LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Instead of a traditional school campus, in one week, hundreds of middle schoolers will be dropped off at The Boulevard Mall for their first day of class.
FOX5 has been following the school’s construction closely, as a 46,000 square foot department store was converted into Wylees Middle School inside The Boulevard Mall near Maryland and Twain.
“Wylees,” is short for Western Youth Leadership, Engagement and Empowerment. Founder, Mike Taack, said the public charter school is on track to welcome 200+ middle schoolers to campus on August 4.
“It’s a little bit surreal,” Taack said.
Taack said they are putting finishing touches on the building and undergoing final inspections. The school is fully staffed.
Miranda Garcia, who will teach 6th and 8th Grade English at Wylees said she plans to incorporate the school’s unique location into her lesson plans.
“There are so many associations that meet within the mall and so many changes that are happening in the mall,” Garcia said. “We want to reach out to get our students connected.”
Momen Salama will be an “Exploration” teacher at Wylees. He said the location fits the school’s learning model perfectly.
“I was confident that this is my next step. I knew I needed to come here,” Salama said.
Although the first day of class will symbolize the nine-month construction project crossing its finish line, Taack said their real work is only beginning.
“This is really where we start with students, and get to make an impact in the community that we plan on making,” he said.
Enrollment is still open, Taack said they have about 60 spots left to fill. You can find more information about enrollment here.
In the event the school is not ready to open on August 4, Taack said they have plans to hold their first couple days of class at the Cambridge Recreation Center.
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