About Us
The Yaak School is a rural K-8 elementary school that has served an isolated mountain community in Northwest Montana for almost 100 years. This two room school currently has 9 students, one teacher, one fulltime paraprofessional aide and one part time paraprofessional special needs aide.
The school, built with hand hewn logs and heated with a wood burning stove, strives to maintain its character by continuing to emphasize the traditional skills of reading, writing and arithmetic along with fun subjects of science, social studies, P.E. and technology.
Students have participated in a wide range of enriching activities and field trips, providing opportunities for learning and memorable experiences. These have included attending the play Wicked in Spokane with special VIP tours and catered lunches, traveling to Washington to visit the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, the Children’s Museum, an art gallery, and attending a double-header game at the Seattle Mariners’ ballpark. They have also taken part in unique cultural events, such as rendezvous gatherings and tepee-raising ceremonies in collaboration with other small schools.
Additional activities have included ice fishing, snowshoeing, skiing, apple cider making, and exploring Montana’s many historical locations. Students also participate in an annual spring camp-out rendezvous with other small rural schools, fostering connections and cultural understanding.
The spring of 2013 was especially exciting, as students traveled to Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, and New York to explore some of the nation’s most iconic historical landmarks, offering a once-in-a-lifetime educational opportunity.
These activities and field trips not only enhance students’ learning but also broaden their horizons and create lasting memories.
Despite the isolated status of the school, students from the Yaak School have repeatedly tested well on mandatory state tests. Perhaps this is due to the amount of individual teaching time each student gets in this small school, or the high level of parent involvement, or the dedication of everyone helping the school to succeed. Actually, all of the above are true. We are glad we have the opportunity to share our unique school with you.
Mission Statement:
We will ensure that every student reaches his or her academic and creative potential through a partnership of students, teachers, parents and community.
Our staff will:
- Provide a stable and caring learning environment.
- Develop an atmosphere to encourage new ideas.
- Strive to instill in each child a life-long love of learning.
Our Students will:
- Develop respect for people and property.
- Develop decision-making and problem-solving skills
- Strive to develop their academic and creative potential.
Our Parents will:
- Acknowledge the importance of regular attendance.
- Motivate their children to do homework and succeed in school.
- Communicate concerns and ideas to the appropriate school personnel.
All will:
- Hold high expectations.
- Be partners in a well-rounded education.
- Be courteous, respectful and honest.
- Develop a positive spirit of cooperation and community involvement.
Finally, school staff, parents and community will recognize that the students’ academic needs and social well being come first.
Philosophy
Education is a life-long process and is a shared responsibility of the students, the schools, the family and the community at large.
The educational process should stress acquisition of the basic skills of communication and mastery of academic subjects. Because individual aptitudes and abilities vary, so should the curriculum be broad enough to meet the needs of all students, including the academically inclined and the academically and physically challenged, without regard to gender, race, creed or religion.
To be successful, students should learn to communicate effectively and should be proficient in the basic skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening. Communication, a key to the future, requires both understanding those from other cultures and knowledge of the impact of technology on sharing and storing information. To be adequately prepared for high school, students should learn oral and written expression, information gathering and problem solving, as well as critical and independent thinking. This process will prepare our students for successful transition to a secondary school.
Yaak School District doesn’t have a Preschool Program but if you have a preschool aged child, you can enroll them in this online program to better prepare them for kindergarten!
