ST. BONAVENTURE SCHOOL HISTORY
1980
The St. Bonaventure Indian Mission preschool opens.
1985
The elementary school is accredited.
1986
St Bonaventure expands to include preschool through grade 12.
1987
The high school is accredited.
1992
Sr. Natalie Bussiere comes on board as principal.
1999
A new campus building was dedicated to house an expanded library and the addition of a computer laboratory.
2000
Thanks to generous donors, a new dining hall and kitchen facilities were constructed and opened, and the former dining hall was converted into a gymnasium.
2001
The Board of Trustees made the difficult decision to scale the high school academic program back and continue instruction in preschool through grade 8. Because of historically high drop out rates among Diné children attending public school — 40 percent before the 8th grade — the Board of Trustees concurrently created a scholarship program for 8th grade graduates of St. Bonaventure to attend Gallup Catholic High School.
2002
Construction begins on a new preschool.
2003
Three new classroom buildings were added to house grades 2, 3 and 4, replacing older, unsafe structures.
2007
All of our 8th-grade graduates went on to enroll in local high schools.