New 4-day week charter school opens in northwest Las Vegas valley
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – A new four-day charter school was approved by the state to open on August 5. Vegas Vista Academy is in the northwest Valley near Smoke Ranch and Decatur and focuses on smaller classes, community service, student wellness as well as dual language.
There’s something about empty hallways and empty chairs. This marks a new chapter, founder Dr. Benjamin Feinstein said.
“Vegas Vista Academy is opening in August,” Dr. Feinstein said.
The academy will be filled with students.
“There’s definitely a need, there are not a lot of charter schools in this part of town, and it is a high-need area,” he said. “We’re opening kindergarten through third grade, and we are eventually going to grow to K through 12.”
Dr. Feinstein said the campus is in the process of becoming an International Baccalaureate School.
“There are other IB schools in the state but there’s no IB kindergarten through 12th grade school that has the full curriculum,” Dr. Feinstein said.
“We know wellness is very important and teaching is a stressful job so with our focus on wellness, every Friday we are going to have a different wellness event for our teachers,” Dr. Feinstein said.
School safety is crucial for this campus and parents. Student pick-up and drop-off will be through one door with a security buzzer to let people in and out. There will be only two other emergency exits to the building.
Dr. Feinstein said finding a home for Vegas Vista Academy was not easy.
Executive Director of the Nevada State Public School Authority Melissa Mackdon says in the last five years, only one charter school has closed in Southern Nevada because of under-enrollment.
“We do see that new schools that are starting out in untraditional buildings are struggling to hit their enrollment metrics,” Mackedon said.
After months of looking, Dr. Feinstein was able to rent a church and start the school. Now, he wants to meet enrollment goals and hopes parents looking for certain academics give his school a chance.
Vegas Vista Academy starts on Aug. 5. The school is accepting students and hiring staff.
Dr. Feinstein said they have applied through SPCSA for a couple of grants for funding.
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