Forget state legislature visits, local television news appearances, and community meetings. Clark County School District superintendent Carlos Garcia is happiest talking to fifth graders. "The best part of this job is being in the classroom," says Garcia, who took the reins as superintendent last July. "Kids are honest. If they don't like the school, they'll tell you."

Garcia knew he was taking on a large school district, but when prior to his arrival Clark County voters approved $2.5 billion in bond money to build 88 new schools over the next decade, Garcia saw his district explode in size. From the time of Garcia's appointment to the time he took office, Clark County added almost 15,000 students to its rosters for a total of about 231,000, bolting from the eighth- to the sixth-largest school district in the nation.

In an office just minutes from the neon of the Las Vegas Strip, Garcia oversees a district with 26,000 employees and some 250 schools. Garcia's ubiquitous Palm Pilot shows a schedule booked solid for months into the future. "If I ever get home before 8 p.m., it's really rare," says Garcia.

Two mornings a week, Garcia visits schools in the district, greeting classrooms with a hearty "Good morning!" or "Buenos dias!" After chatting with the students, he sits down with the school's principal after a walk-through to share his impressions and address any concerns. "If you want to create a team atmosphere, people need to see you," he explains. Though teachers can be a little unnerved by a drop-in from their district boss, he moves quickly to ease their worries. "I always tell people I'm a teacher who just happens to be a superintendent."

Carol Bloesser, a deputy superintendent in the Fresno Unified School District, says Garcia's practice of staying out in the field was one of the things that attracted the district officials from Clark County, who were looking for a superintendent who stayed active and visible to the greater community. "I've worked for other superintendents who hardly ever left the district office," she says. "He saw the job differently."

Not only is Garcia faced with extreme growth, he's tasked with very quick growth. "Particularly with schools that have low test scores, we don't have the luxury to waste time," Garcia says. "Growing up in the barrio, plenty of my friends didn't make it. My job is to make sure all kids can make it."

Carlos Garcia '74, Clark County School District superintendent