St. Francis Indian School facts for kids

St. Francis Indian School is a special school for Native American students. It teaches children from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. You can find this school in St. Francis, South Dakota. The local tribe manages the school, and it works with the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). The school mainly serves the Lakota people.

School History

How the School Started

The school first opened its doors in 1886. It began as a Christian elementary school. It was part of the St. Francis Mission. The main goal was to help Native students learn English as a second language.

Early Days and Changes

At first, the school had rooms for 200 students to live there. All students stayed in these boarding facilities. There was one main building, and later a second one was added. The boarding rooms quickly filled up.

In January 1916, a fire sadly destroyed the school buildings. But new, strong concrete buildings were quickly built. School started again in the fall of 1916. High school classes began in 1931. The school was very popular in the 1940s and 1950s. During that time, about 500 students attended.

Modern Times

In the 1960s, the roads got much better. This meant students could travel to school more easily. So, the dormitories, or living areas, were no longer needed. In 1979, the local tribe took control of the school. People in the area were very happy about this change.

By 2004, the school started hiring teachers from other countries. This helped to make sure there were enough teachers for all the students.

What Students Learn

In 1986, students at St. Francis Indian School learned many subjects. They studied English and Lakota, which is the language of the Lakota people. The school also offered other languages. These included German, Latin, Russian, and Spanish. Some of these language classes were only for high school students.