Students from Allie Davis’ fourth grade class at Bordewich Bray Elementary School on May 22, 2024, gathered in a virtual visit with actor Khleo Thomas to talk about his experiences filming the 2003 movie “Holes.”
Jessica Garcia/Nevada Appeal
Members of the Carson City Schools Foundation are all about making it possible to fund what teachers need in a classroom that the school district otherwise could not.
Should a teacher ask for noise-canceling headphones to help a student focus on their work and they apply for $300, the CCSF could approve it. If Eagle Valley Middle School requests $2,000 to support its greenhouse to grow plants for food production, that would fall within the foundation’s purview.
CCSF Board President Jon Hager says there are opportunities to approach the community about its mission. Hager is new to the role since former President Steve Reynolds stepped down in June this year. He said the central
“I think the big message I want to try to get out is that we’re trying to raise funds for the students,” Hager said.
The Carson City School District announced Hager’s election as president in June to govern the nonprofit’s activities, programs and projects that typically do not fall within the scope of the CCSD’s education budget. Directors of the foundation consist of community volunteers highly invested in the needs of youth attending school and supporting the teachers and employees assisting them. The foundation also has three advisers represented by the district’s Board of Trustees or staff who can provide direct input from the district.
Hager is a licensed health broker and co-owner of Asset Solutions Group and was the first executive director of the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange. He served as a U.S. Navy combat pilot and instructor pilot for nine years.
He and his wife, who grew up in Carson, raised a daughter and son who attended Fritsch Elementary School. Hager would work as the chief financial officer of the state’s Public Employees’ Benefits Program and gain skills working with the Nevada Legislature and governing boards. He has been involved as Carson High School’s cross country team’s assistant coach, commissioner of Carson City Region 140 American Youth Soccer Organization and director of the Comstock Shootout Soccer Tournament.
Now Hager is happy to help the Carson City School District staff with their fundraising needs. On Nov. 12, he presented to the Board of Trustees the foundation’s annual report.
“Learning about health insurance and politics has been really fascinating to me, learning about how laws, how bills become law at the federal level and then create regulations that create to interpret them … it gives you a pretty good solid understanding of how that applies to the school district of the kind of things that'll take place for them,” Hager said.
CCSF received approximately $83,000 in donations in calendar year 2023, including $8,500 from staff payroll deductions and a $60,000 contribution from the Viragh Family Trust. In all, CCSF has provided more than $164,000 to staff and students since 2017.
“We’ve allocated $67,000 toward various programs, including $20,000 for department and mini-grants, $19,000 for the JumpStart program and $20,000 for the AP (Advanced Placement) program (this year),” Hager said.
CCSF is allocating $9,700 of its mini-grants for teachers for the spring and half of its designated $8,000 for the district’s Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, a system that uses best practices to improve student behavior, academic success and social and emotional health.
Hager said the CCSF wants to help teachers because they’re so passionate about helping the students. He said board members hope to set up a sponsorship program in collaboration with the district’s Community Partner of the Month recognition program in which companies can support specific school sites and receive a spotlight from the district for a month. The program would help form important partnerships. For example, a local business would be encouraged to renovate Carson High School’s auditorium or provide a new sound system for one of the middle schools. Projects or items that are considered needs for the schools would fall within the scope of the sponsorship program.
The board itself also continues to invite new board members who are willing to volunteer, he said.
“Obviously, you've got these incredibly dedicated, talented people,” he said. “I think they're excited. … Everybody knows (former Superintendent) Richard Stokes. But we would love to have a few some younger board members.”
Hager reminded staff members who would have requests for classroom needs are encouraged to apply for a spring semester department or mini-grant between Dec. 16 and Jan. 17.
For information, go to ccschoolsfoundation.org.