Chaparral High principal recognized nationally
ganization provides at his school, he said, is mentoring.
“They provide a form of mentorship to our students where it’s not a faculty or staff member at Chaparral,” he said. “It’s an outside entity that can listen and be very, very open-minded with discussions.”
In his three years at Chaparral, James has seen improvement: Graduation rates increased from 69 percent in 2014 to 80 percent last year, the biggest rate increase of all comprehensive high schools in the district.
The school in the Paradise section of Las Vegas faces a challenging population — 38.8 percent of students receive free or reduced lunch, and 16 percent are English Language Learners, according to 2015-2016 state statistics.
“Everybody involved is doing dynamic things, and it takes a village to receive this award,” James said.
Nationwide, Communities in Schools sets up resources in schools to help students in poverty and ensure that they graduate. That includes assistance with school supplies, food, or individual case management for at-risk students.
A new report from the organization found that in 2015-2016, 93 percent of Nevada students who had cases managed through the program graduated. Attendance also improved for 76 percent of those students. Contact Amelia Pak-Harvey at apak-harvey@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4630. Follow .@ AmeliaPakHarvey on Twitter.