Jan Rosenthal

One of our priorities has been to get families involved at Crestwood. With a Leader's Choice Grant from the Public education foundation, we have established a Family Center. It is a place where parents may go to work, helping teachers and students, while their small children play in the play room. There is a computer for their use that contains all the programs we use throughour our school. parenting workshops are conducted through our Family Center. these include English classes for out adults who want to learn English as a second language.

Accelerated Reader Program

In January 1997, we began to implement this great program at Crestwood. Because reading is a priority in our school, we were looking for a way to get students to practice reading. We have created reading monsters!! Our students read books and then take tests on the computer. They accumulate points, receiving free books from my book closet and even to lunch with me.. I do believe I may wiegh 300 pounds by the end of this school year! The latest challenge is for all first through fifth graders to earn a minimum of 10 points. When that happens, Mrs. Brown and I will wear pajamas to school. (Of course they will be bear pj's, because we are the Crestwood Cubs.)

Tutored Reading

Three years ago, after receiving training from a consultant from New Zealand, we implemented a program that brings adults in to read with students for 15 minutes a day. This is one-to-one contact, making for great practice and time to connect with a caring adult. Nevada State Bank, our corporate sponsor through the Clark County School District Partnership Office, has been very good about sending their employees to read with identified students.

History

Crestwood School was built in 1952 (just a bit younger than me) and is named after the housing development. I believe the area was called Crestwood Manor. There is also Crestwood Street in our neighborhood. Many famous Las Vegans have attended Crestwood over the years, including the Boyd sons and Sig Rogich. Mr. Howlett, of H&O Foods, lived in the area for many years and has become a main contibutor to our school. Our library is named after him and his wife.

Modernization

Our school was rehabbed beginning in 1996. We are now nearly finished. During the project, our school was networked and computers were installed. Because of the hard work of our staff, we now have 47 networked computers in our school. We have a full-time educational computer specialist who helps us keep running and gets all of our students and staff using the computers. We are all connected to Interact and the WWW. Amazing for such an old school!