Hannahville Indian School facts for kids

Hannahville Indian School is a special school for kids from kindergarten all the way to 12th grade. It's located in Hannahville, Michigan. This school works closely with the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). There's also a related school called Nah Tah Wahsh Public School Academy, which is a charter school. The school mainly serves the Potawotami tribe and the Hannahville Indian Community.

In 1990, it was the only school in Michigan where all students were Native Americans. The school is near Wilson, Michigan. The name "Nah Tah Wahsh" means "soaring eagles."

History of Hannahville Indian School

The idea for Hannahville Indian School started in August 1975. Two mothers, Sally Eichhorn and Gloria McCollough, wanted a better education for tribal children. They felt the local Bark River-Harris School wasn't meeting their needs.

In 1976, the new tribal school opened its doors. It started with four teachers. At first, it was a K-8 school, teaching students from kindergarten to 8th grade. It used two rooms that weren't being used before. By 1984, the school grew to include high school grades, becoming a K-12 school.

Funding Challenges

Before 1989, and in that year, the school tried three times to get money from the State of Michigan. One request was for $80,000. However, Frank J. Kelley, who was the Attorney General of Michigan, said no to these requests.

In 1989, he explained why. He said that Hannahville Indian School was not controlled by the state. Because of this, it wasn't considered a "public school" by Michigan law. A rule added to the Michigan Constitution in 1976 stopped the state from giving money to schools that weren't public. There was also a disagreement about who could attend. Kelley said the school didn't let non-Native Americans in, but the principal, Ken Pond, said it did.

To solve the funding problem, the Nah Tah Wahsh Public School Academy opened in 1995. This school could legally enroll students who were not Native American.

What Students Learn

The school teaches regular subjects like math and science. It also includes important parts of tribal culture and customs. This helps students connect with their heritage.

The school also works to keep the tribal language alive. Language lessons started after 1996.

Sports at School

In 1990, the school started its own basketball team.