Havasupai Elementary School facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Havasupai Elementary School
The school in 2012
Address
880 Cashmere Dr. Lake Havasu City Supai, Arizona 86435 United States
Coordinates	36°14′13″N 112°41′20″W / 36.2369°N 112.6890°W / 36.2369; -112.6890
Information
School type	State school
Motto	Today I will be safe, responsible, respectful, and show pride in myself and my school
Established	1895
School district	Lake Havasu Unified School District
Principal	Jamie Hammer
Grades	K–6

Havasupai Elementary School (HES) is a school for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. It is located in Supai, Arizona. The school is run by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). It serves the children of the Havasupai Indian Reservation.

The school is also known as Havasupai Indian School. It used to be called Havasupai Boarding and Day School. At one time, it taught students up to eighth grade. The school sits high up, about 3,500 feet (1.1 km) above sea level.

A Look Back: Havasupai School History

The school in 1899

Havasupai Elementary School started around 1895. For some time, it was a boarding school. This meant students lived there during the school year. Over the years, the school's control changed. Sometimes the U.S. federal government ran it. Other times, the Havasupai tribe was in charge. In 1908, about 42 students attended the school.

In 1910, a big flood hit Supai. The school building was affected. But by 1911, reports said the school was "in fine condition" again. In the 1930s, plans were made to update the building.

Around the 1950s, the school building was used for other things. For a while, the school even closed down. All students from Supai had to go to boarding schools far away.

The school reopened in the 1960s. By 1967, it only taught students up to second grade. Older students still had to leave Supai for school. People like Martin Goodfriend wanted the school to teach more grades.

By 1978, Havasupai Elementary taught students from kindergarten to sixth grade. In 1988, the school began teaching in both English and the Havasupai language. It also taught about the culture of the Havasupai people.

In 2002, the BIE took control of the school again. They have been in charge ever since.

Challenges and Improvements at Havasupai Elementary

In 2017, a newspaper article said Havasupai Elementary faced many problems. It had many different principals and often didn't have enough teachers. This sometimes led to the school closing for a week. Sometimes, even the janitor had to teach! Teachers often left before the school year ended.

The school also lacked a library and after-school activities. Its scores in math and English were very low compared to other schools run by the BIE. The school was supposed to teach the Havasupai language and culture. But, according to a lawsuit, it wasn't doing so.

A lawsuit was filed in January 2017 to address these issues. In October 2020, an agreement was reached to help improve the school. In 2018, former employees formed a group. They wanted the Havasupai tribe to control the school. They also suggested it become a charter school with tribal support.

Who Attends Havasupai Elementary?

In 2011, when the school taught up to eighth grade, it had 94 students. By 2017, the school had 70 students. About 35 of these students needed special learning support. However, the school did not offer these special services.

In 2017, only about 20% of students from the school went on to earn a high school diploma.

School Building and Facilities

The Havasupai Elementary School building has one story. In 2011, the school needed more space. So, the BIE brought in a special classroom. It was flown in by helicopter in pieces and then put together at the school.

How the School is Managed

The Havasupai tribe has a board that deals with education. But in 2017, it was said that this board didn't have much power. In the 1950s, the school did not use physical punishment. This was because the tribe was against it.

In 2017, students were dismissed early on Fridays. This allowed teachers to return to their homes outside of Supai for the weekend.

Student Learning and Test Scores

During the 2012–2013 school year, students' test scores were very low. They were in the third percentile for math and the first percentile for reading. This means most students scored higher than Havasupai students.

However, things improved! For the 2020-21 school year, Havasupai Elementary School was in the top 50% of all schools in Arizona for overall test scores. In math, 41% of students were skilled. This was better than the Arizona state average of 32%. In reading and language arts, 45% of students were skilled. This was also better than the state average of 39%.

Student Behavior and Support

In 2017, there were reports of students being suspended often. Some were even sent to law enforcement. Teachers sometimes used strict punishments for small misbehaviors. This was due to a lack of resources and not fully understanding the local culture.

The school faced criticism for how it handled student behavior. Parents worried about big punishments for small actions. The 2017 lawsuit also mentioned these issues. It claimed the janitor sometimes acted as a substitute teacher. It also said teachers often left before the school year ended. This could make it hard to have clear rules.

Havasupai Elementary is the only elementary school on the Havasupai Indian Reservation. Students who feel unprepared sometimes leave high school early.

School Life and Activities

In 2017, Havasupai Elementary did not have any student clubs or after-school activities. There is also no school library at Havasupai Elementary. The school was meant to teach the Havasupai language and culture. But a lawsuit claimed it was not doing this.

What Happens After Elementary School?

As of 1988, students from Havasupai Elementary usually go to boarding schools. Sherman Indian High School in Riverside, California is a common choice. Supai itself does not have a high school.