Destination District: A CCSD Podcast

Lights...Camera...CCSD Performing Arts. We pull back the curtain on CCSD performing arts and hear how students and teachers turn rehearsals into confidence, community, and real-world skill. We talk about the long-term investment behind award-winning programs, plus the partnerships and classroom practices that help young artists thrive from middle school through high school. • Why CCSD performing arts success is built through leadership, family support, and sustained investment • National recognition for music and arts programs and what it signals about consistency and access • How The Smith Center partnership expands arts integration, student experiences, and musical theater pathways • Teacher journeys from performance to education and how staying on stage strengthens instruction • What students say they gain from choir and theater including joy, safety, and growth through challenge • Why arts participation supports academics and builds durable skills like collaboration and communication • Practical examples of theater connecting to ELA, math, science, and social studies • Favorite pre-show hype songs and how performers manage nerves So the next time you see a flyer for a local middle school or high school concert, a play, or a dance recital, go buy a ticket.

We launch the CCSD Alumni Association with the Public Education Foundation to turn graduate pride into mentorship, scholarships, and real opportunities for young people across Southern Nevada. Guests share lived stories that show how community, representation, and partnership fuel a true destination district.• Why formalizing alumni energy matters now• Mission of a destination district rooted in pride and outcomes• Honoring alumni and expanding the public narrative of success• Mentorship as the keystone for access and confidence• Practical on-ramps for alumni engagement and volunteering• Partnerships with PEF and cross-sector allies at scale• Scholarships at volume and sustainable support structures• Inviting all graduates to contribute, regardless of pathMake sure that you head over to www.ccsd.net/community and sign up. It’s free, it’s only four updates a year, and it’s the easiest way to invest in the future of the Clark County School District and Southern Nevada as a whole

We sit down with members of the Superintendent Student Advisory Council to unpack what they learned this fall and how their ideas are shaping CCSD’s strategic plan. From AI in the classroom to school start times, student leaders offer clear insights, tradeoffs, and next steps we can act on now.• Three Cs of leadership and why each matters• Operations behind buses, zoning and facilities• AI use cases, misuse and ethical guidelines• Strategic plan co-design and Portrait of a Learner• Ensuring student input drives real decisions• Later start times benefits and activity tradeoffs• AP and IB grading alignment and coherence• Why joining SSAC grows voice and impactAs we discussed in this episode, CCSD is hosting community dream sessions throughout February, and CCSD invites anyone to attend and provide their voice to the future of education in the district. For more information about the dream sessions or listen to previous episodes, please visit CCSD.net.

In Superintendent Jhone Ebert’s end-of-2025 episode of Destination District: A CCSD Podcast, she discusses how the passage of Assembly Bill 6 during the Special Session of the Nevada Legislature will enhance school zone safety in Nevada.What’s new: CCSD’s collaboration with local and state leaders and police will result in tangible on-the-ground changes:This legislation doubles the fines for traffic violations in school zones, including speeding, U-turns, and passing. It also gives cities and the county more authority to control school zone traffic flashing lights so that lights can flash when there are shortened school days, evening events, etc. Superintendent Ebert also talks with the CCSD Police Department and Safe Routes to Schools about the top causes behind collisions and ways to prevent them. Students also share their perspectives as pedestrians and new drivers.Subscribe, share this with a parent or driver on your route, and leave a review with one change you’ll make to keep school zones safer.

We celebrate rising results and the partners who make them possible, from sports teams and credit unions to trade unions and nonprofits. Real stories show how mentorship, career pathways, and measurable partnerships turn classrooms into career launchpads.• Why community engagement drives student success• Changing the narrative on public education performance• What CCSD seeks in long-term partners• Golden Knights’ year-round support and STEM tie-ins• Credit union recognition, literacy, and educator spotlights• Measuring impact with feedback and equity across schools• JAG Nevada’s mentoring, leadership, and college-career skills• Student voice on confidence, financial aid, and outreach• Career Connections with trades and pre-apprenticeships• Soft skills, certifications, and direct-to-work pipelines• Open enrollment opportunities across all CCSD schoolsCome to our schools, talk with our students and our staff, and we will find a place for you to help because in order to become the Destination District, we need everyone to champion our school communities

Clark County School District celebrates unprecedented academic achievement with 136 schools improving by at least one star rating on the 2024-25 Nevada School Performance Framework. Superintendent Jhone Ebert discusses this amazing growth with Assistant Superintendent Kristofer Huffman, who breaks down the NSPF ratings system and what drives student success.Hear from principals whose schools made remarkable gains: Lene Thorsen-Peters (Sandy Miller Academy), Melonie Poster (Carroll Johnston STEM Academy), and Kim Gray (Darnell Marshall Elementary), whose school jumped from one to four stars. Spring Valley High School Principal Tara Powell and senior Emma Behrens share their five-star success story and inspiring "Can, period" philosophy. With 48 schools now holding five-star status, this episode reveals the collective effort behind CCSD's transformation

As the Destination District, CCSD is embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support how teachers teach and how students learn. In this episode, you’ll hear from district leaders, educators, and students about how AI is helping future-proof learning, giving teachers more time for connection, and giving students more timely feedback. 

Welcome to the first episode of the Destination District: A CCSD Podcast, a space where educators, students, and leaders share ideas that shape the future of our schools.This episode explores four cornerstones of student success: pre-kindergarten, early literacy, middle school mathematics, and college and career readiness. Principals and program leaders highlight how strong foundations in reading and math lead to greater opportunities in high school and beyond.Listeners will also hear directly from CCSD students about how specialized programs are preparing them for the workforce of tomorrow. Across every conversation, one theme shines through: collaboration at all levels to ensure every student is engaged, empowered, and ready to explore what’s next.