about Us
Rainshadow's History
"The idea is to get kids out of the school and into the world to get things done that are worth doing." Stephen Lafer, founder.
Rainshadow Community Charter High School offers an instructional program based on concepts developed by the school's founders, Dr. Stephen Tchudi and Dr. Stephen Lafer, both members of the faculty at the University of Nevada, Reno. Dr. Tchudi taught for many years in university's English department, serving as chairman of the department until his retirement in 2007. Dr. Lafer teaches in the College of education and specializes in English and secondary teacher education. The foundation for the Rainshadow plan is described in the book Tchudi and Lafer co-authored, The Interdisciplinary Teachers Handbook, published by Boynton-Cook in 1996, as well as several articles published over the years in various academic journals. Tchudi and Lafer also collaborated in developing and teaching of several university courses for teachers including the Truckee River Projects: Reading and Writing the West summer workshops that involve teachers from across the nation in localized interdisciplinary explorations to acquaint themselves with the powerful instructional methodologies that would later become the central element to the Rainshadow curriculum.
In 2001, Tchudi, Lafer, and Steve Adkison began to discuss the possibility of creating a school based on the interdisciplinary principles advocated in the writings and the Truckee River Project courses. The charter school movement had just begun, and the state of Nevada had two or three years before passed legislation would allow for the establishment of such schools. The three Steve's engaged in a number of discussions that evolved into the basic plan for the school. Tchudi and Lafer developed the first draft of a charter which, when submitted to the local school board, met with unexpected resistance. Discouraged, the effort to open a school was abandoned until Jerry Kerr, a student in English doctoral program at UNR, and the founder and current director of the Great Basin Institute, approached Lafer and strongly advocated for the resumption of the effort to create Rainshadow.
After two years of negotiations with the Washoe County School District and numerous drafts of the charter, the district and state officials gave permission to open the school. The charter was granted months before the school would open, and the frantic campaign to find students and the building for Rainshadow began. The school that the Washoe County School District had once deemed “Too innovative and too risky" would open its doors in the fall of 2003, at 434 Washington Street in downtown Reno.
This location has been central to the curriculum of the school because students have access to museums, big buildings, libraries, parks, and the Truckee River, and other amenities within walking distance. These amenities can be used to engage students in localized interdisciplinary learning and participation in the local community. The founders also saw the location as convenient to student population based in the inner city and accessible to students from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds. The Washington Street building seemed ideal, the edge of downtown, a few blocks from the Truckee River, and within walking distance and regional public transportation out.
Seed money for schools provided through a charter school startup grant made available by the state Department of Education. They gave Rainshadow $100,000 for its first year of operation and the second $100,000 for year two if the school survived. It did.
Stephen Lafer served as first chairperson of the original Rainshadow board of directors with Steven Tchudi in the role of board treasurer. A co-directorship for the school was established to cover the duties of the principal and the dean of students. Byllie Andrews and Robert Morgan served in those positions. Rainshadow was able to attract 79 students, grades 9 through 12, the majority of whom were classified by the school district as "at risk". The faculty and students struggled through their first year and at year’s end, the school had its first two graduates. It had also established the Rainshadow farm in raised beds made of railroad timbers, and a plastic and rebar hoop house in a corner of an RV storage lot, donated by the school's landlord. The farm raised enough produced to participate in local farmers’ market and to provide herbs and vegetables to a local French restaurant.
The onset of the 2004-2005 school year brought a turnover of faculty and the end of the co-directorship in favor of a single principal. Carol White became principal and immediately overhauled the school building, the school budget, and guided the development of a revised curriculum. Enrollment grew to 98 students, and the school population became more ethnically diverse. Three students graduated that year. An equestrian program was established with the help of the Reno rodeo foundation, and the first Rainshadow community art show and sale was held. By popular demand, the farming project continued through the summer. Productivity increased, and so did sales of produce and plants at a number of local farmers markets.
During 2005-2006 school year Stephen Tchudi took a very active role in the school as acting curriculum director, and as a member of the Rainshadow board of directors. Enrollment rose to 114 students, and activities and programs continued to grow and develop. The new drama program produced the school's first play, Johnny Latchkey's Picture-Perfect Life, written and directed by Jeremy Pantoja. A boy’s basketball team was established. Rain shadow received the grant to hire an academic advisor who provided students with academic support and helped to develop and coordinate student activities in the community. A "College Day" brought representatives of local colleges and universities to the Rainshadow campus to describe their school’s programs and the enrollment process. A financial aid seminar brought college representative to the school to help students understand and complete the FAFSA and other aid applications. A highly successful music and art show was held, and students visited Six Flags amusement park in Vallejo, California, to celebrate the year's end. Students were getting out into the community, and the community was coming into Rainshadow.
Rainshadow continued to grow and develop new programs for students. In the 2006-2007 school year, Rainshadow developed ties with Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada in a collaborative initiative with the Holland Project, a youth created program that provides educational, recreational, and entertainment opportunities for youth. The Holland alliance resulted in a number of cosponsored music and art fundraising events, including a hip-hop show featuring Rainshadow students and local musicians. The academic advisor developed an extensive service learning project matching students with local organizations and businesses including Humane Society, Habitat for Humanity, the Washoe County Library, and in nearby beauty salon. Rainshadow graduated 12 students, but lost its principal, Dr. Carol White, to a leadership position at another school. Stephen Tchudi became the proprietor of Turkey Tail Farm outside of Chico, California, and ended his tenure as curriculum coordinator and board chairperson.
In 2007-2008, a grant was obtained to bring in Project facilitators to support classes, and Dean of Students to provide disciplinary support, and a credit recovery program that allows credit deficient students opportunities to earn credit through an online program outside the school day. A new alliance was established with the Great Basin Institute that provided students an opportunity to participate in a Truckee River riparian restoration project and a rural land renewal project and Hungry Valley. Students at Rainshadow were involved in the production of Risky: A Multidisciplinary Performance that was shown at the Joe Crowley student union at UNR. Students were also involved in the production of Brundibar for Reno's art town. Rainshadow students also participated in performances at Studio on 4th Street: a hip-hop music show and a hard-core and punk show. These two shows featured Rainshadow students and teachers, and generated money for the Rainshadow prom, as well as other end-of-the-year events. Rainshadow's innovative curriculum has continued to grow, and features the development of documentary films as well as the investigation of local ecosystems.
At the end of the 2007-2008 school year, Dr. Steve West, the Dean of Students, was appointed interim principal after the Board of Directors elected not to renew the previous administrator’s contract. Steve Lafer returned to the school as an adviser and curriculum specialist, but is now involved as the Chairperson of the newly created board of the Rainshadow Educational Foundation. The Rainshadow school board appointed Steve West principal in July 2008.
The 2008-2009 school year began uneventfully; enrollment was capped at 125 and a waiting list was established. We completed accreditation with the NAAS and were approved for a new five year charter with WCSD. The school signed a lease for a new facility and plans to move in time to start the 2009-2010 school year. The new facility, 121 Vesta Street, has a full, commercial kitchen and bakery, and the plan is to develop a culinary arts program for the students, as well as serve meals. There will be a room for drama, music and art activities, fundraisers and more classroom space. The plan is to eventually enroll 200 students. Everyone is very excited about the many opportunities the new building brings to the school.
For the 2009-2010 school year, we moved late due to construction delays. Our enrollment was down to 118 at the beginning of the year, but went to 150 with a waiting list at second semester. We started a culinary arts program and began providing meals for all students. We became a closed campus, but obtained permission to operate four days a week to help students who work and cut commuting costs. All of our teachers signed on again and we added one teacher to expand math and English classes. We put solar on the roof and changed lights to upgarde and green our school. We now have full spectrum lighting in classrooms to help students and teachers do better work. We started a coffee shop open to the public and students and then a pizzeria to serve the public as well. Holland Project came in to provide entertainment for young people and we later added Impire Improv one night a week as well.
2010-2011 is off to agreat start, the school is full with a waiting list and we will update this later.
