Photo Gallery: Crow Creek Schools (Sioux Falls Argus Leader)

The Crow Creek Sioux Tribe of South Dakota needs anywhere from $30 million to $40 million to completely replace two aging schools that have been in need of improvements for years.

The Crow Creek High School's 45-year-old student dormitory was destroyed by a fire last Sunday. The tribe needs $2.2 million to build a temporary structure in time for the fall 2005 term.

Beyond that, the high school and the elementary school on the reservation. The elementary school has been condemned by the state fire marshal but is still in use. The state also said use of the high school should be "discontinued."

Tribal officials have been trying to get the Bureau of Indian Affairs to find money to fix the schools. Even in the aftermath of the fire, the BIA was resistant, according to chairman Duane Big Eagle. He said the BIA suggested that the dorm could be rebuilt -- even though it was totally gutted.

Get the Story:
A haven lost (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 5/1)
Fire destroys dormitory at Crow Creek (Indian Country Today 5/2)

Relevant Links:
Crow Creek Tribal School - http://www.crowcreek.k12.sd.us

Related Stories:
Crow Creek Tribe needs $2.2M to replace dormitory (4/29)
Wind stirs up another fire at Crow Creek school (4/28)
Crow Creek Tribe to replace dorm destroyed by fire (4/27)
School employees describe rescue of girls from fire (4/26)
Girls saved from fire at Crow Creek school dorm (4/25)