Longtime school official to run for board

By Emily Richmond

Saturday, May 3, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Edward Goldman, an associate superintendent in the Clark County School District, plans to file Monday for the District A seat on the Clark County School Board, held since 1996 by Mary Beth Scow.

“I think it’s time for some changes,” Goldman told the Sun on Friday. “I believe I have a strong track record as a visionary and someone who gets things done.”

As associate superintendent of the district’s Education Services Division, Goldman oversees student discipline issues and alternative programs.

Goldman joined the Clark County School District in 1981 after teaching in Los Angeles. He has served as a dean and an assistant superintendent and spent 12 years as the district's chief contract negotiator. He holds master's degrees in political science and educational administration, as well a doctorate in educational administration and higher education.

In 2001 Goldman was appointed the first superintendent of the newly created southeast region, a position he held for three years. He encouraged high schools to offer later start times and put in place a stricter dress code for students. The School Board later adopted a “standard student attire” policy, allowing schools to follow the southeast region’s lead.

Scow, a cum laude graduate of Brigham Young University, is a 24-year resident of Clark County and currently serves as the School Board’s president. She is the mother of nine children, all of whom have either graduated from or currently attend district schools. She is a longtime community volunteer, serving on the PTA, as a Boy Scouts den mother and on a statewide academic standards committee. Scow has pushed for more opportunities for parental involvement at the school level and supported an overhaul of the School Board’s governance style intended to lead to better accountability.

“I’m ready for another four years,” Scow said Friday. “I feel like there’s a lot of good work going on. I want to continue to contribute.”

In a letter sent to potential supporters, Goldman said he believes “we need to give more power to principals, teachers and parents. This will mean less bureaucratic control of our schools and more common sense solutions from those who are directly involved in the education of our children.”

If elected, Goldman plans to retire from his district post, he said.

• • •

To mark the two-year anniversary of an unprecedented nationwide protest for immigration reform, several hundred Clark County School District students decided to skip class Thursday morning.

That excuse didn’t fly with the district’s attendance officers, who were quickly dispatched to round up the truants and return them to campus.

On a typical Thursday, about 50 students are cited for truancy. But this week, the number soared to 400.

The largest haul came from Von Tobel Middle School, with 80 students cited, followed by Canyon Springs and Rancho high schools, each with 75 truants.

At Canyon Springs, Principal Ronan Matthew noticed about 30 kids lingering in the parking lot after the first bell had rung. He went outside to find out what was wrong, and said he eventually “persuaded” most of the kids to go to class.

How did he do that, exactly?

“I told them, ‘Go to class,’ ” Matthew said with a laugh. “A lot of them didn’t seem to know why they were even outside. They went out because their friends did.”

• • •

Seven Clark County School District students have been named National Merit Scholars, an honor given to just 2,500 graduating seniors out of a pool of 15,000 finalists nationwide.

The list includes Adler Chang of Clark High School. Chang is also one of 15 recipients of scholarships from the Las Vegas Asian Chamber of Commerce who were recognized at the April 24 School Board meeting.

“I want to thank the Clark County School District for teaching me everything I know, because I grew up here,” Chang told the School Board, drawing laughter and applause from the standing-room-only audience. “Keep up the good work.”

School Board member Carolyn Edwards said the scholarship winners are examples of the education available in the district for students who make the effort to get as much out of their schooling as possible.

Chang didn’t leave the podium without making a plea on behalf of his fellow students who are worried about the effect of reduced state funding for education.

“Don’t cut orchestra and band,” Chang said, as several other students nodded in agreement. “Because it’s very important.”

In addition to Chang, this year’s National Merit Scholars are: Alexander Cooper (Silverado), Sydney Goings (Advanced Technologies Academy), Michael H. Jones (Palo Verde), Natalie Orlin (Advanced Technologies Academy), Joyce Pang (Clark) and Amanda Slagle (Green Valley).