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The Tahoe Truckee Unified School District (TTUSD) provides challenging and engaging learning opportunities in order for our children to thrive. Graduates from TTUSD go on to impressive colleges and lifetime success. There are also many private and charter schools that are redefining education with forward thinking educational design. Or academies that balance aspiring skiers or snowboarders with education. Higher education is also possible right here in Truckee at the Sierra College Tahoe-Truckee campus.
Truckee values education. The support that Truckee students receive from the community through educational foundations and businesses, the public early education programs, and the passing of the school facilities bond in 2014 show that Truckee thinks that quality education leads to a big life.
Truckee schools provide choices. Tahoe Truckee Unified School District schools have a variety of innovative educational options with different focus areas. Private and charter schools provide even more alternatives. Sierra College in Truckee and Sierra Nevada College in Incline Village offer continuing education programs as well as advanced courses that high school students may take. TTUSD students may receive dual credit (both for high school and college) for Sierra College courses.
TTUSD schools offer a variety of progressive learning environments well suited to serve the students of our community. At TTUSD our goal is to provide ”Pathways to Possibilities and Student Success.” Students are at the forefront of all decision making. Unique environmental education opportunities abound in our beautiful Tahoe Truckee community.
Our district encompasses more than 720 square miles serving California’s Nevada, Placer, and El Dorado counties. We have the lowest district-wide class size ratios in Placer County and serve just over 4,000 students in our schools in the following grades:
Donner Trail Elementary (K-5)
Glenshire Elementary (K-5)
Kings Beach Elementary (K-4)
Tahoe Lake Elementary (K-4)
Truckee Elementary (K-5)
North Tahoe School (5-8)
Alder Creek Middle School (6-8)
Coldstream Alternative (6-12)
North Tahoe High School (9-12)
Truckee High School (9-12)
Sierra Continuation High School (9-12)
Sierra Expeditionary Learning School (TTUSD Charter School – K-8)
TTUSD schools enjoy tremendous support from our community. An example of this is our recognition as an ”All-America City” by the National Civic League recognizing a community-wide collaboration to dramatically increase the number of students reading at grade level by the end of third grade.
In high school, students are able to customize their schedules with independent study and classes at Sierra College to support their interests and goals. TTUSD offers many extracurricular opportunities, from athletics, to clubs and the arts.
Please see TTUSD’s member page for more–photos, video, map and contact information.
Carmen Ghysels joined the TTUSD team in August 2020. Carmen is an educational leader with 35+ years of experience serving students in multiple capacities including as a special education teacher, an ESL teacher, a migrant student teacher, a teacher at both middle and high schools, a technology director, as principal, special education director, and most recently as Deputy Superintendent.
Ms. Ghysels is thrilled to serve our community as the Superintendent Chief Learning Officer at TTUSD. She and her family love Tahoe and have a home in Kings Beach. When she’s not working, Carmen enjoys spending time with her family and young grandchildren. She likes to hike, read, and cook, and she loves music. In fact, she’s an avid listener and consumer of music in all forms and has become dubbed DJ Carm because she loves to make playlists for family and friends.
Carmen strongly believes that all students can learn and thrive and wants to meet them where they are at, and enrich their educational experience. Seeing students succeed gives her great joy. In her leadership role, she finds supporting and nurturing fellow educators incredibly rewarding. She loves being a mentor and helping others be the best they can be so they can leave a lasting legacy.
Conveniently situated less than one minute from Highway 80 and a short walk from historic Truckee, Sierra College, Tahoe-Truckee is a higher education gem within the community. With small class sizes, award winning faculty and affordable tuition, the Tahoe-Truckee exemplifies the value and flexibility of community college.
The Tahoe-Truckee campus serves students in Truckee and its outlying areas including Tahoe City, Kings Beach, and the west shore of Lake Tahoe. In addition the campus is designed to serve a student body of approximately 1,000, delivering quality education including general education courses – many attend with the goal of transferring to CSU, UC, or private schools as well as career and technical education and enrichment courses. Signature programs include Accounting, Business Administration, Mechatronics, Natural Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Psychology, and Transfer Programs. Growing and emerging programs include Administration of Justice. Career and technical education (CTE) programs include Accounting, Applied Art and Design, Business, Drafting, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Human Development, Photography and Mechatronics.
Sierra College, Tahoe-Truckee students enjoy the advantages of learning through involvement with local community organizations through internships, tours and guest speakers. Active student organizations offering leadership opportunities include a Business Club, Outdoor Adventure Club and Mindfulness Club, among others.
Community events include an annual career / job fair in October and Sierra College Insights, a monthly Friday evening program offered during fall and spring semesters. These events are open to the entire community and offered at no cost.
Current local high school students enroll in classes for just one dollar per unit and standard tuition is $46 per unit. The majority of students qualify for financial aid.
Student services include a learning resource library, tutoring, academic counseling, administration and faculty office hours. In the interest of public health Sierra Joint Community College District is a smoke-free and tobacco-free District.
Current students may schedule Academic and Personal counseling appointments by calling 530-550-2225
The most up to date campus news is accessible on Facebook.
