Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Why many Henderson residents are against this school’s expansion

New Song Church

Residents of the Coventry neighborhood gathered Wednesday night at a community meeting to argue against the expansion of a neighborhood school, saying nearby traffic would become even worse.

The school in question is under the umbrella of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and is run by the New Song Church of Seven Hills. The school currently has 59 students in preschool and kindergarten classes. A proposal to rezone the property, located at 1291 Cornet St., would allow the school to add three more students. School officials said the proposal will be voted on April 9 by the Henderson City Council, and if it passes, would allow them to add a first grade class.

“There’s no Christian academy on this side of the city,” said Rev. Marta Poling-Goldenne. “We have the opportunity to take some pressure off the public schools.”

But neighbors don’t believe it would stop at 62 students. Many people from the surrounding Coventry neighborhood said traffic would become worse, and expressed dismay at the school's long-term plan to eventually expand to a K-5 school and add 78 additional students.

“This neighborhood is impacted 24-7 because we have the school and Anthem Hills Park,” said longtime resident Helen Coombs. “There really aren’t too many quiet times.”

Neighbors were also concerned that rezoning the more than five acres of church property would allow a commercial developer to swoop in and place a business at the school's location should it fold.

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