John C. Vanderburg ES
Home of the Rainforest Biosphere
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Donations
Donations to this non-profit can be made through a tax deductible check brought to our office or mailed to:
John C. Vanderburg Elementary School
Rainforest Biosphere Foundation
2040 Desert Shadow Trail
Henderson, NV 89012
The History of the Biosphere
As the home of the world’s only Rainforest Biosphere located within an elementary school, John C. Vanderburg is very proud of this 3000 square foot science lab. As the vision of its opening principal in 1996, Dr. Carolyn Reedom, the unique facility was designed, planned and built with input from students, architects, skilled labor and the surrounding community. Opening in 2002, this non-profit facility cost approximately $3,000,000 which was raised through donations. Today, the Rainforest Biosphere Foundation depends upon its existence through community donations and school fund raisers like our annual PTA Harvest Festival.
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Student Opportunities
The mission of the grade level appropriate curriculum is to expose students to the environmental challenges cultures, past, present and future have had or will experience in the preservation of animal and human life. Highlighting this objective is the significance of the world’s rainforests. As part of the various curriculum the students are exposed to an assortment of live animals: fish and reptiles.
In addition to being an interactive science lab, the biosphere serves as part of our leadership program. The Docent Program is open to 4th & 5th Grade students currently enrolled at John C. Vanderburg ES. Interested students will complete an application and prepare for a 1-on-1 interview with a Biosphere Committee member. More information will be provided once the Interest Form is submitted.
These Docents, after comprehensive training, are the teachers in the five learning centers which comprise the facility. In a typical school year these docents usually host 1500 guests.​
Visitors
We welcome visitors from other schools (CCSD and Private); however guests are limited to students in grades K-5. We can accommodate only 1 class at a time to provide the best hands-on experience for all students. We require up to 5 Parent chaperones with CCSD Volunteer Badges.
Field Trips
We accept reservations starting in January until the end of March. If you are interested in booking a Field trip, click the link to complete the Interest Form. Someone will respond as soon as possible via email. Please do not contact the school directly. Thank you!
What To Expect
Visitors will take part in an introduction, a walk-thru of the facility/displays, and 5 lessons per grade level. Field trips generally last 2.5 hours. The Science-based lessons are tied to the Amazon Rain Forest.
Field Trips are FREE, however Transportation is your responsibility. Again, only 1 class per field trip (K-1st: up to 25 students, 2-3rd: up to 35 students, 4-5th: up to 40 students). There are no exceptions so please plan accordingly.