Choctaw Tribal School System facts for kids
The Choctaw Tribal School System is a group of schools located in Choctaw, Mississippi, in the United States. This school system is run by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, which is a Native American tribe recognized by the government. It has eight schools spread across three counties: Neshoba, Leake, and Newton.
About 1,700 to 1,800 students attend these schools. It is the biggest school system in the United States that is run by a Native American tribe and controls its own schools. The system works with the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). The current leader of the schools is Mrs. Delnita Jones.
All eight schools are called Title I schools. This means they get special funding to help students, especially those from low-income families. Most students at these schools speak two languages: Choctaw and English. The National Center for Education Statistics says that this school system and its schools are public schools.
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Getting Approved: What is Accreditation?
The Choctaw Tribal School System and all its schools have a special approval called "accreditation." This means they meet high standards for education. They are approved by the Mississippi Department of Education and also by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. This shows that the schools offer a good education.
Who Can Attend These Schools?
To attend the Choctaw Tribal Schools, students must belong to a recognized Native American tribe. They also need to be at least one-fourth Native American. This helps make sure the schools serve the community they were created for.
The Choctaw Central Dormitory
The school system has a special place for older students to live called the Choctaw Central Dormitory. This dormitory is for students in grades 7 through 12 who do not live close to the Pearl River area. It provides a safe place for them to stay while they attend school.
Schools in the System
The Choctaw Tribal School System includes eight different schools:
- Bogue Chitto Elementary School (for students from pre-kindergarten to 8th grade)
- Choctaw Central High School (for students in 9th to 12th grade)
- Choctaw Central Middle School (for students in 7th and 8th grade)
- Conehatta Elementary School (for students from pre-kindergarten to 8th grade)
- Pearl River Elementary School (for students from pre-kindergarten to 6th grade)
- Red Water Elementary School (for students from pre-kindergarten to 8th grade)
- Standing Pine Elementary School (for students from pre-kindergarten to 6th grade)
- Tucker Elementary School (for students from pre-kindergarten to 8th grade)
Famous Visitors to the Schools
Many important people have visited the Choctaw Tribal Schools over the years.
Congressman G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery
In 1969 and again in 1971, G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery, a U.S. Representative, visited Choctaw Central High School. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives for many years.
Football Star Marcus Dupree
During his last year of high school, football player Marcus Dupree ran for 1,955 yards and scored 26 touchdowns. His final high school game was on November 13, 1981, at Choctaw Bowl, which is part of Choctaw Central High School's Warriors Stadium. He broke a record for yards rushed in that game.
Author Willie Morris described the crowd at the game as very special, with a mix of white, Black, and Native American people cheering together. Marcus Dupree also visited the school in 1983 to talk with students one-on-one.
The stadium on the reservation was the finest I had seen all year, with excellent lights, and a large concrete grandstand on one side, and bleachers on the other. A gymnasium-field house was adjacent to the grandstand with-what else?- WARRIORS in sizable letters on the facade. Although the game was more than an hour away, it was obvious there would be a big crowd.
—Willie Morris
Eunice Kennedy Shriver and the Special Olympics
In 1985, Eunice Kennedy Shriver visited the school. She was a member of the famous Kennedy family and started the Special Olympics. She spoke at the school and praised their involvement in a program called "Let's Play to Grow."
Olympic Gold Medalist Billy Mills
In the mid-1990s, Billy Mills spoke to the students. He is a Native American who won an Olympic gold medal in running. He was only the second Native American to achieve this amazing feat.
NASA Astronaut John Herrington
In 2000, John Herrington, the first Native American NASA astronaut, visited the campus. Two years later, he flew his first space mission as a specialist on the Space Shuttle STS-113.
Actor Rodney A. Grant
In 2008, Rodney A. Grant, a Native American actor, visited the campus. He is well-known for his role in the movie Dances with Wolves.
