If I had to choose again, I definitely wouldn't choose Challenger. My 3 1/2-year-old daughter cried for four months at Challenger. In the beginning I thought it was my daughter's problem -- she just didn't want to leave me. But after talking with the headmaster, I suddenly realized: it wasn't my daughter's issue -- it was their teaching philosophy. 1. They believed my daughter couldn't control her emotions, and they expected her to -- but she's only three, her brain isn't developed for that yet. Expecting a three-year-old to "control her emotions" is like expecting a one-year-old to control her bladder -- it's a physiological development issue. And the headmaster should know that. 2. My daughter didn't know any English when we first enrolled her. Within four months she could understand all the teacher's instructions and even speak short sentences. Yet the headmaster still said she wasn't speaking "long sentences." As an early-childhood educator, she failed to recognize this progress in a child entering a completely foreign environment. 3.Once she cried so badly that the headmaster came over to comfort her, but my daughter refused to talk to the headmaster and threw herself into the arms of her teacher. The headmaster concluded that my daughter lacked the normal ability to communicate. But my daughter had only met the headmaster twice -- she was basically a stranger to her -- so when she was sobbing, she rejected the stranger and ran to the teacher she knew. To me, that is a completely normal reaction -- yet in the headmaster's eyes, it meant my daughter "couldn't communicate properly." 4.The headmaster claimed my daughter would cry loudly, scream, and stomp her feet in class. But from a very young age she never behaved that way; even in the first two months at Challenger she only cried quietly out of fear -- never screamed or stomped. Only after being moved to a different class and failing to adapt to the new teacher's methods did she show those intense reactions. She was using her own way to cry out for help -- yet the headmaster and teachers didn't see it. At home she also became moody and unreasonable. Because of what the headmaster said, we decided to withdraw her. We enrolled her in a new school, and I was worried she might not adapt -- new environment, new teachers, new friends. But after only a few scattered days of crying, she quickly grew to love school! In talks with her new teacher, I, as a parent, deeply felt the teacher's love for children, her understanding and acceptance. She treated my daughter like a child -- a real child. That's why my daughter was able to feel safe and confident so fast. Now she's been at the new school for three months, and every day she's very happy -- her English communication is no problem at all. This has only strengthened my conviction: my daughter was never the problem -- it was Challenger's teaching philosophy. read more

This is an amazing school. My 3 kids love it. They are learning to think critically and write persuasively. There are not enough superlatives to describe this school and its curriculum. It's well worth every dollar. read more

um, I graduated from this school a few years ago Not going to lie, I hated this school, and I was a decent student stuff like that (didn't fail anything). I hated the headmaster because she talked down on us a lot and acted like we weren't capable of making our own choices but then she expected us to act like fully grown perfect adults if you know what that means. The teachers aren't really trained or have degrees- I go to school in CCSD now and all the teachers have degrees in some sort of field- it seems they just are teaching for the free tuition. Ms Johnson (headmaster) also really favored some people that im pretty sure she rigged some things in there favor (her son I heard was a huge bully when I was there) like rigging them onto student council. I got bullied by some of the people she favored (they made fun of my weight, race, etc) also they really normalized racial slurs (we only had a group of asians and white people in our grade so like it was normalized for my peers to make jokes about other races) Also they really forced the idea of "capitalism is so wonderful" on us and then they tried convincing us billionaires are so good and stuff, also they wanted to spread like republican ideals onto us? They told us we didn't deserve free education or have free healthcare etc. We had a huge lack of extracurriculars, our science olympiad team was horrible, also the only good teachers were Mr. Ashley and Ms. Orea. Also it was sooooo expensive my sibling's tuition plus my own was around 40 grand, not worth it for the price at all. Also they made us see things only one sided, like in debates it seemed like we could only win if we on the "good" side which was horrible for education. Ooh wait they also really tried forcing us to go to Bishop Gorman High School because I heard that challenger gets a little of the profit if we go there (which is around 15 grand per kid a year) Also we were taught little about other areas as well as other cultures around the world; I couldn't name most countries in Africa or Asia- and then my classmates would make fun of other cultures. Overall a horrible experience and I do not wish it upon anyone. (btw i went from preschool all the way to 8th grade) Do not come here if you want ur child to have education! xoxo read more

Challenger School - Summerlin pushes children far beyond what is developmentally appropriate and ignores the emotional and physical fallout that comes with that kind of pressure. Our kindergartner is not a struggling student -- she reads independently and does double-digit math -- yet Challenger labeled her as "not grasping the curriculum" and brought up academic probation at five years old. If a school is talking about probation for a kindergartner, that tells you everything about their priorities. The emotional damage was worse than the academics. Our daughter started crying before school, begging to stay home, asking to be homeschooled, and grinding her teeth at night. Teeth grinding is not "not liking school" -- it's a physical stress response. Challenger's environment caused it, and that alone was enough for us to pull her out. There is zero meaningful attention given to mental health, emotional safety, or developmental readiness. The school's philosophy is simple: keep up with the accelerated pace or get labeled. The burden is put on the child, not the system. If your child happens to be a fast-processing, pressure-proof robot who thrives on drilling and compliance, maybe this works. For most actual five-year-olds, it's harmful. Challenger confuses acceleration with excellence. There's nothing excellent about creating anxiety and physical stress symptoms in a kindergartner. We withdrew for one reason: no academic program is worth destroying a child's confidence or nervous system. Parents need to stop pretending pressure is rigor. It's not. It's negligence disguised as "high expectations." No child deserves to pay 20k for an environment that sacrifices mental health and developmental appropriateness for the sake of pacing. read more

If you love your children, please don't send them here. * Teachers do not comfort children when they are crying. * My daughter had a fever of 100°F during the school day, and the teacher didn't even notice. * My 3.5-year-old developed emotional and mental health struggles while attending this school. * The school consistently shows a lack of empathy toward both children and parents. * There is a serious lack of communication. Parents receive no weekly or monthly updates to know what their child is doing at school. * Ms Johnson is skilled at giving polished answers to parents, but not at solving problems. * Learning here feels robotic and outdated. In an era where our children will grow up alongside AI, this school shows no sign of adapting to the future. We transferred to another school. Only 2 weeks so far, my daughter's mental health issues seem to be fading away. She looks happy again, and having fun in new school. So glad we left Challenger summerlin campus, especially this campus. No wonder why this campus gets the lowest ratings in the Las Vegas area. read more

We have 3 children in Challenger School and we have gone since the beginning of Preschool- my oldest is now in 6th grade. We plan to put all of our children here until 8th grade is over. Our kids are learning way ahead of any of their peers and even with the challenging work they are having fun. The things that they learn are surprising to me, as I know I learned some of the things way later in public school. If you follow rules there will be better success, when you try to make it your own way- I feel like that is when people report having a bad experience. Yes, it is challenging- thus the name, but it's not anything to outrageous. My kids come home, get their homework done independently and then go on to play and do their after school sports. With all schools there are ups and downs, but we have had great teachers and everyone at the school knows everyones name- I personally love that. I feel safe going there as well, as there is a big police academy right down the road, and they have security now as well. I feel we have well rounded children who will be able to take on future schooling thanks to the help of challenger school curriculum. read more

Ms Kelly the headmaster is truly dedicated to making the challenger experience a positive and rewarding experience. My daughter went from pre school to th the 5 th grade at Durango. read more

This prestigious school used to be something worth the money for. But the increase in expected tuition does not match its effects on the students attending. First of all, though the students do score better than most of America, the system is archaic and on top of that, the students have to work more then they need to just to acquire a letter grade. This establishment needs to upgrade to the current times, and possibly assist students instead of making them feel stressed about their enrollment if they score lower than a B- on a class. Please fix your curriculum! read more

As long time customers, unfortunately this school is no longer a good fit for our family and we will go elsewhere. Some of the best employees have left, and the quality of the education has declined. Many of the teachers that still work there seem unhappy, and I can't blame them. Management seems more interested in putting as many kiddos as possible into classrooms instead of providing a great experience for them. This has led to behavior issues in our kids' classes, overworked teachers, and less learning. Apparently top managers are now rewarded based on how much enrollment they have rather than on the education they deliver. Trying to talk to administration about concerns falls on deaf ears and has been extremely frustrating. Tuition has become ridiculous for what you get. As much as we used to love Challenger, it just seems like a different school over the last 4-5 years. read more

Love the school. All the faculty members are pleasant & super friendly. My kids went for Pre 3. Challenger gave them a great foundation learning how to read and write. Both my kids loved Summerlin Challenger. Whenever I use to go pick them up they would ask me to come back later, they didn't want to leave school just yet. On the weekends they would ask if they can go to school. My kids love to learn and is always happy to go to school. I never had a bad encounter with any of the faculty members. Rude & disrespectful parents, yes, but never with the faculty. Most parents are in a rush to drop their kids off in the morning. Some may stop and say Hi but the rest are in a rush to work etc and you can see their impatience. My kids never had any problems at the school. The response time from the school was a couple of hours not days. The curriculum they had was advanced and my kids were challenged. Their minds were simulated and engaged in school activities. I was able to have access to everything they were doing broken down hour by hour. Having online access to their worksheets and learning tools was very helpful and helped keep me organized. All in all we all love Challenger - it really is an advanced learning institution for young minds. read more

Challenger School - Summerlin - Pre 3 They drew the picture, painted and cut it themselves. - Elementary Schools Near Me - Las Vegas, Nevada

My daughter is on her second year at Challenger. She loves the school, loves her teachers, and has made many good friends. Communication is great. Scheduling something with a teacher has never been an issue for me. I have been kept well informed about everything going on with my daughter. I see my daughters teacher everyday as she works the car line. She always approaches my car if their is anything I need to be informed about. Most importantly my daughter is thriving. She is so ahead of her peers in other schools. Challenger definitely has a no nonsense approach to teaching. But its in a fun, productive, age appropriate way. Every holiday the school goes all out. Teachers dress up in holiday themed clothing or as characters. The school is very festive/traditional. I love that my daughter is taught about what America is and stands for early on. I love all the programs the kids put on and the after school programs available to her. Parents become well aquatinted and we attend every birthday party and spend time together socially. Which is something I did not experience while my son was growing up and in public school. Now days where children rarely play outside its nice to have such a tight nit community of parents to have play dates with. Overall my experience has been top notch thus far with Challenger school and I would recommend it. This location in particular is right next to the police academy which gives me a sense of security for the school. Challenger isn't a good fit for every child. And I do recommend started them there in preschool. Their curriculum is a bit advanced and placement many not be what you expect. They wont displace your child. Which is a good thing. I am satisfied with the level of education my daughter is receiving and plan on keeping her at this school. :) read more

DEATH THREAT MADE TOWARDS MY SON AND CHALLENGER NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT IT! I was really conflicted about writing this review, as educationally Challenger is a top notch school. My oldest went to Challenger from K to 6th grade and my youngest from pre-k to 6th grade. However my recent interactions with Challenger's corporate office, forced me to write this review. Last year (6th grade), a fellow classmate (herein referred to as boy) made a death threat towards my son and two of his friends. The threat was made using the Discord app. The boy was making the statements in his own Discord chatroom. Eventually the boy shared the chatroom message with another child and that's how it became known to one parent. The boy eventually also brought a pocket knife to school (I'm not sure about the timing). Challenger contacted the boy's mom and immediately had her come to the school. They did not tell the mom what the meeting was about. They just asked her questions as she sat and could see her son was borderline in tears. Challenger asked her to come back the next day. The next day they told the mom what had happened. The boy was expelled. (Imagine the anxiety the mom felt when Challenger waited a whole day to explain what happened) Challenger then contacted me and told me there was something written about my son on the internet. They did not tell me who wrote it or what was written. I replied, I know who wrote it, I just want to know what was written. Was it something serious? Something I should be concerned about it? I even asked the principal, as a parent wouldn't you want to know? My son could see the boy someplace and they could even agree to meet up. I need to know if my son is in danger or if there is anything else. I was told my son is safe but for privacy reasons they could not tell me what was written. I assumed it might have been some sort of racist comment or something like that. Recently I found out from my son what was written. Needless to say, I was furious Challenger had not told me that a death threat was written about my son and two other boys. I asked my son why he didn't tell me sooner and he told me he was afraid he would in trouble. I also asked if he was afraid at the time he found out about the threat and of course he said yes. My son was 11 when he found out. I was heartbroken to find out he dealt with this alone. I then contacted the boy's mom and told her I was not upset at her or the boy, but at how Challenger handled the situation. That's when she explained how Challenger informed her. I then reached out to Challenger corporate to get an explanation of why I was not told about the threat. I spoke with an operations manager and an attorney. The operations manager was more understanding of my feelings. They attorney's tone however was not understanding at all and he sounded annoyed and condescending. During the discussion I asked him, "Wouldn't you want to know if a death threat was made towards your child?" His response was "that's not the issue". I even told him what my son went through alone and this attorney had no words to say. Didn't even say, I'm sorry your son went through that alone. The conversation ended when I told him I wanted an apology and for Challenger to change their policy. Every parent has a right to know about their child. He said no and was firm in his stance. read more

My son and I are relocating from Ohio to the Summerlin area in Las Vegas. I contacted Challenger School in Summerlin to schedule a tour of the school and to obtain more information regarding potentially enrolling my son in the 8th grade. We arrived and the headmaster Itzel Siu-Johnson lead the tour of the school. From the onset of the tour, she was not welcoming. She lead the tour with an emphasis on the specific curriculum that was designed specifically for all Challenger schools. She discussed all grade levels and the curriculum and the way they are constructed to build upon each grade level but did not attempt to explain the academic process for transfer students who have not attended their school since Pre-School nor the eighth-grade curriculum. She was very condescending in her communication with us. The school is not diverse, which is particularly important to me when I am looking into schools for my son as we are African American. There wasn't any representation present during our visit. Itzel Siu-Johnson used higher intellect words to describe the various academic structure. I would add that I have my PhD and I still do not think it is necessary to use higher intellect words to the extent that she utilized throughout the full tour to communicate with us. At the end of the tour, Challenger School in Summerlin collects a $25 fee to assess your child. Itzel Siu-Johnson completed my son's assessment. My son suffers from anxiety as well, which the assessment itself caused him a great deal of anxiety and ultimately did not test well. In Ohio, he is in one of the top school districts and in honors courses. When I met with Itzel Siu- Johnson she told me he tested well below, based on their curriculum, and proceeded to be even more condescending making statements such as my son could attend "Las Vegas public schools which ranks 50th in all school districts and be placed in remedial classes or even be classified as an honors student based on their standards" My recommendations to parents looking into Challenger School are: 1) if your child does not start at Challenger schools from Pre-school or early elementary, do not waste your time. The curriculum is only designed for children who are learners from Pre-school and beyond 2) If your child suffers from anxiety do not attempt to place your child in this school. They do not care about your child's mental health wellbeing and how it may affect their educational development. Their only focus is the children academically succeeding but not their mental health. As a mental health professional, this is not a good environment to support your child through their vital years of development. 3) If you are looking for diversity this is not the school. After the tour and assessment, my son is still impacted by the way he was treated. Later in the same day we toured another private school in the Summerlin area and were treated with the utmost respect. Their program and the academic program were remarkably diverse and offered various areas of focus to encourage your child to grow personally, socially, and academically in a supportive, understanding, and kind environment. They even focused on the students' personal and mental wellbeing along with a top-rated academic program. We decided on my son attending this private school. Challenger School in Summerlin was not a pleasant experience and I would not recommend any children transferring from another state to tour this school. Their curriculum is only designed for Challenger Schools and does not align with other strategies for teaching. read more

I am so happy with this school, my child is learning a lot, this is my best decision. read more

Challenger School - Summerlin - My daughter loves challenges school - Elementary Schools Near Me - Las Vegas, Nevada

My daughter has attended challenger school since Kindergarten- she is in 5th grade now. I can't say enough good things about this school, the curriculum, and the level of education here. This is a HARD school, and no all kids can manage it - but those who can are given the tools to become extremely successful in life. I've seen critical reviews of the school, but reading the issues, it seems to be that they come from parents who don't push their kids to be the best they can be. If you want your child to have the best education possible, be challenged, understand that hard work is a requirement for success, be recognized for achievements above and beyond, and be surrounded by high achieving peers / this is the right place to be. read more

We brought our son to this school, mid-session, after a severely disappointing experience at Springstone Montessori. It has been about a month now, and he is absolutely flourishing. Our son has only ever been in a Montessori environment, and I was worried about the change- our son has taken to the academic approach better than we ever could have hoped. He absolutely loves going here. We had screaming/crying drop-offs at Montessori, along with occasional acting out, etc. At Challenger, we drop him off and he is EAGER to go to class. When we pick him up, he doesn't want to leave- even if it's a late day! He is also learning soooo much, and the level of material they are covering, has him at a level of engagement he simply was not achieving at Montessori. In fact, before we left, his teacher had told me, he would often wander off during circle time. That does not happen here, and I think it's because he needed to be challenged with a higher level of academics and high volume of curriculum each day. We are very pleased with what we have seen, and while it has taken some adapting to.. the adaptation has mostly been on the parent-side rather than our son's. :) read more

I will say, this place definitely TEACHES. :-) In a good way! My son was suppose to go to Kindergarten for Public School as he had previously attended Children's Learning Adventure. This school said he didn't pass his assessment test to attend Kindergarten so he had to repeat Pre-Kindergarten. I was at first a little upset because he had to repeat the year and felt like he wasn't good enough. They assured me that he would be learning what typical kindergarten classes would learn and if not, more. So, I decided to enroll both my 5 year old son and my 3 year old daughter. (Pre-K 3's Preschool for daughter) Soon enough, I saw a huge difference with my son since he's repeating a year the difference at Challenger Pre-K vs. a Regular Day Care Pre-K (Children's Learning Adventure was where he attended since he was a baby) Quickly he learned how to READ & write 3-4 letter words. My daughter at 3, within a few months also knows all her alphabets. They also LOVE to come to school and enjoy it so much more than their previous school. I I'm very satisfied!! ** UPDATE June 19, 2017: Both Kids are in Challenger still. Son will be going into 1st Grade and my daughter will be going to Kindergarten. My son now is learning addition, subtraction, and we love the progress he's making! He's not complaining and they are both want to keep coming back! read more

Truly this is the best school ever! My 3 year old daughter started school back in 2013. She knew all her alphabet and sounds after 3 moths. By the end of the year my daughter was able to read four letter words. This will be her third year at Challenger and she has improved in all the subjects. I have nothing, but praises for this school. My 2nd daughter started this year. She earned her alphabet crown in November as well. So far, she is on track. I can not wait to see how the end of year ends. Every time she comes home, she can not stop talking about what she learned in class. I am glad that we made the choice of enrolling both of our daughters in this school. Thank you Challenger for everything!!! read more

Challenger School - Summerlin - Christmas presentation - Elementary Schools Near Me - Las Vegas, Nevada

On May 24th 2021, it was the preschool Spring Showcase and was invited to attend as a guest. The kids from Room 313 under Miss Christa and Wendy gave a delightful performance. They had to memorize 10 short performances starting with What is more America -reminding us what makes us American through Its a Small World after all. The fascinating and surprise was when each kid announce which original country they were from. Of the 30+ students at least 15 countries were mentioned thereby, proving the USA is really a melting pot. The program was very inclusive and covered a slew of other Mexican Hat dance, Sho Jo Ji to Blending Polka. The kids were all excited to show off what they learnt during covid and of the course the loudest applause was from parents n guests. I dont have any children attending Challenger Summerlin however listening to this performance, the kids are learning at higher level compared to public school. The kids come across being happy and lots of smiles so this environment is very conducive to their education as well as personal growth. Thank Miss Christa and Wendy for all your teaching, caring, guidance to these precious kids. Enjoyed the Spring Showcase and hope this tradition will continue. It was brilliant marketing and promotion when the last performance was when the kids listed all the fun and good programs where they proudly claimed - Challenger, That's My School !!! read more

Moving to Las Vegas 4 years ago brought many hurdles for us but the best thing that could have happened was finding Challenger school. It was the best foundation for my son in so many ways. I can't deny also myself. I've always loved everything about it and am devastated we are not able to attend anymore. You really don't realize everything they do until dealing with the public school district for just one week. It's absolutely devastating. Challenger is worth every penny and once you have been there no place else will be able to live up to there standards read more

Preschool was valuable for my son but after that it becomes very clear the administration is incompetent in educating and working with growing children. It may be fine if you're trying to raise a brainwashed child but for intelligent children who like to question why things are done this is not the place for them. read more

I went to Challenger for Pre-K to 3rd grade. It offered a valuable education but the emotional issues my peers and I sustained is just 100% not worth it. The parents would talk at outside events and the consensus was clear: This school was just unhealthy. Many kids, including myself, suffered stress induced meltdowns at home because of the strenuous work load. They made it very clear you would have no time for outside activities and they did not lie. Pre-K was awesome and so was kindergarten. First grade was ok but second grade was when things really started going down hill. The education is top their but it will be at your child's expense. I have had to go to therapy for the stress sustained at this school. In my opinion this is too young an age to be subjecting your children to education this severe and unrelenting. If you want you kid to sleep, breathe, and eat school and base all their value on it, this is the place for you, but from my experience this decision will come back to haunt you and your children. If you want your kid to have a childhood built on anything other than school this is not the one for you. This is just plain unhealthy. You may see academic benefits in the short-term, but you may be robbing your kid of a childhood in a way that will only lead to problems down the line. If it works for them, great but if you see your kid start to fall apart unenroll them. read more

Will not recommend due to the fact that they want me to stop communicating with my son through ASL. My son can understand 3 languages plus signs. he can read and speak way more earlier for his age thanks to Baby can Read program so I'm not going to hinder his ability to learn and practice more. read more

If I could give negative 0 stars I would. My son started going to this school when he turned 2 years and 9 months. I withdrew him at 4 1/2 years old and hope that he can recover from what he went through. First, I must say that most of the teachers are moms who want free tuition for their kids. Most of them are not even college educated or certified teachers. They definitely can't and won't handle much and call the front desk at every whim to just get a normal 4 year old who is tired of sitting out of their classroom. I had to pick my son up numerous times in the middle of the day because they couldn't handle a 4 year old. I have two older boys who went to preschool on the east coast and never have I had to pick them up for anything and I was paying double for Challenger. The classrooms are overloaded with kids (23 kids in a preschool class). The administration is HORRIBLE!!! Every time I would have to pick my son up in the middle of the day, Miss Vanda would look at him as if there is something seriously wrong with him. When I came in to observe him in class, I would give suggestions and she would disregard them. The way she spoke to my son one to one made me cringe. As if she was a high lieutenant in the military talking to a soldier. Unfortunately I also had to endure a few conversations with Miss Johnson as well. All she knows how to do is talk down to the parents and tell them all that they are doing wrong and teach them how to raise their kids. The last conversation I had with her, she told me "I am not telling you to not bring your son to school tomorrow but take all the time you need to get this right before you bring him back to school because if he misbehaves again we will have to unenroll him". That surely made me feel really good. My son never did anything "bad". He just had a hard time sitting still for long periods of time since he is only 4. This school has completely stripped my son of his confidence and self esteem and I pray that it will be restored in time. I regret that I ever had my son enrolled in Challenger and I would think long and hard if I were you before you enroll your child here. They strip the children of their childhood completely!! read more

I feel compelled to post in response to some inaccurate information that was provided in another review. 1. Teacher availability -- the teachers are absolutely available for meetings. The school has a policy of not having classes interrupted during school time. So all meeting have to be scheduled before or after school. Over the past four years in this school I've had a few meeting with my children's teachers. All were scheduled through the office without delay. I have also had a couple phone meetings with the headmistress to address disciplinary issues for my son. She offered helpful and positive advise and was willing to work with our family to help my little boy. 2. Uniforms -- the uniforms are not cheap but they really are made of good quality materials and will last for years. Preschool uniforms are different from elementary school and in middle school I believe it changes again. I think all private schools pretty much operate this way. But there definitely isn't new uniform for each grade level. Some of the attire can be worn by both boys and girls so my daughter is able to pass on her long sleeve shirts, vests, cardigans, and pants to my son. Sometime she wears his ties too for a different look. 3. Homework -- I cannot speak for other students but my two children spent approximately 10-30 min a day on homework this past year (kinder and first grade) which in my opinion is quite appropriate for their age. There were some days that my son decided not to participate in classwork, he was then made to complete ALL of that days work as homework, which would end up taking 2 hours. While that certainly wasn't enjoyable, I like that he was taught not to walk away from his responsibilities as a student. 4. Art and music -- First graders have two formal art sessions a week but they are constantly engaged in longer projects that involve art. While elementary school doesn't have nearly as much music and singing as preschool they do present two shows a year. My daughter also did choir two years in a row after school (this was free of charge as she is already enrolled in aftercare). For me personally the amount of music and art is sufficient as both of my kids take art and piano lessons outside of school. 5. PE - PE is everyday for Kinder and First Grade. This is in addition to one or two recesses a day where they get to free play. PE is quite serious and they are graded on their fitness, abilities, and improvement over the school year. I know this well because this is my son's weak subject. 6. Creativity and individual thinking -- I can't really comment on what exactly is being taught as I am not there in the classroom. But I do appreciate that at the end of every single literature test there is always a section where the student has to write how he/she "feels" about a decision that the character made. Based on the teacher's comments and feedback I can tell that this section is being graded critically. Challenger is also the only school that has a formal "Logic" class. Both of my children are above average in their communication and reasoning skills and I think their school plays a large part in that. 7. Administration -- The school is definitely very strict in their systems and administration, which I can understand since they have been around for so long and obviously is quite successful. Most of the families who stay in the school are confident in the school's ability to provide a good education and make our best attempt to go with the flow. If you are a parent who has your own idea about what's best for your child and wants a school that will make special arrangements and accommodations for your family, you will not be happy here. Overall Challenger has been a great fit for my family. I have one child who is academically excellent. Even though the other child has just average grades I am still very satisfied with what the school has provided for him over the years, both academically as well as his personal growth as an individual. read more

I thought I should share this to every parent who considers this school. I feel so disappointed with this school. Poor due to negligent leadership and student favoritism. Micromanagement! Very "political", but where isnt. Some teachers are exceptional and some is stupid. Principal Ms. Johnson do poor work balance in school for students and parents. She nothing want to hear and understand. She do favoritism and lacks morals that would aid children in learning. Administration seem to be focused in the wrong areas. There is no camera and no anyone can really know they just keep saying that is just a rough playing between kids and that it is my son started up.. the school supervisors didn't care at all. So....if you get lucky, your kid may still get good teacher (which are rare.). Is it value for money? - Not anymore. Is school teacher cordial with the children? - Some time. Are parent's get enough information from teacher on their child development? - Nope. Is your child develop all round ? - Nope, some of the teachers are way too dominating and rude, your child personality may get suppressed. Would I refer to recomendation? - Not! The bottom line is that this Challenger does not partner with parents to ensure the success of your child. If your child is naturally organized and disciplined enough to not get distracted, he/she will probably do well there. Or if they are the children of the teachers of this school. But other not. Also my son encountered many accidents in and outside the class but the teacher and principal did not even address or notify parents. One thing I regretted I did not do is to sue them at the time for neglecting and child safety violation. read more

My son went here for two school years. I will say his first was amazing, but SOLELY due to the amazing teacher he had, Miss Mary. It was because of her that we enrolled for a second year. Year two, the teachers were nothing like Miss Mary. No warmth was seen towards the kids. There was a definite separation of teachers and students, which makes me sad. I regret having my son there for the second year because he constantly came home with Issues. When we attempted to set up meetings nothing happened, however we were called in to meet on an off day for an hour to hear their "time share sales pitch" of how we should sign him up for kindergarten there. What a joke! I would not send my child there again after knowing what I know now about other schools and how much kids can thrive in the right and loving environment. read more

Highly recommend!! Daughter went there from 2y9m to Kindergarten. She absolutely loved it - hated when we picked her up, wanted to go on weekends, talks about her friends and teachers. She had a speech and developmental therapist through NV Early Intervention. Then tested at Child Find and was a year behind in speech. We decided to put her in all-day, M-F program. We worried it would be too much - but she loved it and proved us wrong The structure was just enough to help her learn about being in school and working hard for her age; about responsibility - she learned to put on her own jacket, put away the toys she played with, throw away her trash and clean up after she ate, when she did something she wasn't - they pulled her aside to talk about it and choices she made and better choices for the future. Within 2 months -- yes only 2 months -- she caught up in her speech, and began learning all the alphabets, phonics, lower and upper case. She was able to learn multiple songs and performed them for us. They do an impressive Halloween, Christmas, and Spring program. By the end of Kindergarten, she was reading at a 1st grade level, published a book she wrote and illustrated, did a class science project and presented it the parents, learned her additions and subtraction, and so much more. read more

If education is important to you - and you value a school that teaches our kids to be self reliant, independent, and responsible for their actions - then Challenger is the place for you. We have been sending our kids here for the past 10 years and could not be happier. The teachers are kind and attentive, kids are happy - I could not ask for a better environment for our kids. Thank you Challenger!! read more

I 110% DO NOT recommend this school! ****Unhealthy child development *** Referring too children as young as 5 as "little professionals" is not healthy for child development. It alludes to the fact that they are and should be treated as adults. Anyone who understands child development knows that this is wrong & children should be have the opportunity to be just that children. This school deprived children of their freedom and opportunity to be kids. At age 5 in kindergarten my child was receiving nearly an hour a night of homework & 3rd graders have anxiety attacks and breakdowns from the pressure and expectations. One of the parents pulled heir 3rd grade child out and personally told me this. If I could give a negative rating I would. 1. This school does not value childhood. Once those years are gone you cannot make up for that. There is absolutely NO SCHOOL LIFE BALANCE. It is unhealthy to do that to a child. Kids in 3rd grade have panic attacks from the overwhelming work load. Education is undoubtedly of the upmost importance but not at the expense of robbing a child of their stress free years. 2. The director really rubbed me the wrong way when she said "we expect the children to be fully dressed like little professionals" for goodness sakes their children. My 5 year old does not need to be a "little professional " he has his whole life for that.He asked me " Mommy , why do I have so much homework every night , I just want to play" at that point I knew it was time to seek an alternate school that is more in line with our core values that won't ultimately damage my child from due to lack of childhood. 3. Teaching 5 year olds about 911 terrorist attacks???? Not ok in my book, way too young! My 5 year old came home from school today scared that a "mad man would take over a plane and crash into a building killing everyone on the plane and the building". He was absolutely terrified that something bad was going to happen to me because I work for an airline. THIS IS NOT OK children at this age are not mentally developed enough to understand these events nor should they have to until they are a little older and developed mentally. I have to try and do damage control now to my poor frightened 5 year old. I know that children cannot be sheltered but age 5 is way to young! I am livid at this school for teaching my child at such a young age about this I do not approve! I will most certainly be writing a letter to the headmaster of this god awful school and plan on seeking another school ASAP! read more

Best school ever! My 4 yr old is reading any book he can get his hands on. Worth it!!!

I absolutely would recommend this school for your child--it's challenging, and a very good environment. The students are taught justice and are always respectful to their peers; there is no bullying or stealing at Challenger , making a good place for your child to make friends and socialize. In addition, the teachers are friendly and helpful, which, along with the outstanding curriculum, boosts the students toward the top of their age groups. I can say, as a former student, that I really enjoyed my challenger experience and would 100% recommend it. read more

My son has gone to challenger for 2 years. What he has learned through singing, reading, is amazing. He is 4 knows how to read small books, learned the solar system, can add subtract 1-10... Worth every penny!!! A lot of art is included in his daily activities as well read more

My son attends the 3s half day program on Tuesdays and Thursday's. He adores his teachers and classmates here, and is always excited to come to class. The learning structure has made his excited about learning new things. As a student and young mother myself, I found it in my budget to send my son here because I want him to have the best shot at a good education. It's well worth it, and I am more than happy with his progress thus far. The staff and teachers are all very helpful and friendly. I have nothing but good things to say :) read more

My 3 year old son attends half-day preschool here. I LOVE the program. It is academically based and focuses on core skills for kids--reading, writing, fine motor skills, etc. The staff is very supportive, and they offer free seminars for parents. Highly recommended! read more

Absolutely love this school and everything they stand for. Their values and commitment to the kids are second to none. Their teaching & life principles that they instill in the kids from a young age guide the kids decision making outside the classroom as well. I have 2 kids here and they are thriving. The teachers & faculty care so much & know how to really engage the children in learning. So glad we found challenger. read more

My son has been at Challenger since he was three and is now in the first grade. I will admit from the very beginning it was loaded with obstacles that raised many red flags for me. This is my third child and my education is in childhood development and education.. I went on to law school following that; so I don't believe I'm speaking off base in my opinions. From the start I felt like the school systematically and robotically educates the personality out of children and seeks to matriculate the very very exceptional students. First, I will say the Challenger method does in fact work. But it does not work for the majority... if you pay attention to how many matriculate to the next grade. There is a weeding out process for a reason. This works in tandem with the very corporate approach of it's staff and teachers. There is something unusual and odd in the personalities of the staff (sometimes cold even) coupled with how strongly they discourage parents coming onto campus or picking up materials their student may have forgotten... It's just weird. It is impressive to watch young children read and count money sooner than other children their age, but some concepts are outside of the reach of most children and are presented in a way that goes over most kids heads'. If you want to spend $1200 on private school and then have your child come home and you have to reteach the material in a manner that they can understand for three hours, by all means this is the school for you. It is a rare child who will matriculate all the way through. At our school there are about 10 eighth graders and 12 seventh graders; in grades prior to fourth grade there are three to four classrooms of 20 kids after that there is only one class per grade level. Like most parents I want my son to be a doctor, lawyer, a dentist... something noteworthy and substantial, but I also want him to experience the joys of learning; setting goals that are difficult to reach but not outside of the development and capabilities of 6 year old little boy. I want him to be proud of himself not lose confidence in material that is not delivered in a manner conducive to his stage in development as a little boy. Not making excuses, this school can work and bring about some truly exceptional students. But being realistic with who your child is does not mean your child is not intelligent. However, maturity, developmental, and self discipline are all factors to consider. My very smart, creative, outspoken, charasmatic son lacked the maturaity and developmental capabilities for a curriculum that requires the precision of intense note taking skills (you will study from these uncorrected notes delivered in the chicken scratch of six year old), three part essay questions, and 20 pt per question grammar tests.... at 6. read more

This private school is biased. They base admissions on the conflict- resolution procedure with your children's parents. A conflict was addressed to the school by me the parent, about problems with their fax machine. I expected my problem to be addressed and a response of how the problem was resolved. which I didn't get. I had to ask them what they did to resolve the problem and they didn't like that. They then had us wait a whole week before calling us in for a meeting about the fax problem and because we asked what steps they made to resolve that problem. At the meeting a week later we were told we need to review your application again (it was only in their possession for a week) and get back to you in a few days. So not only were they planning on rejecting us they wanted to keep us waiting for a denial instead of confronting us at that meeting because they don't know how to resolve a conflict with a parent. Coming from a state with better schooling than nevada, this school doesn't care about children their more worried about their staff being confronted about a conflict and what steps they made to resolve it than your child's education. Also the school did not inform us of the application procedure before hand. I had to call another challenger school to find out it could take up to 3-5days for the head master to get back to you, but yet this School told us they would call the next business day and didn't call us until a week after to tell us we don't like the way you addressed our staff because we wanted to know what they did about the fax line. make us wait, no child's education should be based on their parents wanting answers esp if their Paying a lot of money for it. This school is completely biased with out of state residents esp New Yorkers bc our level of education is better than nevada. I do not recommend this School unless you don't care about being respected as a parent and an adult. I'm sure there is not one New Yorker in that school because I don't think they can handle being questioned. The head master had no compassion toward a parent dealing with one of the most stressful things, moving esp across country. read more

We love the teachers and curriculum but the administration is a horrible mess of politics and hypocrisy. Definitely not worth the time or money. And you will pay a lot. The uniforms are expensive and if you get caught trying to substitute look alike pants identical but more sturdy and cheaper, they will find you. You will love your child reading at age 3 but as the grades get higher the "pant Nazis" come out. Administration does not care about the kids, they care about the average of the kids as a whole. I have seen kids with lower than average scores and they become targets. Its how they sell their product. If your child just graduated from the 3rd grade from a different school, they will make them repeat the 3rd grade instead of even being allowed to try the 4th grade. When they should be having class elections for class president the teacher's kids are just appointed to the position. No candy, no stickers no toys for Valentines day or Halloween, just cards, they will find you. Car line is awful, and if you have more then one kid, you won't be able to pick them up at the same time, you will have to come back in half an hour and wait through the line again. The teachers are awesome and really love your kids, it saddens us they work for them. read more