News
Sierra Nevada Academy Charter School (SNACS) Press Releases and Announcements
SNOW Day Procedures Reminders
Sierra Nevada Academy Charter School follows the Washoe County School District when it comes to snow days and delayed starts. In the event a 1 hour delayed start, morning kindergarten reports as scheduled. In the event of a 2 hour delay, morning kindergarten is cancelled. In the event a 2 hour delayed start is called on an early release day, school is consequently cancelled. In the event of any delayed start or snow day, Educare is cancelled. SNACS Preschool will make a determination based on weather in the area, emergency services available, and in conjunction with other local preschools including TMCC. For more information related to snow and inclement weather days, please see WCSD.
Any Snow/inclement weather day in the Reno/Sparks area – WCSD will activate the WCSD emergency operations center to maintain situational awareness throughout all facets of the school district. Click the WCSD link for more information.
http://www.washoe.k12.nv.us/parents/
SNACS Preschool Awarded NAEYC Accreditation!
The SNACS Preschool Team, students, and families are excited to be awarded the NAEYC Accreditation. Being accredited through the National Association for the Education of Young Children is the Gold Stamp of Approval on the program and practices. SNACS Preschool Staff has worked to ensure all 400 criteria in 1o categories were implemented in the program. The 10 areas examined include: Relationships, Curriculum, Teaching, Assessments, Health, Teachers, Families, Community, Environment, and Leadership. Becoming accredited through NAEYC is one of the first formal steps in establishing a framework for a P-3 system with the partnering Sierra Nevada Academy Charter School. The SNACS Preschool Staff will be recognized for their achievement at the local Reno Association for the Education of Young Children on December 1st. The achievement shows committment to educating young children in a developmentally appriate practice. Children at SNACS Preschool are learning through play and loving it! SNACS Preschool staff members are doing what is right for young children. Help us celebrate young children and those who love working with young children! Congratulations SNACS Preschool!
NAEYC Accreditation Certificate
SNACS Participates in Bully Prevention and Awareness Program
October is National Bullying Prevention Month and communities nationwide are urged to plan activities. SNACS staff members were trained in bullying awareness and specific prevention techniques to be implemented in a school wide anti-bully campaign. At SNACS, staff members are working to build a collective commitment between and among students, families, staff members and other educational stakeholders to prevent bullying. There is a no-tolerance policy at SNACS as well as a series of intervention strategies used to teach appropriate behaviors and skills. SNACS promotes a respectful learning environment where all students and staff are valued and appreciated. We want to ensure every member of the community feels safe.
SNACS Bully Prevention and Awareness Program is parallel with the Positive Behavior Supports system. Both are components of the SNACS School Safety and Positive Discipline Plans.
Other organizations take an active role in the national movement against bullying which includes using PACER resources. PACER has sponsored this event since 2006, when it was a one week event in October and in 2010 evolved to the entire month of October. During the event—and throughout the year—you are encouraged to use the creative resources here to engage, educate, and inspire others to join the movement. For more information please see www.pacer.org/bullying
SNACS Test Scores Raise the Bar in Education!
On August 15th, the Nevada Departent of Education announced school achievement under the No Child Left Behind Accountability Act (NCLB). SNACS administrators are proud to concur that SNACS did make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for the 8th consecutive year in which AYP has been part of accountability! While some schools across the nation struggle to attain this status as the Annual Measurable Objective (AMO) increases, SNACS continues to move forward in reaching the new AMO during the 2011-2012 school year.
The AMO target for the 2010-2011 school year was 63.8% in English/Language Arts and 65.9% in Math. SNACS teachers worked diligently with students using data driven decision making and Personal Learning Plans to tailor educational efforts for individualized learning. Additionally, SNACS teachers volunteered to work an extra 90 hours per year by lengthening the already extended school day program by another 30 minutes each day (which was already extended by 15 minutes each day). This time is used in what SNACS has coined “Extended Day Labs” where the whole school focuses on a specific curricular area based on ability grouping. Students, based on their individualized ability in a given content area either get enrichiment or remediation to target specific skills.
The SNACS Model is key to helping children reach their maximum potential as described by Kimberly Regan Schoenfeldt, Executive Director: “Every element contributes to student’s overall success. Our staff works as a team to carefully articulate what we do and how we do it in order to ensure every child has the platform to leap to their highest abilities and soar toward success. We work with families as a unit and students as individuals to “bring the small school community back to the neighborhood”. In times of economic hardship, we are blessed to work with a diverse group of people who want to succeed. Our school provides a light for some children and their families who are faced with difficult situations. We provide a positive school culture that thrives on learning and positive celebrations. Our staff provides a variety of opportunties for students to achieve and excel to their highest potentials. Families look to us for a small school community and we provide that through individualized learning, small ability groups, Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound (ELOB) days, parent volunteerism, and events that are traditions unique to our school. In this school everything counts, it is a culmination of an abundance of small success that define our overall success.”
Victor Schoenfeldt, Education Director reports, “We worked hard over the summer to make site improvements including new blinds, paint, carpet, and baseboard (which was personally made by Mr. Schoenfeldt). This week teachers returned to work and are focused on several areas for improving opportunities for student success such as: using MAPs and Renaissance Data in decision making; the new Common Core Standards with is the national standards we are implementing; Positive Behavioral Supports (PBS) which is a new program that formalizes our positive reinforcement system; and planning for the start of a very exciting school year. All staff can feel the excitement of seeing children and their families on Monday morning. While the AMO is increasing to 75.9% for ELA and 77.2% for Mathematics, we are excited and ready to rise to the challenge. We are the longest running elementary/middle charter school in the state with a great track record. This isn’t happenstance, our success is a culmination of a multifaceted approach to education.”
Click the link to read the NDE Press Release and list of schools and the associated NCLB achievement rating:
http://www.doe.nv.gov/AYP/PR_2010_2011_AYP_Results.pdf
Sierra Nevada Academy Charter School Enrollment Open
SNACS is accepting enrollment for the 2012-2013 School Year. Enrollment space is limited and is currently on a first come, first serve basis. Stop by the office between 8:00-3:00 or call for an appointment.
Feel free to ask about the adjoinging preschool where they are accepting enrollment for young children from babies through kindergarten.
SNACS Performing and Visual Arts (SNACS PVA) plans underway!
SNACS currently requested people interested in helping establish an ARTS High School!
2011-2012 School Year Information
SNACS Students in 1st through 8th grade start August 22 at 8:00
SNACS Kindergarten students will be contacted for a time to conference with the teacher during the week of August 22nd. School for kindergarten starts August 29th.
SNACS is featured in Family Pulse magazine celebrating 10 years of operation! (pdf)
Videocast News – Daily newscast at SNACS
Adobe Reader required to open the pdf links on this page. Download Adobe Reader, for free, here.