Many Farms Community School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Many Farms Community School |
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| Location | |
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2600 Lakeview Drive,
Many Farms |
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| Coordinates | 36°21′57″N 109°37′41″W / 36.3659°N 109.6281°W |
| Information | |
| Established | 1965 |
| Governed by | Navajo Nation Council, Central Navajo Education Line Office, Bureau of Indian Education |
| Staff | 6 |
| Faculty | 23 |
| Grades | K–8 |
| Enrollment | 246 |
Many Farms Community School, Inc. (MFCS) is a special school for students from kindergarten to 8th grade. It is located in Many Farms, Arizona. The Navajo Nation runs this school. It gets money from the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). MFCS also has a boarding program. This means students who live far away can live at the school during the week.
The school started in 1910 as the Chinle Boarding School. It was in Chinle, Arizona. The Bureau of Indian Affairs ran it for over 60 years until 1976. A big new school was built in Chinle in 1960. It was one of the largest schools on the Navajo Nation.
In 1976, the Chinle School moved to Many Farms, Arizona. It took over an old elementary boarding school. The Navajo Nation began to manage the school that year. Many students joined in the fall because another school changed. The school was later renamed Many Farms Community School by 2012.
Many Farms Community School shares a campus with Many Farms High School. The BIE still runs the high school directly. Diné College was also once on this campus. It later moved to Tsaile.
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The School's Long History
This school is a continuation of the Chinle Boarding School. That school opened in 1910 in Chinle. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) started it. The BIA's presence in Chinle grew with the school. They became very important in the town.
The school has always taught Navajo (Diné) students. It teaches them from kindergarten to 8th grade. In 1956, there were 249 students.
Around 1960, the BIE built a huge new school in Chinle. It cost $3.1 million and had 34 classrooms. This school was called "one of the largest schools on the Navajo Nation." It had dorms for 256 boys and 256 girls. There was a dining room for 300 students. It also had a library and science labs. The school even had its own power and sewer systems. The BIE thought 1,024 students would join at first. They expected it to grow to 2,000 students.
A famous former student is the painter Robert Draper. He was Navajo and Hopi/Laguna.
Learning and Cultural Changes (1965-1973)
In the 1950s, students at Chinle school were not allowed to speak Navajo language. The goal was to teach them English. They also wanted students to learn about European-American culture. Navajo women who worked at the school helped enforce this rule.
In the 1960s, Native American groups wanted changes. They wanted their cultures to be respected. They also wanted more say in their children's education. The Chinle school and other BIA schools slowly started to change. They began to include Navajo culture in lessons. In 1965, staff began teaching about the Navajo tribal government. They also taught about the United States government. The school board even asked for lessons on the traditional Hopi family. Around 1971, Chinle started using a new way of teaching. It focused on helping each student individually.
In 1972, teachers began using storytelling in class. Storytelling is a very old Navajo tradition. By 1973, BIA schools included "Indian Studies" in their lessons.
In 1974, Chinle had 26 classrooms and 730 students. About 80% of the classrooms had Navajo aides. These aides helped students with their Navajo language skills. The idea was that strong Navajo skills would help them learn English better. Students came from many areas, like Black Rock, New Mexico and Forest Lake, Arizona.
Moving the Chinle Boarding School
In its last year in Chinle, ending in spring 1976, the school had 750 students. That year, the school moved to a former elementary school in Many Farms, Arizona. At first, it was still called Chinle School.
Chinle Boarding School took over the old Many Farms Elementary School. That school had also been a boarding school. The Chinle School opened in Many Farms with 860 students. It had 170 employees. The campus had six dorms. But at first, only four and a half dorms were needed for students. The sixth dorm was used for fun activities. The school got extra students that year. This happened because the 7th grade at the Lukachukai School was closed. The students still came from the same Navajo communities. By 2012, the Navajo Nation renamed the school Many Farms Community School.
School Improvements and Programs
The Navajo Nation has made big improvements to Many Farms Community School. A large expansion was built from May 2003 to December 2004. It added two new three-story dorms. Each dorm has 26 rooms, making 52 rooms in total. These rooms have private or semi-private bathrooms.
New parking lots, play areas, and basketball courts were also built. The project also included new offices and a media center. There is also a billiard room and student lounge areas. Stronghold Engineering, Inc. built these new parts. They faced challenges like strong winds and cold winters.
Today, Many Farms Community School holds an annual arts and crafts show.
School Campus Life
Jacqueline Benally is the executive director. She remembers that the Many Farms buildings were not in good shape around 2012. In 2015, she said the electrical systems were not strong enough. They could not support the school's technology.
Students often live in dorms because their homes might not have all services. Also, their family situations might not be stable. This school is one of several boarding schools on the reservation.
The school has 44 homes for teachers. By 2015, these homes were old. Ms. Benally used the rent from teachers to try and fix them up.
Images for kids
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Many Farms Community School logo
