Achievement School, Okreek, Klein, Littleburg, and Wanbli Wiconi Tipi

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Community Partnership: Culturally Responsive Mural

South Dakota Senate Bill No. 55 that passed in March 2019 required all public schools to display the national motto “In God We Trust” in a visible location. Todd County Achievement School responded to this requirement by partnering with International Fine Art Fund and the reservation’s Christian organization, White Horse Ministries, to commission renowned artist, ShenShen210, to create a mural that depicts the national motto while also honoring the local community’s cultural heritage.

• Combining PLCs with other schools (Okreek, Klein, Middle School)

Okreek, Klein and Todd County Middle School collaborated to revise their schedule to increse the PLC time they can offer their staff. The schools have aligned their Specials' Schedule so that teachers across the schools can partner for 2 hours once per week during that time. Additionally, leaders across additional schools in the area (Todd County Elementary, Rosebud Elementary, He Dog Elementary) were inspired to create an Administrator Group with the purpose of supporting, partnering and growing together.

• Community-based Conferences

The majority of our students live miles away from the school. Many families are unable to travel that distance to attend parent-teacher conferences. As a result, in 2019 the school decided to host conferences in the community students are from (Sicangu Village). Thanks to this move, more families were able to show up for their students' conference and hear about their progress. The school hopes to continue hosting conferences and other events, including concerts, in the community.

• Remote, Online, & Live Intervention Groups

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in remote learning for all students throughout the 2020-21 school year. Despite the circumstances, the school was able to meet its School Improvement Plan of supporting students in Intervention Groups based on their assessment results. School staff worked together to make these happen throughout the year, and the leadership is proud of their passion and dedication to student success.