Gambell School

Bering Strait School District
169 Main St
Gambell, AK 99742
166 Students
Other Pre-K - 12th
School Overview
Gambell School is a remote K-12 institution located in the village of Gambell on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska. Situated just south of the Arctic Circle and only about 40 miles from the Chukotka Peninsula of Russia, the school serves a predominantly Yupik student population. It operates as part of the Bering Strait School District (BSSD), a district known for navigating the unique logistical and cultural challenges associated with providing education to isolated, fly-in communities in Western Alaska.

The school serves as a vital hub for the local community, emphasizing the preservation of the St. Lawrence Island Yupik language and cultural traditions alongside academic core subjects. Because of its extreme geographic isolation, the school plays a crucial role in providing students with technological resources and a connection to broader educational opportunities. By balancing state-mandated curriculum standards with the traditional values and subsistence lifestyle of the Gambell community, the school strives to prepare its students for both local leadership and success in the world beyond the island.
166
Total Students
15.0
Full-Time Teachers
11.1
Student/Teacher Ratio
96.4%
Free/Reduced Lunch
Student Demographics
  • American Indian
    159 (95.8 %)
  • White
    4 (2.4 %)
  • Two or More
    3 (1.8 %)
School Location
School Details
Status: Open
School Level: Other
School Type: Regular School
Charter Status:* Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction: No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status: No
District: Bering Strait School District
Phone: (907)985-5515
Website: http://www.bssd.org
Grade Range: Pre-K - 12th
Total Students: 166
Full-Time Teachers (FTE): 15.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio: 11.1
NSLP Participation:1 Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch: 160
Qualified Reduced Lunch: 0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

1 National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught
Pre-Kindergarten 12
Kindergarten 12
Grade 1 8
Grade 2 9
Grade 3 14
Grade 4 7
Grade 5 15
Grade 6 18
Grade 7 11
Grade 8 12
Grade 9 11
Grade 10 13
Grade 11 10
Grade 12 14
Gender Ratio