It’s the first day of school, Nevadans!

Clark County School District officials said that it’s starting the school year with the lowest number of teacher vacancies in decades, with 97% of classrooms having a licensed teacher.

The last time schools were fully staffed was 1994, and that is the closest they’ve been since.

If you have school-aged children, have a good day! If you don’t, keep an eye out for school zones and students crossing the road.

Have a great week.

🐸 Frogs and Froglets — Saturday, Aug. 16 from 9:30-11 a.m. at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Visitor Center. Join a ranger for story time, crafts, and games for families with kids ages 4-6. Get ready for wholesome fun that the whole family can enjoy! Sign up is required to attend. A regular scenic drive entry fee is required to participate in this program. 

🕺 The Speakeasy Dance ft. The Moonshiners — Saturday, Aug. 16 at 6 p.m. at the Charleston Heights Arts Center (800 Brush St.) Join The Moonshiners and enjoy modern songs done in the style of the Prohibition Era to get you groovin’ on the dance floor! Beverages will be available for purchase. Tickets can be found online for $10.

💌 Letterpressing Print Workshop — Saturday, Aug. 16 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Historic Fourth Ward School Museum in Virginia City. Learn the basics of the 550+ year-old art and craft of letterpress printing. Attendees will walk away with a special hand-printed piece to share with friends and family. The workshop fee is $25 for nonmembers and $20 for Fourth Ward School Museum members. Register online. 

🏺 Reno Antique Faire — Sunday, Aug. 17 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Locomotion Plaza (301 N. Virginia St.) Held on the third Sunday of every month, running from June to October. Featuring over 175 vendors, explore antique and vintage goods, including furniture, clothing, jewelry, architectural salvage, lighting, and more. Free admission for all ages.

The city was awarded a 48-month grant by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, which aims to reduce childhood lead poisoning. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

The City of Las Vegas is offering free lead-hazard assessments and repairs to older homes to improve the health and safety of residents with small children. 

According to a 2023 study by UNLV and the Nevada Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, there are over 213,000 children in Nevada under the age of 6. Yet, only 3% are tested for lead exposure. That makes Nevada one of the lowest testing states in the country. 

“While childhood lead poisoning rates have decreased substantially since the 1970s, mounting evidence suggests that chronic, low-level exposure in early childhood can have long-lasting impacts on children,” the researchers said in the study.

According to the Southern Nevada Health District, 25% of homes in Nevada were built before the 1978 ban on lead paint. SNHD warns that at high levels, lead poisoning among children can lead to hearing loss, headaches, brain damage, anemia, coma, and even death.

Parents dropping off their students on the first day of school. (Frank Alejandre/The Nevadan)

The Nevada Immigrant Coalition is urging immigrant parents to create a plan and educate their children on their rights ahead of returning to school.

“In Nevada, immigrant parents should feel reassured that the State’s two largest school districts, Clark and Washoe, have enacted policies since 2017 which protect the rights of all students, regardless of immigration status, and that Nevada’s two largest school districts will not participate in federal immigration enforcement actions,” the statement read. 

Nonetheless, the Nevada Immigrant Coalition is encouraging families to send children with a Know Your Rights Red Card in their backpack or wallet, prepare a family plan and write down emergency contact information, know that schools cannot share student information with ICE without parental consent under a federal privacy law (FERPA), and public schools must protect students’ right to an education, no matter their immigration status.

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