25 Years of Excellence with SNACS
In April 1999, Dr. Regan and the SNACS founding board and committee members wrote and submitted the charter application to be a Washoe County School District-sponsored charter school. Sierra Nevada Academy Charter School (SNACS) paved the way as the first K-8 charter school in Nevada and began operations in August 1999. In fact, SNACS began classes in two neighboring North Valley churches while construction for the Stead site occurred. For nearly 3 months, the SNACS leadership, teachers, and families set up classrooms on Sunday nights and took them down on Friday afternoons. What a way to pioneer the spirit of the SNACS small school community!
SNACS moved into the Stead campus at the end of November 1999, where it remained for over 20 years. While we served preschool-aged early learners at the charter school, there was a need to offer year-round preschool programs beyond the charter school year. In 2008, the SNACS Board authorized the inception of SNACS Preschool, a partner non-profit, community-based preschool serving infants through school-age children. SNACS Preschool offers year-round preschool programs for the North Valleys of Reno Community. Children can attend the same campus with a shared mission to Provide Personalized Learning through Choice and PLAY from age nine months through 8th grade for continuity of care with one campus, one community.
Over time, we outgrew the Stead campus. In 2017, planning and construction began on the new, innovative Fox campus. By the summer of 2023, we moved all preschool and charter school students to the new campus.
Now in our new building, our tuition-free Charter School is filled with open classrooms that inspire personalized learning, creativity, and choice. Each classroom in our new building was built with intention, promoting equity and excellence at the forefront. Let us show you what 25 years of excellence—right here in Reno—looks like!
We Bring the Small School Community Back to the Neighborhood
Our small school community fosters a close-knit and supportive environment where every student receives personalized attention, encouraging academic growth and a strong sense of belonging. We stand behind 25 years of individualized learning, growing technology, choice among our students, and accessible parent and student engagement.
Our Founder and CEO, Dr. Kimberly Regan is the longest-serving charter school administrator in the state of Nevada. Dr. Regan boldly flipped the traditional model by developing the PLAY model, and teaching to the whole child by nurturing interest and decision-making. SNACS is a one-of-a-kind school that helps learners of all backgrounds and abilities thrive. Now, in our new building, our small school means freedom for collaboration and deeper personalized learning.
Thriving for 25 Years
Choosing a school with a rich history of 25 years brings incredible benefits to your child’s education and growth. Give your child the advantage of enrolling them in a school with two and a half decades of experience. Here are a few key benefits of our longevity:
- Institutional Stability: SNACS has a proven track record with active alumni who come back to visit often, and we have well-established policies and procedures to ensure a smooth learning environment.
- Experienced Leadership provides deep expertise and thorough understanding of the school’s culture and academic standards. Our CEO is the longest-standing charter school administrator in Nevada.
- Trust and Reliability: Parents have trusted us for 25 years. This trust is built on consistent performance and our commitment to student engagement and academic excellence in a stable and supportive environment.
- Strong Community Impact: SNACS has had a positive impact on the local Reno region throughout the year by giving back to the community during our expeditionary learning days.
- Continuous improvement: We have had ample time to refine and polish our educational practices, making continuous improvements in the face of ever-changing educational trends and updated technologies. Our students are provided with a modern and robust program.
SNACS has been a staple in the Reno community for 25 years, and would love to have you join us for a tour of our fresh new building. Enrollment for the 2024-25 is open now, and we invite you to check out our new campus. We look forward to welcoming your child, preschool through 8th grade, to the SNACS small school community. Enroll with SNACS today – call (775) 677- 4500 to take a tour!
About SNACS
Sierra Nevada Academy Charter School (SNACS) is a Tuition-Free Public K-8 Charter School with free preschool options. As Nevada’s first charter school, we have served our community for 25 years as a standout school of choice and personalized learning. We nurture self-directed learners through choice, prioritizing expeditionary learning and offering a unique, proprietary, hands-on P.L.A.Y model (Promoting Learning and Accountability in Youth). Now in a new location, 10 miles north of Reno, SNACS brings the small school experience back to the neighborhood. Education – with a choice! We’re enrolling for Fall 2024-2025.