A Northwest Valley Private School Closed Midyear, and Teachers Say They Were Not Paid

by Ryan Rose

What Happened

Trouble came to light the week before the closure. A letter went out to families saying the school was in financial trouble. According to KTNV, Interim Head of Schools Debbie Kaye wrote that the school needed $85,000 to cover teacher and staff payroll. FOX5 reported that the letter asked parents to donate upwards of $85,000 to cover rent and teacher salaries that had gone unpaid for weeks.

Families and supporters stepped up fast. KTNV reported that they pledged nearly $50,000 within hours. That money was meant to cover past-due payroll and let teachers work one more week. One parent told FOX5 they gave $2,000 because they felt bad learning the teachers were not being paid. Another parent told FOX5 they would not give more, noting that tuition already cost more than their mortgage.

It was not enough. A closure letter said the school would close on Thursday, Oct. 29. According to KTNV, the letter said employees were still unpaid and many had resigned. It said the owner had not presented a plan to meet the school's financial obligations. It also said the school could not issue refunds because its financial resources were gone. FOX5 reported that students were dropped off for their last day of classes and that parents learned of the final decision on a Monday.

Teachers say they are still waiting. Teachers who spoke to FOX5 without giving their names said they had not seen any of the donated money. One teacher told FOX5, "I am now negative $3,000 in debt because of this." A parent told KTNV that teachers were going on a third missed paycheck.

School campus near Buffalo Drive and Vegas Drive in northwest Las Vegas, shown in KTNV 13 coverage of the Growing Minds closure

What the Owner Said

KTNV identified the owner and CEO as Adam Feierstein. In a statement to KTNV, he said he was devastated by the closure. He blamed enrollment that did not grow enough and what he called a "crippling lease" that the school could not renegotiate. KTNV reported that his first statement did not address unpaid wages, how parent contributions were handled or refunds. KTNV sent follow-up questions, and as of its report, he had not responded. FOX5 said it reached out to school leadership several times without a reply.

What the Landlord Said

Shadow Hills Church owns the building the school leased. The church told both stations it has not been paid. It said the school's California-based ownership failed to meet lease obligations, including several months of unpaid rent. The church said it let the school keep operating on its campus despite missed payments, and that staff told church leaders on more than one occasion that payroll had not been made. The church also said it is not affiliated with the school's ownership or management. It said it hopes to welcome another school to the campus, but none has been confirmed.

What the State Said

The Nevada Department of Education told FOX5 that the school never formally notified the state that it was closing. FOX5 reported that notice is required for a K-8 program. KTNV asked the department about the school's licensing history, oversight and protections for families. As of KTNV's report, the department had sent only an automated reply.

Timeline at a Glance

January 2025: Growing Minds Preschool & Academy opens near Buffalo Drive and Vegas Drive, per KTNV.
July 2025: the owner appears in a sponsored segment on Channel 13's The Morning Blend, per KTNV.
Fall 2026: teachers go weeks without pay, according to parents and teachers who spoke with FOX5 and KTNV.
Week before closing: a letter asks families for about $85,000; supporters pledge nearly $50,000 within hours, per KTNV.
Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026: the school closes, per the closure letter cited by KTNV.
After the closure: the Nevada Department of Education tells FOX5 the school never formally notified the state.

Key Numbers

Tuition: about $1,300 to $1,500 a month for full-day, five-day classes, per the school's website as cited by FOX5.
Registration fees: more than $600, per FOX5.
Amount requested from families: about $85,000.
Amount pledged: nearly $50,000.
Number of students and teachers affected: NOT FOUND in either report.

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

The first impact is on kids. Children who were settled into a classroom, with friends and teachers they knew, now have to start over in the middle of the year. One parent told KTNV she felt betrayed and felt she could not give her kids a safe place to stay. Another parent told FOX5, "My heart is broken for my daughter." That kind of disruption is hard on any family.

The second impact is money. Tuition of $1,300 to $1,500 a month is a big part of many family budgets. FOX5 reported registration fees of more than $600 on top of that. Families who paid ahead now hear there are no refunds. Some also gave donations to help teachers. They want to know where that money went. One parent told KTNV, "I would like to know where the money went."

The third impact is on teachers. These are people who kept showing up for kids while their paychecks did not come. Missing two or three paychecks can mean late rent, late car payments and real debt. Many teachers resigned before the closure, according to the closure letter.

Finally, it matters for every parent who is weighing a private school. Private schools can be a great fit for many kids. But this closure is a reminder to ask questions about a school's finances, licensing and refund policy before you sign a contract or pay ahead.

Background and History

Growing Minds opened in January 2025, so it had been running for less than two years. The church said the school operated on its campus for nearly two years. It served children from preschool through 8th grade. According to KTNV, the owner appeared in a sponsored segment on Channel 13's The Morning Blend in July 2025, during the school's first year.

Families in northwest Las Vegas, like families across the valley, often weigh a mix of CCSD, charter and private options. Private schools in Nevada are overseen by the Nevada Department of Education, which licenses many of them. As the department told FOX5, a K-8 program is required to notify the state before it closes. That step did not happen here, according to the state.

The money dispute comes down to two stories that both stations reported. The owner says slow enrollment and a lease that was too expensive made the school unable to survive. The church says the school did not pay rent for several months and that it gave the school extra time. Both statements can be checked only through records that have not been made public. It is not our place to decide who is right. What is clear is that families and teachers were left in the middle.

What Happens Next

Several questions are still open. Will teachers get their back pay? Will families get any refund of tuition paid ahead or donations? What happened to the nearly $50,000 pledged by supporters? Will the state take any action over the missing closure notice? As of the latest reports, none of these questions has a public answer.

Teachers who are owed wages may be able to file a wage claim with the Nevada Labor Commissioner. Families who paid with a credit card may be able to dispute recent charges with their card company. Families may also choose to file a consumer complaint with the Nevada Attorney General's office. Each case is different, so families and teachers should check the rules that apply to them.

On the campus side, Shadow Hills Church said it hopes another school will move into the space. No new school has been named. If one opens there, some families may be able to return to the same campus.

Common Questions

Can families get their tuition back?

The closure letter said the school could not issue refunds because its money was gone, according to KTNV. Whether families can recover any money through other routes, such as a card dispute or a legal claim, depends on each family's contract and how they paid. That is a question for a consumer attorney or the Nevada Attorney General's consumer protection office.

Where did the donated money go?

That is not known. Teachers told FOX5 they had not seen any of it. KTNV said the owner's first statement did not address how parent contributions were handled, and he had not answered follow-up questions as of its report.

Is the church responsible?

The church says no. It told both stations it is the landlord only and is not affiliated with the school's ownership or management. It says it is owed several months of rent.

Will another school open on the campus?

The church says it hopes so, but no new school has been confirmed.

Ryan's Take

My heart goes out to the kids, the parents and especially the teachers who kept showing up without being paid. That takes real care for children. A school closing in the middle of the year is about the most stressful thing a family can face outside of a health scare or a job loss.

As a local agent, I see how much families plan around schools. Some buy a home just to be near a certain campus. Some take on tuition that costs more than their mortgage, like the parent who told FOX5. When a school closes, it can shake up a family's whole plan, including where they want to live. If you are in that spot, you are not alone. Take a breath, find a good fit for your kids first, and make any housing decisions after that. And if a move makes sense down the road, I am happy to help you look at neighborhoods near the schools that work for your family.

What You Can Do

If your child attended Growing Minds, start by getting them settled. Contact your zoned CCSD school to ask about enrolling midyear, and gather your child's records, report cards and any special education or health plans. You can find your zoned school with the zoning search on CCSD's website. If you prefer a charter or another private school, ask about openings and midyear start dates. Keep copies of every tuition receipt, contract, email and letter from Growing Minds. Write down the dates and amounts of any donations you made.

If you are a teacher who was not paid, keep your pay stubs, your offer letter or contract and any messages about missed payroll. Look into a wage claim with the Nevada Labor Commissioner. If you are looking for a new job, CCSD and local charter schools may have openings during the year, so it is worth checking their job boards.

If you are choosing a private school for the future, ask some simple questions. Is the school licensed by the Nevada Department of Education? How long has it been open? Who owns it? What is the refund policy if the school closes? Can you pay monthly instead of up front? These questions are not rude. They are smart. A good school will be glad to answer them.

Have questions about how this affects your home or neighborhood? Reach out to Ryan Rose or text/call 702-747-5921 anytime.

Ryan Rose | Real Broker, LLC | 702-747-5921 | ryan@rosehomeslv.com | rosehomeslv.com