About your school

In 2011, San Simon School was named the top-rated school in Arizona by the Arizona Department of Education. It also earned an “A” rating in 2012, underscoring consistent academic performance.

Data from the 2023–2024 school year shows a student body of 98 across all grades. San Simon offers an exceptional 10:1 student-to-teacher ratio, enabling individualized instruction opportunities, and leading to a strong academic history of top state rating.

It continues a tradition of academic excellence and community focus, offering personalized education and rich extracurricular opportunities—despite its small scale and remote location. For families seeking a tight-knit educational environment, San Simon provides a compelling model; ensuring rigor and resource accessibility will be vital in sustaining long-term student success.

The school’s staff includes 10 classroom teachers, 2 administrators, and additional support personnel—such as aides and instructional specialists—totaling 33 staff members. District funding primarily comes from local (60%), state (26%), and federal (15%) sources, with annual per-student expenditures around $23,381

Extracurricular, Athletics & Culture

San Simon embraces a comprehensive extracurricular program that includes:

Athletics: Competing as the “Longhorns” in 1A South division across volleyball, basketball, baseball, softball, and track & field

Clubs & Programs: Student council, FFA, guitar club, journalism, yearbook, internships, and more—all benefiting from small class sizes and personalized attention

Current Initiatives & Programs

STEP (Strategic Transformation of Education Plan)
In the 2023–2024 academic year, San Simon Elementary adopted STEP—a blended digital learning program. Students receive 1:1 laptops and access to a digital portal that integrates tech-enhanced instruction supporting academic growth

Tech Infrastructure & Cybersecurity
As of February 2025, the district has addressed a PowerSchool cybersecurity incident. A FERPA-related data-security notice was also issued in April 2025—highlighting efforts to secure student data systems

Extracurricular & Academic Growth
Continued offerings include student council, FFA, guitar club, yearbook, journalism, athletics, and vocational internships—all part of the mission to foster leadership, college prep, and career readiness

Mission-Driven Approaches & Tribal Context
Aligned with the Bureau of Indian Education’s whole-person framework, San Simon emphasizes integrity, compassion, spiritual/cultural development, special education access (Child Find program), and initiatives like a heritage garden to strengthen cultural ties