CCSD's Pioneer Academy to be renamed Carson Silver

Carson City School Superintendent Andrew Feuling, far right, addresses Pioneer Academy families in May 2024 about proposed changes.

Carson City School Superintendent Andrew Feuling, far right, addresses Pioneer Academy families in May 2024 about proposed changes.
Photo by Jessica Garcia.

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The purple of the Carson City School District’s Pioneer Academy soon will transform into Carson Silver.

Carson High Principal Dan Carstens has announced Pioneer will be integrated into CHS to streamline academic services. The change includes rebranding Pioneer, at 202 E. Corbett St., to Carson Silver.

“Everybody has their challenges, and we try to work through those the best we can,” Carstens said. “But we wanted to rebrand it to, ‘Hey, this is what this campus means now.’ We didn't want people to think that it's still a standalone campus because it's not.

“Was everybody happy with having to choose a new name? No, not everybody was happy with choosing a new name.”

Pioneer, an alternative campus serving up to 200 students, came under the folds of Carson High – about 2,300 students – for the 2024-25 school year.

District Superintendent Andrew Feuling, former Pioneer Principal Jason Zona and Carstens met with families to inform them the consolidation would ensure staffing at both sites, Feuling said.

Carstens said he was asked to oversee the transition.

Both campuses will offer equal access to advanced placement, career and technical education and JumpStart courses, Carstens said. Pioneer’s Jobs for America’s Graduates will remain available to freshmen and sophomores.

Carstens said the merger will unify accountability within the Nevada School Performance Framework, the state’s public-school rating system.

“Because of the way that schools are evaluated in Nevada, if you don't have AP courses, if you don't have JumpStart courses or if you don't have CTE courses, then that star rating really tanks,” he said.

Administrators are sending messages about Carson Silver through the district’s parent notification system ParentSquare and will visit the two middle schools after spring break. The district will make sure no opportunities are denied to general or special education families, he said.

“It was a good challenge that we had on our plate,” he said. “I think we have a solid plan moving forward, and we're going to see where it takes us.”