an exciting experience, where students get the strong academic foundation they need to succeed and also have opportunities for practical experience," Irvin said Friday. "The ultimate goal will be to produce graduates who are capable leaders in whatever field they choose."

The blueprint for the magnet program and its components is in the early stages, Irvin said. Administrators are looking at similar programs elsewhere in the country and also investigating the possibility of partnerships with corporations and the Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Irvin said.

The idea for the magnet program -- tentatively called the Leadership and Law Preparatory Academy -- grew out of conversations with teachers, students and administrators, Irvin said.

"We talked about characteristics we wanted to see our students leave high school with, and leadership ability was a key component," Irvin said.

At Advanced Technologies Academy, a district magnet high school in the northwest region, the internship program for students interested in law-related careers had more applicants than it could handle, Irvin said. That suggested there might be enough student interest to support a magnet program of its own, Irvin said.

The proposal for Canyon Springs is similar to Liberty High School in the southeast region, which opens in the fall with an emphasis on classical studies woven throughout the curriculum.

Magnet programs are typically introduced at existing schools, often in an effort to revitalize a struggling community. But Irvin said to her it's essential the magnet program be up and running when the doors open at the new high school.

"I want the name of the magnet program on the building for everyone to see, I want it to be an intrinsic part of the school from the first day," Irvin said.

Clark County School Superintendent Carlos Garcia said he was looking forward to seeing the plans for a leadership and law magnet program evolve.

"It's terrific that our folks never stop coming up with innovations and ideas to give our students every opportunity there is to learn," Garcia said.

The name of the new high school, recommended by a district committee last week, still needs the approval of the Clark County School Board. A name was also chosen for a new high school in the southeast region set to open in 2005 -- Del Sol High School, located on East Patrick Lane.