No One Asked Me But… (March 3, 2021)

By DR. LARRY MOSES

No one asked me but… Last Wednesday, the Moapa Valley High School honored me by placing my name on the Administrative section of the High School. I don’t write this to aggrandize myself, but to thank those that made the honor possible as well as those who braved the elements to be there.

Due to COVID-19, the ceremony was held outside in front of the office entrance. By the time a ‘thank you’ was in order it was dark, and a cold north wind had begun to blow.

I had a small speech of gratitude prepared, but I believe the crowd was most grateful that I was not my usual verbose self. So, I believe it only right to thank all those involved and explain why my tenure as the principal of Moapa Valley High School was so successful.

To paraphrase Sir Isaac Newton: “An ordinary man standing on the shoulders of a giant can see further than the giant, this in no way diminishes the giant.”

When I became the principal of Moapa Valley High School, I had many giant’s shoulders to stand on. Mr. Grant Bowler was a living legend who had set the bar for education in Moapa Valley, as well as the State of Nevada, for over forty years. When I was appointed principal, Grant visited with me, gave me his blessing and supported me throughout the community. I was no longer to be consider an outsider but a part of the community.

Another giant in Moapa Valley education was Dr. Gary Cameron. Gary was the principal when he selected me as his Vice-Principal. I was privileged to work with Dr. Cameron for two years and learned many valuable administrative lessons. When Gary moved up to an Assistant Superintendent position, he was instrumental in my appointment to MVHS. Dr. Cameron handed me the keys to the Cadillac of Clark County education, and I am sure he hoped I would not run it into the ditch.

Another giant whose shoulders I stood on was Mr. Lynn Bowler. Lynn was a student counselor at the Moapa Valley High School. The son of Grant Bowler, he graduated from Moapa Valley High School where he had been the student body president. Lynn became a great friend and my counselor.
Lynn, who was grounded in Moapa Valley tradition and values, helped me adjust to uniqueness of the community. Lynn kept me from many pitfalls with his calm and fatherly statement: “Dr. Moses, I need to talk to you in your office.”

I remember the first time I heard those words. I had just taken over the reins of the school when our basketball team qualified for the state tournament. I was approached at 7:00 am that morning with a notification that I had to find the funds and means for the band to travel to Reno for the state tournament. I, being an outsider at the time, did not understand the importance of the band program under the direction of Kim Delgadillo, the best band teacher in the state. Simply stated, I would not spend the money to send over 100 kids to Reno.

At 7:15, I was in the quad greeting students when Lynn Bowler said to me for the first time: “Dr. Moses, I need to see you in your office.”

By 7:30 we had plans for the first of many band trips around the country. Lynn always had sage advice given in a loving and respectful manner. I came to rely on that giant.

I had a giant for an office manager: Mrs. Kay Batchelor. Kay and her staff of ladies made the school function on a day to day basis. On the business end of the school I could always count on the guidance and loyal support of Kay. I didn’t have a vice principal and I didn’t need one, because I had Kay.

A common misconception among leaders is that, since you are the leader and responsible, success or failure is all yours. Something I learned as squad leader in the United States Marine Corp is that a leader is only as good as those he is designated to lead. The teaching staff at MVHS was a giant whose shoulders any ordinary principal could stand on.

Mr. Gary Batcheler ran the athletic department. During that time the school saw 15 state championships. That was due to the great coaches and teachers.

I don’t have the time or space to list all my teaching staff. But all one needs to know is that we had the best Fine Arts and Vocational Programs in the State. The staff graduated 97.7 percent of their students over a seven year period.

When the districts increased the class size by cutting the teacher allotment for MVHS, the staff solved the problem by changing their schedule. Instead of teaching six of seven periods, one more than the teachers in the city did, they created at least five new teacher positions at no cost to the district by going to eight periods over two days and taught seven of eight. That cut class sizes and increased elective offerings for students.

Our teachers embraced the Marine Corps method of attacking what appears to be an insurmountable problem. “Adapt, improvise, overcome.”

When the new high school was erected, the staff saw a need to network the school. When the District refused to fund the project, two teachers: Jack Nelson and Rod Adams; did the job at no cost to the District.

When the staff saw a need for a satellite dish, the District refused to fund it. So Nick Bowler, a great science teacher and coach, bought a dish at a garage sale. With the help of other teachers, he installed it. Rod Adams created a school television station at no cost to the District.

When we found that the builders had not wired the main server for our computer room and we pointed this out to the District Facilities department, they said it was a retrofit and could not be done for five years because we were a new school. Jack Nelson did it at no cost to the District.

The final giant’s shoulders I stood on was the community itself. When the District said it would cost too much to light our tennis courts, Wes Adams donated the money, equipment, and know-how at no cost to the District.

The lighting on our baseball/softball fields was a community effort, in spite of the District’s refusal to do so.
The Hopkins’ family donated the money to provide the classy trophy case in the quad.
These are only a few examples of the community stepping up for education in Moapa Valley.

I guess it was impossible to list the entire staff/faculty and community on a bronze plaque. But that is surely who that tribute really belongs to. I am humbled by the thought that my name, and my wife’s name, will be representative of all those giants.

Thought of the week… “There goes my people. I must follow them, for I am their leader.”
-Mahatma Gandhi