Enrollment is Growing at Maȟpíya Lúta
Enrollment at Maȟpíya Lúta is climbing for the second year in a row, with significant growth across every campus. Two of our schools, home to our celebrated Lakȟóta immersion program, are now full with waiting lists, and Maȟpíya Lúta High School has seen its largest single-year enrollment increase in recent memory. Our Lady of Lourdes has also experienced notable growth, a sign that families across the region are taking notice.
Rooted in Lakȟóta and Jesuit Catholic values, Maȟpíya Lúta is a place where students are known, cared for, and formed as whole people. Our dedicated educators nurture students in faith, culture, and academics alike, and the results speak for themselves.
A Community Coming Home
More Maȟpíya Lúta graduates are heading to college than ever before, a trend that has climbed steadily since the early 2000s. More of those graduates are also choosing to return to their alma mater, proudly serving as teachers, coaches, and staff who give back to the community that shaped them.
A Language Alive in Our Halls at Maȟpíya Lúta Campus
At the heart of everything we do is a curriculum rooted in Lakȟóta culture and language. Fewer than 2,000 people speak Lakȟóta fluently today, and every graduate is adds another voice keeping the language alive. Maȟpíya Lúta offers a comprehensive Lakȟóta language curriculum spanning kindergarten through twelfth grade. In 2019, we launched our first Lakȟóta Dual Immersion classroom, where students learn core subjects entirely in Lakȟóta.
Walk through our halls, and you will hear it. Students greeting each other, working through math problems, and singing in Lakȟóta, proof that the language is alive and thriving on our campus. The waiting lists at our immersion schools show that families want this for their children. They want them to grow up grounded in who they are, in the language of their ancestors, and prepared for whatever comes next. Over 20 graduates have already earned South Dakota’s State Seal of Biliteracy for Lakȟóta, a recognition of fluency in both Lakȟóta and English, as our students become part of the next generation to carry it forward.
Our Commitment
As enrollment continues to grow, one thing remains constant. Maȟpíya Lúta is committed to raising a community of learners grounded in faith and culture, ready to love and serve in a diverse and changing world. We are grateful for every family that has chosen to be part of this community, and we look forward to welcoming many more.