District spotlights student voice and club expansion; Peavine Elementary reports 100% club participation

Washoe County School District staff presented an update on Goal 2 — student voice and advocacy — on March 10, highlighting districtwide growth in clubs and activities, expansion of student advisory structures, and a pilot program focused on middle‑school transitions.

Chief student services officer Paul LaMarder introduced the item and said the team would spotlight Peavine Elementary, which increased from a three‑star to four‑star rating and reported 100% club participation. Principal Amy Howe described the program: nearly every staff member leads a quarter‑based club, run every other Friday, which staff credit with lowering Friday absenteeism and improving school culture. Fifth‑grader Claire Oakley spoke to the board about the benefits of clubs: "It helps them make friends and that have the same interest...it helps them relax before school and get ready for the long day ahead."

District analysts reported more than 16,000 K–12 students participating in clubs and co‑curricular activities this year, 449 clubs available and about 40% secondary student participation to date. Staff also summarized statistical modeling that found club participation is associated with modest improvements in attendance and GPA at the high‑school level when controlling for prior achievement and demographics, though they cautioned the findings are correlational.

Staff described middle‑school transition events in five schools that engaged roughly 1,500 families with workshops on topics including healthy habits and social media; the district plans to scale support to additional sites in the spring.

This item was discussion only; trustees praised student presenters and staff for targeted family engagement work.