Circle of Nations Wahpeton Indian School facts for kids

The Circle of Nations Wahpeton Indian School is a special school for students in grades 4 through 8. It is located in Wahpeton, North Dakota. This school used to be called the Wahpeton Indian School. It is run by Native American tribes and works with the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). This school is not located on an Indian reservation.

History of the School

How the School Started

The United States Congress decided to create this school in 1904. A politician from North Dakota, Porter James McCumber, helped make this law happen. The President at the time, Theodore Roosevelt, signed the law. The school first opened its doors to students in February 1908. Back then, it was managed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).

Changes Over Time

Like many Indian boarding schools in the United States from the past, this school once used very strict rules. In 1929, some local business people looked into the school because there were concerns about students not getting enough food. Later, in 1947, the BIA thought about closing the school. However, they decided to keep it open but with fewer students.

There were also plans to close the school in 1985, but it remained open.

Becoming Tribally Controlled

In 1992, a U.S. House member named Byron Dorgan heard about some problems at the school. He reported these concerns to the BIA. By 1993, both the federal government and the state of North Dakota looked into the issues at the school.

A big change happened in June 1993. The school became controlled by Native American tribes. The Wahpeton Indian School Board, Incorporated, took over running the school. From then on, the Office of Indian Education Programs (OIEP), which is now called the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), started giving money to the school. In 1994, the school got its current name: Circle of Nations Wahpeton Indian School.

By the 1990s, the people in charge of the school were often former students themselves. They made sure that there would be no more verbal or physical abuse. In 2018, Tanner Rabbithead became the CEO, and Trevor Gourneau became the principal.

Who Attends the School?

Students at the Circle of Nations Wahpeton Indian School come from many different places. They represent 33 different Native American tribes and come from 18 states across the country.

Many students who attended the school in 1982 came from homes where they might not always have had enough food or where they missed school often. Sometimes, families facing difficult situations send their children to Wahpeton. This allows the children to be in a safe place while the family works through their problems. It also helps families avoid the long-term changes that might come with foster care.

See also

• Off-reservation boarding schools operated by the BIE
  • Chemawa Indian School
  • Flandreau Indian School
  • Riverside Indian School
  • Sherman Indian High School
• Off-reservation boarding schools operated by tribes
  • Pierre Indian Learning Center
  • Sequoyah Schools
• Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate