Hannahville Indian School
Tribal school in Michigan, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hannahville Indian School is a tribal K–12 school in Hannahville, Harris Township, Michigan. It is affiliated with the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE).[1] Nah Tah Wahsh Public School Academy is a charter school affiliated with the institution. The school serves the Potawotami tribe and the Hannahville Indian Community.
| Hannahville Indian School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 | |
15750 Hannahville B-1 Road , 49896 | |
| Information | |
| Motto | Soaring to new heights |
| Established | 1976 |
| Language | Potawatomi |
| Nickname | Soaring Eagles |
| Website | https://www.hannahvilleschool.net/ |
In 1990, it was the only school in Michigan whose students were all Native American.[2]
It is in proximity to Wilson.[3]
The name "Nah Tah Wahsh" means "soaring eagles".[4]
History
Two mothers, Sally Eichhorn and Gloria McCollough, began a campaign to create a tribal school in August 1975 to address the perceived shortcomings of the education of tribal children at Bark River-Harris School.[2] In 1976, the school opened[5] with four teachers. Initially, the school was a K–8 school that occupied two previously unused rooms. The school transitioned from K–8 to K–12 in 1984.[2]
Before and in 1989, the school sought funding from the State of Michigan three times, with the third time being a request for $80,000. Frank Kelley, Attorney General of Michigan, denied these requests. In 1989, he stated that since Hannahville Indian was not under the control of the state itself, it was not considered a public school in Michigan, and therefore could not get state funding as per a 1976 amendment made to the Michigan Constitution, which prohibited the state government from funding schools not considered to be public. Additionally, Kelley stated that the school did not admit non-Native Americans while Ken Pond, the principal of Hannahville Indian, argued that it did.[3]
The Nah Tah Wahsh Public School Academy, which could legally enroll non-Native Americans, opened in 1995.[5]
A youth center was built in 2005.[6]
Curriculum
The school includes tribal culture and customs in addition to academic subjects.[2] The school intends to continue the tribal language; such language instruction began after 1996.[7]
The school offers an Adult Education program.[5]
