Sierra-Plumas Joint Unified School District

The Sierra-Plumas Joint Unified School District serves all of Sierra County and the eastern quarter of Plumas County. The District is governed by a five person Governing Board, each member of which represents a defined geographical area of the District. The District Governing Board also serves as the Sierra County Board of Education. Schools include Loyalton High 7-12, Downieville School k-12, and Loyalton Elementary.

Introducing Sierra County
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 forest land, 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 and Chilcoot 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 counties include the great Sierra Valley, once an ancient lake bed but now the largest alpine valley in the Sierra Nevada range, a natural area for agricultural, 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, hunting, skiing, hiking, camping, boating, and visits to points of historical interest.