At Sierra Nevada Academy Charter School, we believe that every child learns best when they are empowered to explore, choose, and grow at their own pace. As we welcome another exciting month together, we’re grateful for families’ continued support, engagement, and willingness to be active participants in their child’s learning experience. March is full of fun, creativity, and meaningful learning experiences. Here’s what’s coming up!
From the CEO’s Desk 🖊️
Hello SNACS Families!
As we move into Spring, the SNACS Team is working on spring cleaning, improving our facilities, and making our campus safer! You may have noticed our recent fencing addition. The entire exterior of the campus is now secure thanks to Mule Fencing and funding from the Bipartisan Safer Schools Community Act. We also added fencing in the back parking lot to give middle school students a safer space to play during their recess time. This space will also be used during school events for an additional safe space. All exterior gates will be closed and locked when school is closed.
We contracted with Sierra Outdoors to clean up and trim all of the landscaping around the school. They reburied all of the drip lines for irrigation. We ask parents to remind all students to refrain from digging these up, as the repairs are costly.
Students asked, and we listened. We are excited to be working on two new projects to improve the playground spaces during spring break. First, Sierra Outdoors will be installing turf on the elementary playground where the soccer field is. They will also install turf on the middle school playground where the volleyball area is. We have purchased a USA volleyball-approved net for middle school. The poles will be removable by designated staff so the space can be used for other activities. There will be pavers near the middle school turf providing a space for new picnic tables.
We are not stopping there. There are other projects we are working on. SNACS signs will be installed on the main building and the portables facing the road. One of the challenges since our move to the Fox site is that the community doesn’t know who we are and what we do. Signs will help communicate our location and mission. We are working with the City to obtain permits to install the signs. We anticipate this could take 6-8 weeks. And when the weather permits, we will refresh the paint on the portables and paint the containers on the back of the property.
Families are encouraged to volunteer to help us in our spring cleaning efforts. We need additional painters, stainers (outdoor classroom furniture), light bulb changers (dangling lights in the courtyard), decorators, clean-up crews, and bark movers. We are excited about all of our upcoming projects to make the SNACS small school community shine. Thank you for all of your support and for choosing SNACS for your child!
Best wishes,
Dr. Kimberly Regan, CEO
📅 Important Dates & Reminders
- March 2-6 – Nevada Reading Week
- March 7 from 10 to 2 pm – Annual Author’s Debut event at Barnes & Noble in Reno
- March 8 – Spring Forward into Daylight Savings Time – get lots of rest so students are at school on time Monday, March 9.
- March 17- St. Patrick’s Day
- March 18 from 5 to 6 pm – Family Reading Night
- March 20 – first day of Spring
- March 20 from 5 to 8 pm – Family Meet-Up for STEM Night at DRI. More info and RSVP
- March 23 to April 3 – Spring Break. Educare is available with pre-registration and payment
Looking ahead to April:
- April 8 from 5-6 – Family Reading Night
- April 22 – Family Pancake Breakfast
More information about events and dates will be out on Classdojo, so keep an eye out!
Step into the Adventure of Reading: Spirit Days (March 2-March 6)
- Monday- Safari Day: Gear up for a wild reading adventure! Wear animal prints, explorer hats, or safari colors as we journey into jungle stories and untamed tales.
- Tuesday- Super Hero Day: Every great adventure needs a hero! Dress as your favorite book superhero or create your own and show how reading gives us superpowers.
- Wednesday- Favorite Book Character Day: Step into the story! Dress as the main character from your favorite book and bring your reading adventure to life.
- Thursday- Wild West Day: Saddle up for a western adventure! Wear boots, bandanas, plaid or cowboy hats as we ride into exciting frontier tales.
- Friday- Passport to Reading Day: Travel the world through books! Dress to represent a place you’d love to visit in a story, and get ready to stamp your reading passport.
🎉 Family & Community Events
- March 6th – 8th: Jurassic Quest
- Ages 2 and up
- Cost: general admission: $28.60
- Embark on a journey where North America’s largest moving, roaring, and breathing dinosaurs come alive in a fully immersive walk-through experience.
- Sundays in March from 9 to 1pm: Riverside Farmers Market
🎭 Theater & Cultural
- March 6th through 15th: The Boxcar Children — family theater production (Theatre Works, Reno).
- Cost: Adult: $15 Child,Senior,Student: $13
- Toytopia Exhibit– Cost: $11 Children + Seniors, $13 Adults, $7 Group Rate (15+) Children 1-2 are FREE
The Discovery Museum March Events
- Design a Superhero- March 1 and March 8 from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm.
- Cost: Members: free, Non-members included with admission ($8).
- Girls STEM Career Day- March 7 from 10 am to 3:30 pm
- Cost: FREE
- Connect with representatives from local STEM businesses and organizations, explore a wide variety of STEM careers, and be inspired by a keynote speaker and expert panel of women in the STEM fields.
- Code a Bug- March 11 (4-7:30), March 14 (10:30-4:30), and March 15 (10:30-4:30)
- Costs: Members: free, Non-members included with admission ($8).
- 2026 SciVenture Science Fair– March 14 from 10 am to 1 pm
- Cost: FREE
- Event showcasing innovative projects by young talent in Northern Nevada.
- Car Care Day– March 28 from 10 am to 5 pm
- Cost: FREE admission all day
- Join experts from NAPA AutoCare Centers to explore the inner workings of automobiles and the systems that make them go, turn, and stop.
North Valleys Library March Events
- March 3 from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm– Crafternoon: Shape Explosions for all ages
- Create 3D designs using shapes on paper.
- March 6 from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm – Bingo Night!
- All Ages
- Join us for a fun night of bingo games. There will be prizes for the winners!
- March 10 from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm – STEAM: Oobleck
- Ages 7 and up with an adult
- Participants will learn how to combine cornstarch and water to make oobleck, a unique substance that acts like both a solid and a liquid under different levels of pressure!
- March 13 from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm – North Valley’s Game Night
- All Ages
- Join us for some family fun at Game Night! Get ready for an evening filled with laughter, snacks, and fun with your neighbors. You can bring a game to share, too!
- March 14 from 2 to 3 pm– Paws 2 Read
- All Ages
- Reading program for children of all ages proudly presented by Paws 4 Love. Friendly dogs lend a loving ear to beginning readers. Children receive a free book.
- March 17 from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm– Crafternoon: Paint Chip Bookmarks for all ages
- Select a colorful paint chip to inspire you and create your own personalized bookmark from the provided craft supplies and collage materials.
- March 24 from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm– STEAM: Colorful Cabbage
- Ages 7 and up with an adult
- Using a cabbage leaf and some food coloring, we will experiment with the capillaries inside plants.
- March 25 from 5 to 7 pm– Pokemon Party
- All Ages
- The fun includes: Pokémon GO-style scavenger hunt, Pokémon crafts, Pokémon trivia and games, Card trading station – so bring your cards if you’re also a collector!
- March 31 from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm – Crafternoon: Handprint Flower Gifts for all ages
- Design a unique flowerpot card from your own handprint, paint, and provided craft supplies.
🌟 Re-Enrollment is Open! 🌟
As a reminder, re-enrollment for the upcoming school year is open. We encourage families to complete the re-enrollment process as soon as possible to secure your child’s spot for next year. Re-enroll now in a few easy steps:
- Visit this link
- Log in with your parent portal credentials.
- Click “More” > “Online Registration” > “Existing Student Registration.”
- Make sure the registration year shows as 2026–2027, and begin!
- Complete each step until you submit.
**Any updates to medical, legal, or contact info require in-person forms.**
If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact the school office at 775-677-4500—we’re happy to help!
📚 SBAC Testing Season Is Coming: How Parents Can Help at Home
Spring brings SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment) testing for all students in grades 3-8. The SBAC is a series of statewide English Language Arts and Math assessments that help schools understand how well kids are mastering grade-level skills. These tests typically happen in the spring months and include computer-adaptive questions and performance tasks that assess critical thinking and problem-solving.
As SBAC season approaches, parents can play a helpful role in supporting their child’s confidence and readiness without turning the home into a test prep factory:
📖 Familiarize with the Format
Explore official SBAC practice and training tests together. Walking through the interface and question styles helps kids feel comfortable and reduces anxiety on test day.
🕰 Short, Regular Practice
Even brief, consistent sessions — like reading together daily or doing a couple of practice problems — can boost familiarity with skills and question wording used on the assessment.
🧠 Talk About Test Skills
Discuss general problem-solving strategies like how to break down a question, use evidence from a passage, or check work when done. Practicing these habits at home supports what students use during the SBAC.
😴 Prioritize Wellness
Make sure kids get plenty of sleep, eat balanced meals (especially a healthy breakfast on testing mornings), and have downtime to relax. A well-rested, calm student is in a better mindset to show what they know.
👍 Stay Positive
Remind your child that SBAC is one measure of learning — not something to stress over — and that doing their best is what matters most. Encouragement goes a long way toward building confidence.
With supportive routines at home and gentle encouragement, parents can help make the SBAC season a positive experience rather than a stressful one. Read our full guide to the SBAC here.