Board conditionally approves STAR Academy application for Silver Stage Middle School; adds staff if grant awarded
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Summary
The board voted to pursue a STAR Academy grant for Silver Stage Middle School, approving submission of a letter of intent and agreeing to add one certified FTE if the grant is awarded; trustees voiced concern about long-term district costs and teacher vacancies.
The Lyon County School District Board of Trustees voted to pursue grant funding to launch a STAR Academy at Silver Stage Middle School and agreed, if the grant is awarded, to add one certified full-time equivalent to staff the program.
Board leaders said the district will submit a letter of intent to the governor seeking grant support. Executive Director of Education Jim Giannotti told trustees the STAR Academy model is grant-funded for three years and the district would request roughly $1,000,000 to renovate and furnish classrooms, provide supplies, and fund professional development and direct support from STAR Academy for the three-year term. The program is designed for a cohort of up to 80 seventh- or eighth-grade students and emphasizes project-based learning.
Giannotti described the district commitment if the grant continues beyond three years: "Once that three years is up, it would require some skin in the game from the district," he said, noting an estimated high-end ongoing cost of about $70,000 (with one trustee later citing a roughly $120,000 FTE cost including benefits). Trustees and the superintendent said the grant covers the start-up and initial operation costs.
Several trustees raised concerns. Trustee Farr, citing the district’s existing teacher vacancies, questioned whether it was prudent to add a new FTE devoted to a single program when other positions remain open. "We have 20-plus teacher vacancies across the district," Farr said, asking whether the program’s benefit to a maximum 80 students justified creating a hard-to-fill position.
Trustee Parsons and other supporters said the STAR Academy has demonstrated accelerated growth and strong outcomes in other districts and could be a meaningful CTE-aligned pathway for students. The board approved the motion to implement the program "subject to approval of the Star Academy grant funding," with Trustees Whistler and Farr recorded as the two nays; the remainder voted in favor.
Next steps: the district will submit the letter of intent and, if the state awards the grant, the board has authorized hiring an additional certified staff member for the program years identified in the motion. Trustees asked administration to return details on the staffing cost, tier options and contingency plans before drawing down local funds, and to report back as required by the grant process.
Vote: motion passed (majority approval; recorded nays by Trustee Whistler and Trustee Farr).
