Theodore Jamerson Elementary School

. Mission, Vision Statement & History

Mission:

Our mission is to teach and facilitate learning in a cooperative, diverse and safe environment.

Vision:

We are here to prepare children to be successful citizens in a diverse world.

History:

How Theodore Jamerson Elementary School Came To Be

(A student created interview with Mrs. Mueller, Spring 2014)

We interviewed the longest working staff member at TJES. She is also one of the longest working employees of UTTC. Her name is Mrs. Mueller. She has been working here 41 years; It will be 42 years in June. She said that the school has grown over the years. There used to be only grades 1-6. Now we have grades K to 8*. Mrs. Mueller’s position changed 5 times. She was a teacher of grade 4, then 3rd and 2nd together, 7th and 8th together and finally she is a Title One Teacher. She said TJES is like her family. That’s why she has stayed here all these years.
Her position at TJES started when she saw a newspaper ad that the college needed a substitute teacher. She took the opportunity to be a substitute teacher at the college.

Glenna Mueller
Retired at TJES after 41 years

2014 Photo by Tristan, Grade 5

At that time, children of the college students went to school in town but were homesick and lonesome. It was hard to keep them there. Anne Kuyper worked to help the children of the college students adapt to school in town. After that, Tiny Bud from Standing Rock Reservation said we need a school out here (United Tribes Technical College). They started working on the school in 1972. Gay Robertson Kingman was hired as the first principal and Mrs. Mueller and Ms. Kuyper were among the first teachers. Grades 1 – 6 school opened in February of 1973 and was named after Theodore “Tiny Bud” Jamerson who passed away in June of that year.

The 7th and 8th grade classes were added in the fall of 1973. In the fall of 1974 Randy Plume was named principal. In 1975 Title 1 and RIF were added to TJES and a small two-room building was added to the TJES campus. In 1975 TJES added another building. Joan Estes was named principal. In 1978 the Special Education program was started. In the fall of 1988 Ann Rubia was named principal. In January of 1990 Jack Tobias was named acting principal.

Theodore Jamerson "Tiny Bud"

Founder of TJES

The summer of 1990 Sam Azure was named principal. In 2006, TJES was awarded a Reading 1st grant.
In 2008 TJES was awarded a Math Counts Grant. In 2011 five additional buildings were added to TJES. The year before the college allowed TJES to use space from different college buildings including using the small gym for grade 7 and 8 classrooms.*
As of 2022, TJES uses (Gym* and cafeteria shared with the college) a total of 13 buildings on the campus of UTTC.

This is the history of TJES and how it was formed. Story by Evelyn & Tristan, Grade 5

Updates:

* Fall 2023 Ray Talley became principal of TJES
* 2022-2023 TJES Celebrated 50th Anniversary
* 2022 - 2023 was the last year TJES offered grade 6
* 2022 - 2023 Jr. K was added
* 2021 - 2022 Pre-K was offered via the FACE program.
* April 2022 the mask mandate was lifted. Wearing a mask became optional for students and staff.
* April 19, 2021 TJES Students returned to Face-to-Face instruction with a mask mandate in place.
* Because of the pandemic, on-campus classes closed March 17, 2020. TJES transitioned to online classes using Google Classroom and Chromebooks. Off campus student lunch home delivery began Tuesday, September 8, 2020.
* 2019-2020 was the last year TJES offered 7th grade.
* UTTC converted the small gym into a game room for college students.
When the college does not need the multi - purpose room, TJES uses the multi - purpose room for gym classes.
* During the Spring of 2018 Jessie Fischer became the principal of TJES.
* Glenna Mueller retired from teaching at TJES in 2015 after 42 years.
* The 2014 - 2015 school year was the last year TJES offered 8th grade.

Past Activities:

2022 - 2023 Group Photo
Summer School
Music Program Videos
2018 - 2019 Group Photo
2016 - 2017 Group Photo
2016 Students on aircraft
2013 - 2014 Group Photo

Science Fair

2015 - 2016 Kindergarten
2013 -2014 Care Mobile story

Old survey.