Community Advisory Committee

With a goal of convening a representative cross-section of our diverse community, three community members from each CCSD Region were selected to serve on a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) to help synthesize the input received. The CAC met to review the community input and developed a synthesis report that captures the topics and themes they observed.

Read the CAC’s final report in English and Spanish.

Meet the members of the CAC:
 

Region 1:

Yohara Delgado is a parent of a CCSD elementary student who is active at her child’s school because she believes that education is a “team sport,” including parents, teachers, the community, and the entire district. She applied for the Community Advisory Committee because she is worried that the Hispanic community’s needs are not always addressed, and she especially saw inequities during the pandemic when families struggled to connect to digital learning at home. She resides in Las Vegas.

Brandarius Johnson (elected co-facilitator of the group) is a Las Vegas native and graduate of Cimarron-Memorial High School, class of 2010. He earned a degree in sociology and now is a community-based advocate for improved mental health among our youth. He also advocates for improved student-family-community engagement to support student success. He resides in Las Vegas.

Jodi Thornley (elected co-facilitator of the group) is a parent of four CCSD graduates, including two with disabilities. She is a longtime education advocate for students from rural areas, as well as students with disabilities. She applied to serve on the Community Advisory Committee because of her concerns about students struggling during the pandemic, including students who faced barriers to connecting to digital learning, students who felt isolated, and the interruption of therapies provided to students with disabilities. She resides in Mesquite.

Region 2:

Laura Carroll (elected co-recorder) is a parent of two CCSD students who applied for the Community Advisory Committee because of her passion for ensuring inclusive and equitable education and promoting learning opportunities for all. She is currently earning a degree at ASU studying sustainability and has experience in analyzing stakeholder engagement in discussions of complex problems. She resides in Las Vegas.

AJ Holly Huth (elected co-facilitator) is the Youth and Family Services Manager at The LBGTQ Community Center of Southern Nevada.  She applied to the Community Advisory Committee because she was concerned about how the strain and isolation affected LGBTQ+ youth during the shutdowns. She has partnered with multiple youth-serving community organizations including Project 150, Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, and Nevada Partners to address issues of housing insecurity, mental health, substance abuse, and more among our youth. She resides in Las Vegas.

Farahida Jamaluddin is the parent of a CCSD student and an advocate for students with special needs who would benefit from additional resources. She is also interested in expanding enrichment and extracurricular programs, services for gifted students, and resources for students learning a second language. She joined the Community Advisory Committee because she wanted to collaborate to utilize upcoming federal funds to expand educational opportunities through CCSD and ensure students are well rounded and equipped for success upon graduation. She resides in Las Vegas.

Region 3:

Brenda Guigui is a mother and active community member who has worked to amplify the voices of others to engage with issues related to CCSD. She has worked with stakeholders from around the community to provide resources to communities of color through school drives, food banks, and legal services. She was motivated to apply for the Community Advisory Committee because she saw underserved communities struggle with internet connection at home and online school programs while school buildings were closed. She resides in Las Vegas.

Scott Vyka is a CCSD parent who is studying to become a teacher in the K-12 public school system. He applied for the Community Advisory Committee because he saw gaps in the “haves and have nots” during the pandemic and is specifically concerned about creating a fair educational system that gives each and every child the best education possible. He resides in Henderson.

Dr. Tonya Walls is a multicultural practitioner who believes every student has the right to an equal education. She has served as a multicultural curriculum transformation professional developer and the Founding Executive Director for a nonprofit organization focused on preparing educators to use culturally responsive strategies and approaches in their work with youth, adults, communities, and professional peers. She resides in Henderson

For more information on the process for synthesizing information, click here.