Principal Janice Henry gives a tour of Rainbow Dreams Early Learning Academy, a charter school for preschoolers and kindergartners, June 16, 2021.
Published Saturday, June 19, 2021 | 2 a.m.
Updated Saturday, June 19, 2021 | 3:41 p.m.
Kristen Guthrie’s favorite book to read to her kindergarten students is “If I Built a School” by Chris Van Dusen, a story about a boy who imagines building his dream school.
Rainbow Dreams Early Learning Academy doesn’t have a zoo or classrooms floating in glass pods like the boy fantasizes, but it’s a dream school for many preschool and kindergarten students, Guthrie said. It’s the only charter school in Clark County exclusively for preschool and kindergarten students.
“An entire building dedicated to those developmental years will give the kids a jump-start to be successful high school and college graduates,” said Guthrie, the academy’s lead kindergarten teacher.
“If we’re building those years into understanding reading and just getting kids excited about learning, they should have that with them for the rest of their lives,” Guthrie said.
The school is free for underprivileged children in West Las Vegas, and about 80% of the students are Black, Rainbow Dreams Principal Janice Henry said.
The school previously served children through the eighth grade, but founder Diane Pollard said she noticed a greater need for early childhood education. There were a few preschools nearby, but they had waiting lists to enroll, she said.
“Every parent who wants their kid to be a part of pre-K should be able to find one in their neighborhood,” Pollard said.
So, Rainbow Dreams Early Learning Academy on Lake Mead Boulevard, across from West Las Vegas Library, was remodeled last year.
Cabinets, sinks, water fountains and toilets were lowered for smaller children. Miniature tables and chairs fill eight preschool and seven kindergarten classrooms, and whiteboards meet children at eye level.
“Everything is kid-sized and appropriate, and that is important and refreshing at a school,” Guthrie said. “I love the setup. I love the bright colors, all of the furniture matches the walls. It’s the perfect level of stimulation.”
Hanging from the ceiling in one classroom is a model of a plane flown by the U.S. Army’s squad of Black pilots who fought in World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen. Hallways are decorated with colorful symbols of the seven principles of the African American cultural celebration of Kwanzaa — unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.
“It’s like that constant reminder that this is what we’re built upon,” said Jasmine Boone, a preschool teacher at the academy.
Twenty-six kindergarten students graduated from the academy last month and received customized African bracelets with their names engraved on them. The school’s philanthropic arm, Rainbow Dreams Educational Foundation, donated bicycles and helmets to each graduate “so they can ride off to first grade,” Henry said.
“We wanted to give them a piece of the school to take with them,” she said.
During the pandemic, the academy conducted classes online and later under a hybrid model of two days in the classroom and three online. In August, students will return to the classroom full time.
Children must be 4 years old to register for preschool and 5 for kindergarten.
Students get free breakfast and lunch through the Clark County School District. They also receive free uniforms, which include collared shirts with the Rainbow Dreams logo, and plaid skirts and dresses for girls.
Students learn letters, shapes, seasons and days of the week. The academy also offers Spanish and sign language, and shelves in every classroom have bilingual books.
Rainbow Dreams tries to engage parents in their children’s learning by inviting them to family-friendly events.
The Rainbow Dreams Educational Foundation will mark Juneteenth, a day recognizing freedom from slavery, with a celebration open to the public from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Doolittle Community Center at 1950 J St.
People can buy a Juneteenth T-shirt and support the foundation at June19LV.com.
