Our School
About Us
Sierra Expeditionary Learning School (SELS) is a K-8 public charter school that opened in the fall of 2010 in Truckee, CA.
SELS was founded by a group of local parents who were seeking an alternative public education option in the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District. Through their grass-roots efforts, SELS opened in 2010 as an Expeditionary Learning (now EL Education) school, a complementary program to district educational models. This commitment led to the Truckee Tahoe community having access to a progressive and highly successful program.
SELS believes in educating the whole child, attending to not only academics but also character, physical and emotional wellbeing, and service to the community. Our mission is to inspire a diverse group of learners to achieve academic excellence and develop a strong sense of character and community.
SELS currently serves 215 students and has received numerous distinctions:
2016 – EL Education Credentialed School, indicating high model implementation and excellence
2017 – EL Education Mentor School, helping newer programs implement the educational model
2017 – National Blue Ribbon School
2023 – California Distinguished School
From 2016 – 2025, SELS has on five occasions hosted educators from around the country to spend several days on campus for professional learning.
Our Vision
Our Vision: An Education for the 21st Century
We recognize that the world is rapidly changing. The 21st century will require us to think differently and not just adapt, but also transform. As we increase our understanding of human intelligence and behavior, we know more about how we can learn effectively, and the value of learning throughout life. Sierra Expeditionary Learning School’s goals are to awaken a love of learning in young people, and to give them the ability and desire to carry on learning throughout life. We recognize that an educated person in the 21st century needs to be literate, competent in the core academic disciplines as outlined in the California State Standards, and a reflective lifelong learner. An educated person needs to have a strong sense of self and realization of his or her own gifts and talents, and a collection of skills to support one’s goals. We help our students cultivate the following capacities:
- Creativity – think creatively, work creatively with others and implement innovations
- Critical Thinking – reason effectively, use systems thinking, analyze and solve problems
- Communication – communicate clearly and collaborate with others
- Adaptability – ability to change and be flexible
- Initiative – manage goals and time, work independently, and be self-directed learners
- Accountability – prioritize, set and meet goals, and achieve results
- Leadership – guide, lead others, and be responsible to others
- Information – accessing and applying information technology effectively
- Service – recognition we need to be engaged community members and citizens
At Sierra Expeditionary Learning School, we are committed to ensuring all of our students acquire these abilities so they are able to thrive in a changing world and be a contributor to the community. We place a strong emphasis on the relationship between the school and the home, recognizing the critical role of families in fostering children’s education. We see ourselves as allies of the family, mentoring and supporting parent’s efforts to guide the intellectual and emotional development of their children. When afforded respect, fairness, kindness, discipline, and appropriate instruction, we believe every child is capable of achieving his or her potential to the fullest.
Our Philosophy
We believe learning best occurs in a safe yet stimulating environment, where challenge and support help children discover their abilities, values, and passions. Our learning program is built on the belief that, given appropriately nourishing experiences, all children can learn, but not in the same way, nor equally well from the same sources. We believe that all learners possess an innate and unique creativity that can be developed given the appropriate environment, allowing for self-expression and the thrill of exploration. To accommodate the individuality of learners and to evolve as our community and the world around us changes, we maintain a program that is flexible and adaptable.
We believe that a sustained love of discovery is the foundation of lifelong learning. The creativity and enthusiasm for discovery that is natural in young children is nurtured and expanded throughout the educational experience. Real learning takes place when community connections allow active participants make personal connections to the skills and knowledge available to them.
Motivation is the key to building this connected learning. The root of motivation is linking new skills and knowledge with personal interests and needs. Students are challenged, taught as individuals, learn about historical and contemporary world problems in a safe, kind environment, and develop the tools necessary to shape and improve the world of tomorrow.
Our School
Support Us
SELS greatly appreciates and relies on donations and family contributions to run our programs and fieldwork. Our general/expedition donations provide support for 1) our extensive fieldwork and 2) on-campus programming and materials.