SELS was founded by a group of local parents and residents who desired to see an alternative public education option in Truckee. The goal was to complement the current educational models in the community and provide an alternative option for students and teachers. The founders were a diverse group of volunteers that were organized and highly motivated to turning a grass-roots effort into a reality. They were committed to bringing a progressive and successful educational experience to the Tahoe Truckee community.

For more details on SELS’ history, check out our EL Credentialing pages.

The founders’ group consisted of:

Elizabeth Bell, Kim Bradley, Anna Demm, Kerri Flaherty, Carolyn Gallagher, Dana Mudd, Jill Penwarden, Alison Schwedner, Erica Stein, Angelica Stone, Melissa Williams, Jen Wilkin, SunMie Won, and Cristina Wooley.

Sierra Expeditionary Learning School (SELS) is a public charter school that opened in the fall of 2010 in Truckee, CA. 

Our History:

January – March 2009 Local Truckee/Tahoe families gathered to begin looking at education alternatives for the community and decided to start a charter school.

May 2009 More than 30 Tahoe/Truckee parents meet to brainstorm ideas for the vision of the school.

June – September 2009 Different educational styles and curriculum were researched. The parent group decided the EL Education curriculum model best fit their vision.

November 2009 After meetings about education alternatives and dividing up responsibilities, the charter school group was established as 14 founding parents with a unified vision for a school.

December 2009 The committee wrote a Sierra Expeditionary Learning School charter petition.

February 2010 The Charter Petition is presented to TTUSD Board Trustees at a public meeting.

March 2010 TTUSD Board Trustees voted unanimously to approve the SELS charter.

April 2010 Public information nights and public lottery meetings are held to determine admission.

May 2010 Hiring committee selects David Manahan as Director of SELS and staff interviews begin.

June – August 2010 The school community comes together to fix up portables and build a playscape at the facility.

July 2010 Founding teachers are hired. Staff participates in EL Primary Institute, an intensive, week-long, professional development institute.

August 2010 Sierra Expeditionary Learning School opens its doors, serving 63 students in grades K-5

December 2010 Families come together and celebrate learning for our first Gratitude Night. Classroom doors open for our first Celebration of Learning, a community openhouse and showcase of student work.

February 2011 Charter amendments are approved, allowing SELS to expand from 136 to about 200 students (when the school reaches capacity) and serve a full K-8 grade spectrum.

April 2011 SELS is awarded a federal public charter school grant of $575,000.

May 2011 New staff is hired for 2011-2012 academic year.

June 2011 Passage Portfolios are presented, the assessment panel includes community members. Celebration of Learning and the Passage Ceremony are capstones for the first year.

August 2011 SELS begins its second school year, serving 112 students, grades K-6.

November 2011 Sierra Expeditionary Learning School students participate in the Family Resource Center’s Dia de Los Muertos celebration with several performances. SELS students are featured in the Sierra Sun.

December 2011 The second annual Gratitude Dinner. Celebration of Learning features Transcontinental Railroad chautauquas, a Gold Rush musical, the preview of an original documentary film on geology, and rich classroom tour full of high quality products and dense portfolios.

August 2012 SELS begins its third school year, serving grades K-7.

Summer 2013 The Capital Campaign expansion to our campus is completed over summer break. Three new modular classrooms are installed for middle school grades and the elementary quad is consolidated. The office and library move to the front of campus.

August 2013 SELS begins its fourth school year, serving grades K-8.

SELS currently serves 212 students and in the short span of five years, became an EL Education Credentialed School, indicating high performance status.