Kankakee Valley School Corporation Office

219.987.4711 Voice                      219.987.4710 Fax

Mission Statement

Kankakee Valley School Corporation Will:

Develop and foster a cooperative partnership with the community and family, resulting in maximum growth toward excellece in education for all students.

Create a safe and orderly atmosphere where students are offered the opportunity to mature, learn, and succeed, to reach their true potential.

Prepare students for careers and opportunities in the 21st century.

Employ the best-qualified individuals who accept the challenges of educating Kankakee Valley students and provide for these employees opportunities and motivation to grow professionally.

Legal Status

The organization of the Kankakee Valley School Corporation derives its legal status from the School Corporation Act of 1959, as amended in 1961 and 1963. Also, as approved by the State Commission for the Reorganization of School Corporations on July 24, 1964 and as recorded with the County Recorder on August 6, 1964.

The Kankakee Valley School Corporation shall contain the territory now included in the following civil townships: Kankakee, Keener, Walker, Wheatfield and that part of Union Civil Township north of the center of the present location of 400N (Fair Oaks - Gifford Road)

Description of the School Community

The Kankakee Valley Schools serve pupils in Kindergarten through grade 12 who live in northern Jasper County, Indiana. Kankakee Valley is made up of two communities 25 miles south of Merrillville on U.S. Highway 10. It has access to U.S. Interstate 65. The community's population is approximately 14,000. A large number of residents work in the Gary/Merrillville/Chicago area. The towns of DeMotte and Wheatfield contains granaries, auto sales, and very light industries.

Agriculture is the main land use in this mostly rural district. DeMotte with a population of about 2800 is the largest town in the district. While agriculture and Northern Indiana Public Service are major local employers, a large number of people commute to work in Lake County. The community is 92.5% Caucasian and is economically a lower middle to middle income community. The population of the area has shown significant growth and as a result the school population is growing.

Kankakee Valley Middle School is located on the same site as the high school in an attached building and shares some sections of the high school facilities. Two public elementary schools feed into an intermediate school which feeds into a middle school. A private elementary school (Demotte Christian) is located in the district and some high school students attend a private high school (Covenant Christian) located in DeMotte or Illiana Christian School located outside the district. Christian Haven, a facility for boys from troubled backgrounds is located in Wheatfield. Students from Christian Haven may be entered into the mainstream via enrollment at Kankakee Valley High School.

A significant feature of the school community is the many church groups. Family life revolves around Sunday and Wednesday evening church activities and the corporation has historically avoided scheduling school functions on these nights.