The Eureka County School Board met April 14 at 5:30 p.m.

Discussing the district’s 2026-27 District Performance Plan, which is due to the state April 15, Superintendent Tate Else related, “We’ve made some adjustments to some of the goals. While it’s very similar to last year, of course, we always want to do better. We have really good student achievement scores” with “huge gains” thanks to Kagan and “engagement in classrooms.” Else is “very proud of what the district’s done” and sees it as “crucial and important to stay on the same path.” Else wants “higher proficiency rates in math and ELA. We did keep our goals in line with the 18 accountability goals the governor provided to us.”  

Else related they contracted with Microsoft to come in and provide professional development to all teachers in Microsoft Suite to “make sure teachers and students are able to use the tools we have.” Else said, “AI is fascinating. Mine can talk to me now. I can have conversations with it.” Else wants to make sure students can “use it responsibly” and ”rather than try to lock them off of it, we need to make sure that we’re teaching them to do it the correct way…That is the biggest change for our goals this year. Everything else is pretty standard,” keeping it “simple and stream-lined” to “do less better.”   

High school principal John Glover reported band students just returned from the Northeast Nevada Regional Band competition and received a superior rating. Fifty-three FFA students attended the state convention March 23-26. Student council heads to Carson City for the state convention “this weekend. That’s a huge undertaking for them: big trip.” Seventh and eighth graders are in testing week. Eureka hosted the track meet last weekend with “more volunteers than we could ask for.” People came from all over the state. High school softball season won “their first league game.” Glover said, “There have been some challenges, but they worked so hard, so it was really exciting to beat Mineral County the other day. So there were a lot of smiles.” High school rodeo has three more events before state. Glover related “prom-posals” are “beginning to happen around school…They get really creative with them.” Prom is May 1 at the Opera House, with the Grand March at 8 p.m. “If anyone would like to come see the kids dressed up, we’re headed in: seven weeks to go.”  

Principal Lisa Hutchison said testing is going well at both Crescent Valley and Eureka Elementaries, with math testing beginning the week of May 4. Wednesday, April 15 at 2 p.m., the JPO Dance Recital will present for elementary school and staff, with the “Grand Finale at the Opera House on Thursday evening at 6 p.m.” Hutchison thanked Steve Zimmerman, Irma Davila and “all the instructors. They do such a good job and spend so much time with the littles.” On April 27, Miss Gordon’s class will go to the courthouse for kids’ court. On May 13, Mt. Wheeler will visit the Eureka Elementary School to do a demonstration with electricity, and at 6 p.m. that day, the choir concert will take place, with Mrs. Bell’s students performing. May 14 is sixth grade move-up day.

The next school board meeting, May 18, is also the annual art show, so Hutchison invited the board to visit to see the students’ artwork on display. Crescent Valley’s move-up day is May 12, with two sixth graders “traveling up to Battle Mountain for that.” Crescent Valley’s last day of school is Friday, May 29. That will also be sixth-grade graduation. 

Superintendent Else related that the new elementary principal, Steve Sullivan, “came down and visited with us” and will “be back at the end of the month. We’re very excited about that.” Sullivan, a UNR graduate who has been the Beatty Combined Schools principal in Nye County for the past five years, will be bringing three children “here with him as well.”  

On May 6, State Superintendent Dr. Wakefield will be visiting Eureka for the first time, with Torrey Palmer, new Deputy Superintendent for Academics & Student Achievement, and will be visiting classrooms and “meeting board members.”  

The Superintendents’ Academy is coming up in June, with Else and staff providing a round-table discussion on Kagan in the classroom. 

Else said on the first three days of school “next year,” all fifth through 12th-grade teachers will get in-depth training on Microsoft Suite and AI. In addition, Kagan will be coming in and doing training.  

Else related that there will be four new superintendents next year in the state. Else is now the “old, old guy,” with “70% of our superintendents across the state new.” Else is attending a State Board of Education retreat, Saturday, April 16. “We’re looking at revamping the State Board of Education goals, which I’m very excited about,” Else said. He hopes to see them “simplify them and make them more realistic” and “will keep on my passion on how we need to change instruction in the classroom.”  

The Eureka County School Board approved: 

Closure of the Vandal Athletic Center to public access on Fridays based on limited need and existing staff work schedules. 

The second reading of revisions to Policies 4003 Fair Employment Practice and 4004 Employment Disabilities. 

The first reading of revisions to Policies 4050 General Provisions, 4075 Philosophy of Staff Development, 4095 Student Teachers, and 4101 Acquiring and Providing Employment References.