The Pershing County School Board spent much of its Nov. 17 meeting listening to students and community members who have raised concerns about drug and alcohol issues in local schools, while also reviewing the district’s annual audit and advancing several updated policies for first reading.
Agenda Item F, listed as “Student Discussion – Drug and Alcohol in Schools,” drew students from the Mustang Youth Team and prompted nearly an hour of public discussion. Students and parents asked the board and district administration for clearer expectations surrounding the district’s “zero tolerance” drug and alcohol policy, greater consistency in how violations are handled, and improved communication with students when incidents occur.
Coalition representative Tina Gallagher told trustees that many students trust only a small circle of adults at school and that some felt dismissed after speaking up at previous meetings. She urged the district to rebuild that trust and emphasized that effective prevention must begin in middle school and be reinforced consistently. Gallagher noted that the coalition has funding, resources, and training ready to support the district and stressed that the goal isn’t to blame, but to create a safer environment where students feel heard and valued.
A written statement from a high school senior, read into the record on her behalf by Denise Cerini, asked the district to “listen to students’ experiences” and emphasized that students “want partnership, not punishment.”
Several students expressed frustration over what they see as uneven enforcement. They said they hoped the district would strengthen prevention efforts, including more regular education at both the middle and high school levels, peer-support programs, and stronger partnerships with the community coalition.
District administrators outlined current prevention measures, including curriculum being used in the middle school, universal and targeted screenings, upcoming prevention-education events, and access to mental-health resources for students. Superintendent Dennis Holmes encouraged students to continue bringing concerns directly to school administrators and emphasized that the district is working toward clearer, districtwide policies.
Board members thanked students for speaking up and reiterated that the board oversees policy but does not manage individual personnel matters.
“We don’t have direct input in personnel matters,” board member Mike Mancebo said. “The board makes policy, we don’t handle personnel matters, and we cannot discuss them in public.”
Earlier in the meeting, the board reviewed the district’s FY 2025 audit presented by Jim Sciarani of Sciarani & Company. The report showed the district’s general fund ending the year with a decrease of roughly $191,000 across all governmental funds. However, Sciarani noted several positive indicators, including stable special education balances and increased state and federal grant revenues.
The district transferred approximately $1.1 million to the capital projects fund, which supports ongoing facility improvements, including bus purchases, baseball field upgrades, computer lab renovations, and infrastructure work. The audit noted that one prior internal-control issue had been corrected.
A separate federal “single audit” will be completed once the state finalizes its updated compliance supplement.
The board also considered several policies and regulations for first reading, beginning with Policy/Regulation 5180 regarding the use of aversive interventions and restraints for students with disabilities. Trustees were asked to review the draft and return with feedback before the second reading.
Policy/Regulation 5060, covering police interrogation, investigation, and arrest procedures on school campuses, also advanced to first reading. Administrators noted the policy balances cooperation with law enforcement while protecting student rights under Nevada law. Sheriff Jerry Allen asked for a copy of the policy and will review it for input.
The Pershing County School Board meets on the third Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at 1150 Elmhurst Ave.
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