John Evert
’96 M.Ed Education and Curriculum Research
Faculty of Education Graduate
Like most professional educators, Jhone Ebert discovered his passion for learning at an early age. And that passion was initially tied to one subject.
“I loved math,” says Ebert. “It was so much that I asked her sister if she could do her math homework.”
Sure enough, Ebert ended up getting a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Fresno State University. He moved to Las Vegas, earned his master’s degree at UNLV, and embarked on an incredibly impressive and influential teaching career, first as a teacher and then as an administrator.
all accurate. But to truly understand the uniqueness of Ebert’s journey, you have to understand where she had the epiphany: “Education is my mission.” No, not in a classroom or a professor’s office…at the ski slopes.
“I finished college cleaning hotel rooms and working as a waitress,” says Ebert. “Some of my college friends once said, ‘You would make a great ski instructor!’ I laughed and then took them on the challenge.
“As a ski instructor, I learned the joy of teaching. Plus, how much I enjoyed helping people learn what they already have inside them: the ability to do anything. Beyond the fear of the mountain, there is joy in zipping down the mountain.”
Thus began a lifelong commitment to harnessing the power of education to improve the lives of all children. After teaching middle and high school in Las Vegas, Ebert moved into administrative positions within the Clark County School District. She worked for nearly 12 years as Chief Technology Officer and Chief Innovation and Productivity Officer for the fifth largest school district in the United States before taking an education policy position with the New York State Department of Education in 2015. was
About three-and-a-half years later, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak persuaded Ebert to return to the state of adoption with an offer she could not refuse: Superintendent of Public Education for the Nevada Department of Education.
As the state’s Chief Education Officer, Ebert’s primary responsibilities align with her greatest passion. To ensure equitable access to education for all of Nevada’s approximately 500,000 students and to maximize the tools, resources and support needed by all educators in her 750 schools across the state That’s it. student success.
For Ebert, the mission is as clear as the sky above the ski slopes.
“Growing up in poverty, my life was full of hardships, but fortunately I had teachers who looked beyond my worn out clothes to see the potential in me,” she said. she says. “This experience convinced me that schools can and should work for all students, especially those facing the steepest climbs. , the task is unfinished until there is a clear path to success in both school and life.”
Describe the origin of your boundless enthusiasm for education.
When I was in elementary school, I found school to be a safe haven with caring teachers who looked beyond my circumstances and only to my potential. I can say After college, I became one of those people who made a difference early in life. I joined the ranks of teachers. As a math teacher for the Clark County School District, first at Von Tobel Middle School and then at Green Valley High School, she fulfilled her dream by helping young people grow and teaching them how to make math fun.
Early in my career, I was honored to travel to the White House as a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics Education. It was pretty cool. But as the world changed, my interest grew and technology caught my eye. I knew it could accelerate my learning, so I jumped at it. Before I knew it, I was leading a virtual high school. He then became the country’s fifth-largest district chief technology officer. I was just doing what I love. And doing what I believe in became fun and effortless.
What made you choose UNLV as the location for your master’s degree?
Initially, I was reluctant to pursue graduate work at UNLV, but that changed when a fellow teacher at Green Valley High School told me about two UNLV instructors (Neal Strudler and Randy Boone). I was. They were ahead of their time. I enrolled in some classes and they pushed me. It was so much fun that I decided to change my major.
I also remember him being kind and helpful. I got pregnant while working on my master’s program, and it wasn’t an easy time. Their high expectations never changed, but I will always remember how much their grace and empathy helped me “go down the hill.”
UNLV is located in one of the world’s most dynamic, diverse and innovative cities. How were you able to take advantage of it professionally?
As a professional educator, the great thing about diversity is that the moment I see my students where they are as a teacher, I can immediately see how easy it is for their success. And it can look different for each student.
Underlying that diversity are some simple truths. A New York University scholar named Kwame Anthony Appiah said: we are all different “
Also in 2000, I was fortunate enough to travel to South Korea for a month as one of 12 higher education faculty and 2 K-12 delegates. Professor Strudler and Professor Boone received federal funding for this trip as part of the Fulbright Hayes Project for Foreign Travel. The cultural exchange was one of the best experiences of my life and has definitely made a difference in how educational programs are conceived and implemented in the state.
What is your message to Rebel students today who are interested in making a difference in their education?
There is a healthy tension that comes from wanting to do your best, wanting to do your best. Our enemies are complacency and resignation. By interacting with UNLV’s excellent faculty, I’ve learned that the only limits are the limits you put on yourself.
To the rebels of today, I say join. Because it is there that you grow. Also, in this age that seems to be dominated by an almost constant tribal drumbeat that we are multi-tribe, we all share her one space on earth. It’s important to understand. And we can all do better.
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