Tohatchi High School is a public high school in Tohatchi, New Mexico. It is a part of Gallup-McKinley County Schools.
Communities in its attendance boundary include Tohatchi, Brimhall Nizohini, Nakaibito, and Twin Lakes. [1]
The original building had a capacity of 250. By 1975, the enrollment was at 750, and the school district was forming plans to build a new school; the district planned to spend $6,696,000, with a grant paid with federal funds covering just under $6,700,000 of that. September 1977 was the earliest anticipated opening date. [2] The district was using weather data supplied by a Tohatchi High student, using a small weather station, as part of the district's plans. [3] The federal grant funding arrived in 1977. [4]
Osmond Charles "Chick" Fero, [5] in fall 1983 became the principal of Tohatchi High. [6] There were three other people considered for the position. [7] In 1985 he resigned after he was accused of murdering superintendent Paul Hanson, and Carl Montoya took his position. [6] Fero was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. [8]
The school began a woodworking program in 1972. [9]
In the 1976–1977 school year the school started a class on making rugs in the Navajo style, which was part of a program to add elements of Navajo culture to the coursework. It was the only such class in the school district. [10]
McKinley County is a county in the northwestern section of the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2020 United States Census, its population was 72,902. Its county seat is Gallup. The county was created in 1901 and named for President William McKinley.
Pinehill or Pine Hill is a census-designated place in Cibola County, New Mexico, United States. It is located on the Ramah Navajo Indian Reservation. The population was 88 at the 2010 census. The location of the CDP in 2010 had become the location of the Mountain View CDP as of the 2020 census, while a new CDP named "Pinehill" was listed 8 miles (13 km) further south, at a point 4 miles (6 km) southeast of Candy Kitchen.
Brimhall Nizhoni is a census-designated place (CDP) in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 199 at the 2010 census. The Navajo Coyote Canyon Chapter House is located in Brimhall.
Nakaibito is a census-designated place (CDP) in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 455 at the 2000 census.
Ramah is a census-designated place (CDP) in McKinley County, New Mexico. The population was 461 as of the 2020 United States census.
Tohatchi is a census-designated place (CDP) in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. It is known as a health-services and education hub along Highway 491. Its population was reported to be 785 at the 2020 census. As Tohatchi is located on the Navajo Nation, it is designated federal trust land.
Twin Lakes is a census-designated place (CDP) in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,069 at the 2000 census.
Fort Wingate was a military installation near Gallup, New Mexico, United States. There were two other locations in New Mexico called Fort Wingate: Seboyeta, New Mexico (1849–1862) and San Rafael, New Mexico (1862–1868). The most recent Fort Wingate (1868–1993) was established at the former site of Fort Lyon, on Navajo territory, initially to control and "protect" the large Navajo tribe to its north. The Fort at San Rafael was the staging point for the Navajo deportation known as the Long Walk of the Navajo. From 1870 onward the garrison near Gallup was concerned with Apaches to the south, and through 1890 hundreds of Navajo Scouts were enlisted at the fort.
The Ramah Navajo Indian Reservation is a non-contiguous section of the Navajo Nation lying in parts of west-central Cibola and southern McKinley counties in New Mexico, United States, just east and southeast of the Zuni Indian Reservation. It has a land area of 230.675 sq mi (597.445 km2), over 95 percent of which is designated as off-reservation trust land. According to the 2000 census, the resident population is 2,167 persons. The Ramah Reservation's land area is less than one percent of the Navajo Nation's total area.
Gallup-McKinley County Schools (GMCS) is a school district based in Gallup, New Mexico which serves students from Gallup and surrounding areas of McKinley County.
The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), headquartered in the Main Interior Building in Washington, D.C., and formerly known as the Office of Indian Education Programs (OIEP), is a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior under the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs. It is responsible for the line direction and management of all BIE education functions, including the formation of policies and procedures, the supervision of all program activities, and the approval of the expenditure of funds appropriated for BIE education functions.
Wingate High School is a Native American high school in unincorporated McKinley County, New Mexico, operated by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). It has grades 9-12. It has a Fort Wingate postal address.
Pine Hill Schools is a K-12 tribal school system operated by the Ramah Navajo School Board, Inc. (RNSB), in association with the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), in Pine Hill, New Mexico.
Zuni High School (ZHS) is a public high school in Black Rock, New Mexico, with a Zuni Pueblo postal address. It is a part of the Zuni Public School District.
Ramah Middle/High School is a public secondary school in unincorporated McKinley County, New Mexico, near the Ramah census-designated place and with a Ramah postal address. It is a part of Gallup-McKinley County Schools.
Crownpoint High School is a public high school in Crownpoint, New Mexico. It is a part of the Gallup McKinley County Schools district.
Navajo Pine High School is a public high school in Navajo, New Mexico. It is a part of Gallup-McKinley County Schools.
Thoreau High School is a public high school in Thoreau, New Mexico. It is a part of Gallup-McKinley County Schools.
St. Bonaventure Indian School is a Catholic K-8 school in Thoreau, New Mexico. It is under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gallup, and from 1986 to 2001 had high school classes.