Lake Minatare Elementary community reminisces as final year comes to an end

Mark Schaneman was in second grade when his class moved to Lake Minatare Elementary's new building in 1965. The building sits about seven miles east of Scottsbluff’s outer edge.

Since then, more than 30 Schanemans have attended the elementary school. The community threw a barbecue this week as Lake Minatare finishes out its last year. The Scottsbluff school board voted 5-1 earlier this year to close the school, citing financial constraints.

“Now my grandson, also named Mark, is the last graduating class at the closure,” Mark said. “We had a Mark start and a Mark finish.”

The school started in 1889. Juanita Baker, a now-retired kindergarten teacher and co-author of a book about the history of the Minatare area, said the school’s name came about in 1915 after the nearby lake was named Lake Minatare.

Classes moved into a new building in 1965 to accommodate the consolidation of four school districts, including Lake Minatare.

Baker started teaching at the school in that building in 1985. She said the farmland went right up to the playground, giving her the chance to show her kindergarteners what the farmers were planting and to see cattle grazing right by the school.

“It was a wonderful place to expose children to the outdoors,” Baker said. “The learning situation expanded more than just in between four walls of a building.”

She recalled having “Kindergarten Kitchen” once a month, during which parents and their students would share in a food experience.

“I would always try to introduce something new, like a kiwi food or something like that,” Baker said. “It just was so much fun to work with the parents and see their involvement with their children.”

Baker taught several of the Schanemans before she retired as an educator after 23 years, including Mark’s son, Clark. He said even as a 40-year-old, he still receives a “Happy Birthday” message from Baker on Facebook.

Clark said his favorite memory from school was playing sports. One of his coaches even played with Clark’s dad when they were students.

“He's still probably one of the biggest mentors I ever had,” Clark said.

Mark also enjoyed the athletics, and said he enjoyed the Christmas programs.

“I just recall one when, I believe I was in seventh grade when we did this program, and I had to play an elderly gentleman. You go through all the stuff, dust your hair white,” Mark said. “We got to experience things at the level almost like high school children do.”

His grandson, also named Mark, said he loved the annual fundraiser the best.

“My favorite thing about the school was the chili supper,” Mark said. “All the people in our district together.”

The event helped raise money for the school and for a scholarship.

The three Schanemans shared disappointment with the decision to close the school. Grandpa Mark said the community revolves around the elementary, demonstrated by the nearly 1,000 people who attended the chili supper.

“People came from town, people came from extended families,” Mark said. “It was just a chance to get to see all your neighbors, friends, old acquaintances, things like that. The school is pretty important in our district here as a community gathering place.”

Mark said even though one of his classmates now lives in South Dakota, she always runs and gives him a hug when she visits.

“You grow up together and live life together and have children and carry on what your parents started,” he said.

The Schanemans appreciated the smaller class sizes the country school offered, which helped cultivate the close community they have. There were nearly 80 students in the 2024-25 school year, according to Nebraska Department of Education data.

Clark said families don’t have anything against the other schools they will end up at, and most tend to go to Scottsbluff after graduating from fifth grade.

“It's not that we don't want to go to that district or go into town, but to have the elementary school and individuality out here right at home in the country, it's two miles from my house,” Clark said. “I grew up one mile from the school. We want that atmosphere, and we want them to be raised in that atmosphere.”

In addition to many Schanemans attending the school, several worked there. Mark’s brother was a bus driver. Clark’s sister-in-law was the principal, his wife was a substitute teacher, his sister was a paraprofessional and multiple aunts have been on the school board over the years.

“It's been a long, long road, and we're really disappointed to see it end,” Clark said. “We've always been so proud of our school.”

Baker, who retired in 2008, said she was also disappointed to hear about the school closure, especially with how hard the teachers worked to ensure students were learning and testing high. NDE ranked the district in the “excellent” category in its annual ratings of schools, which is the highest ranking possible.

“I just felt really sad, and I know a lot of the parents felt sad too, and students too,” Baker said. “I told the parents, please keep your sadness to where it doesn't affect your children, because they need to go on and finish their school careers, and we want them to be happy no matter where they go to school, because children learn regardless of us adults.”

With all the reminiscing, Baker said she hopes everyone takes a moment to think of a teacher who impacted their life.

“I hear from a lot of my students, and I love to hear from them,” Baker said. “I urge every person, whether they're a parent or not, to think back to their school days and think of one teacher that maybe made a difference in their life. Call them up or visit them, send them a note, let them know that. I just think it's important to share that information.”