About

The Sierra-Plumas Joint Unified School District and Sierra County Office of Education serve all of Sierra County and the eastern quarter of Plumas County.  We have a five person Governing Board, each member of which represents a defined geographical area of the District.  As a single-district county, the District Governing Board serves as the Sierra County Office of Education Governing Board as well.

Sierra County lies northeast of Sacramento and borders the State of Nevada on the east. Located in the heart of the Northern Sierra Nevada Mountains, it contains one-half million acres of forestland, forty-five mountain lakes, and an estimated seven hundred miles of trout streams. The eastern quarter of Plumas County lies within the boundaries of the Sierra-Plumas Joint Unified School District, and children from the towns of Vinton, Chilcoot, and Beckwourth attend school in Loyalton.

 

Elevations within the District range from 2000 to nearly 9000 feet. Heavy snowfall and extreme temperatures are the general rule during the winter at the higher elevations. Eastern Sierra and Plumas county include the great Sierra Valley, once an ancient lakebed but is now the largest alpine valley in the Sierra Nevada range, a natural area for agriculture, timber production and mineral extraction operations. The western portion of Sierra County is heavily forested, has timber management areas, and contains both lode and placer gold mining operations. Gold was discovered here in 1849, and the area is rich in early California history. Recreational activities abound including fishing, mountain biking, hunting, skiing, hiking, camping, boating, and visits to points of historical interest.

We envision schools where all children succeed, where all children feel safe, and where their curiosity is cultivated. We provide an educational environment that encourages productive, responsible citizens. It is our goal to equip students with the tools to live and to contribute successfully in a rapidly changing world. Our schools offer a challenging, meaningful, and relevant curriculum that values creativity, critical thinking, and effective communication. Our students apply knowledge to new contexts and do so with honesty and integrity. Our students learn to appreciate beauty and care for the environment as well as each other and ultimately understand that their actions make a difference.