Small Schools

Today I went to Elk Creek High School. I talked to 16 students in the school. Those 16 students were more than half the students in the whole school. The school has a total of 31 students, 7 teachers, and 1 counselor. We all have preconceived ideas about small schools like this. We presume that the students feel that they are getting an inadequate education. Of the 16 students I talked to half of them scored above the 50 percentile in most subjects than all the other students at the same grade level around the nation.

We presume that the students don't like going to such a small high school. These students were very happy. They were like a family. Everyone knew each other, they knew each others strengths and weaknesses. These 31 students grew up with each other. They live near each other and always expected high school years to be this way. The sports teams have been playing with each other all their lives. Some of the teams are good and some aren't. There are 12 girls on the basketball team and only 15 girls in the high school.

The school doesn't have enough boys that want to be on the baseball team so it includes girls and there is also a softball team. These kids are happy and they have a good education. The school district provides for them what they need and want. My daughter's school has 1600 students and 3 counselors so the ration is one for more than 500, this school has a ration of one counselor for 31 students. There is one student taking Spanish II and they don't have a teacher for it so he does it by internet in he library.

I'm an advocate for small schools. But, small school usually means 1200 students or less. 31 is tiny not small. I was very impressed with the students, teachers and staff at this school. I think this school district is doing something GREAT for their students!!