Two LV charter schools weigh merger

Executive director for TEACH Las Vegas resigned this month

Two Las Vegas public charter schools — TEACH Las Vegas and Sage Collegiate — are exploring the possibility of a merger, but a decision hasn’t been made yet.

The topic arose during a Tuesday night school board meeting for TEACH Las Vegas.

It comes after TEACH Las Vegas’ Executive Director Andrea Moore resigned this month. Classes were abruptly canceled for a couple of days combined with a long weekend, and police were called to respond to two disturbances at the North Rancho Drive campus. A large number of students and teachers have left.

“Sage Collegiate is exploring the possibility of acquiring the TEACH Las Vegas campus and folding their school under our umbrella,” Sage Collegiate Board Chair Jennifer Braster said in a statement Wednesday. “Our team is doing its due diligence to assess the viability of this and have the benefits to all parties at the forefront of our minds.”

State law allows for campus mergers, the statement says, and “both schools are working with attorneys and the State Public Charter School Authority to determine if and how to proceed.”

Sage Collegiate Executive Director

Sandra Kinne said in the statement : “We want to ensure children at TEACH have a school at which to continue their education this year and want what is best for students and families at both campuses.”

TEACH officials didn’t respond to a Las Vegas Review-journal request for comment Wednesday.

The school, which opened in

2021, serves elementary and middle school students.

The school announced in a letter last week that it was considering “forming a close relationship” with another local charter school — which it didn’t name — and “possibly joining that school’s network.”

The Nevada State Public Charter School Authority said in a statement Wednesday that it will “continue to work closely with the school’s board and all involved parties to ensure the focus remains on mitigating the impact on students and families.”

Sage Collegiate, an independent school that opened in August 2022, has nearly 250 students in kindergarten through sixth grades at its campus on West Charleston Boulevard.

Kinne said Wednesday that nothing has been decided yet regarding a possible merger. That includes details such as whether TEACH

Las Vegas would keep its name and campus.

TEACH Las Vegas’ board passed a resolution Tuesday night to work with Sage Collegiate, she said, noting that Sage is working out some contracts with TEACH’S attorney.

TEACH’S charter management organization will support the school on a month-to-month basis, Kinne said.

A couple of Sage Collegiate staff members will go to TEACH Las Vegas on Monday to support on-theground work and operations, Kinne said.

Team members will assess the priorities for the campus and what has to happen more immediately, she said.

School board meeting

During Tuesday night’s school board meeting, TEACH Public Schools network CEO Raul Carranza thanked parents for their support and comments.

“We’re definitely taking note,” he said.

As of Tuesday morning, 218 children were in attendance in classes and 247 were enrolled, Carranza said.

The school previously had more than 400 students.