Building a Career and Technical Education High School, A Plan for the Future

I was born and raised in Gregory County, South Dakota, and graduated from Burke Public School in Burke, South Dakota, in 1990. I attended Black Hills State University for one year, and then transferred to Dakota State University, graduating in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education. I was an all-conference track athlete. I next attended Northern State University and graduated with a Master of Science in K-12 administration in 2003. The last degree I have obtained is a Specialist in Education with a Superintendent Certification from the University of Sioux Falls in 2009.

I am now the new Career and Technical Education Principal, with the St. Francis Indian School. I have sixteen years of administrative experience as a Superintendent, Principal, or Athletic Director working in public, private, or tribal school system, College at Lower Brule Community College, and have been a classroom teacher for six years. My experience as a teacher and administrator in the public and private setting as well as tribal schools gives me the insight to understand all facets of creating a positive educational atmosphere in which all children are capable of learning. My diversity as an educator has helped me to believe that all people can learn when given the proper motivation and direction. All of these situations have made me well-rounded, and to understand that we all must work together as one in a world of many cultures.

Danielle “Dani” Walking Eagle is the current School Superintendent of St Francis Indian School.  She began her 3rd year in this position having taken on that duty in 2021.  She is a 1985 graduate of St Francis Indian School.  She completed her Bachelors of Science degree in Elementary Education and Coaching from the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND from 1985-1989.  She completed her Masters Degree in 2003 from South Dakota State University in Education Administration with an emphasis in Pk-12 Principalship.  In the spring of 2023 she completed her Education Specialist Degree with an emphasis in being a certified Superintendent from the University of Sioux Falls. 

She comes with 09 years in teaching experience in the elementary and coaching in the high school at St Francis Indian School from 1989-1998.  In 1998 she became an Elementary Assistant Principal and the Director of the Family and Child Education program; upon being awarded the grant from the Bureau of Indian Education to St Francis Indian School.  She held this position from 1998-2013 with a total of 16 yrs.  In 2013 at St Francis Indian School she was hired as the Elementary Principal until 2019 for 6 yrs as the Principal.   She was at St Francis Indian School for a total of 30 years in different capacities including taking the lead in school improvement.  

From 2019-2021 Dani took a hiatus from St Francis Indian School to work at the Oglala Lakota County School District as their Federal Programs Director.  She managed for the district in all federal programs $30,000,000.00 including Title VI and their Impact Aide program.  During her time at the OLCSD she had the opportunity to manage the $100,000,000.00 in COVID relief dollars.  It was then that she was approached to come back to St Francis Indian School as the Superintendent.

As the Superintendent she brought St Francis Indian School out of receivership and back into compliance with the BIE and Department of Education.  She reopened their school after COVID to get the students back into a routine from which they could thrive.  She had full Rosebud Sioux Tribal Council approval to do this. Being a Rosebud Sioux Tribe Enrolled member she begin working closely with the tribal leadership to get more houses at her school.  They gave the school 5 houses from the tribal American Rescue Plan monies.  They also allotted $500,000 from the same funding source to fund the newly proposed Career and Technical Education High School.  This has been the priority of the SFIS school board from the beginning of her tenure.

The CTE high school has now hired their Principal and 4 of the 7 pathway instructors.  The plan is to hire from the industry they come from and train them in how to be a teacher, having started the process of South Dakota state certification.  The 7 pathways chosen via survey from the students, parents and community/businesses are:  

1. Public Safety  

2. Construction/building trades  

3. Hospitality/Tourism/Culinary Arts 

4. Health Sciences  

5. Information Technology  

6. Animal Science  

7. Business/Accounting

She has 1 son and 2 grandchildren.  She was recently appointed to the National Advisory Council on Indian Education 100-297 subcommittee. She serves on the Lakota Nation Invitational Board from 2003-present.  She has been appointed to the South Dakota High School Activities Assoc. as the Native American Rep. and is in her 2nd year and to the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame.  Following are her accomplishments.