Welcome to the Yellow Medicine East (YME) School District. We are excited to serve our students, parents, and community by providing high-quality educational opportunities for all.
YME’s mission is: “to provide a caring environment of high expectations that prepares every student for a successful future and instills the value of learning.” We focus our efforts to address the individual needs of all students because we understand that a strong relationship is one of the hallmarks of a “world-class” education. We want a solid relationship with students, parents/guardians, and the entire family. In order to help us with this, we value your feedback and input so please reach out to us with questions, comments, or concerns.
Getting to know each student is a vital part of our mission. We believe the purpose of a school is to expose students to a variety of opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom as they explore and develop a pathway for their future. Education is one of the most impactful aspects of our lives and is often referred to as “the great equalizer” because it can open the door to so many opportunities. Whether it be building a strong foundation in academics, an appreciation for the arts, or involvement in sports or other clubs and activities, YME offers a wide range of opportunities for all students.
Academics are a critical part of what we do at YME. Therefore, we offer a variety of academic areas (math, English, science, career technical education, foreign language, band, choir, etc.) that allow students to explore their interests and provide a foundation to pursue post-secondary education. We also focus on exposure to many career opportunities in and around our community. We see all students as individuals with personalized paths and invest time and interest in each student to help them choose the right career path.
Collaborative leadership is vital to our success, but understanding my background might help you appreciate my perspectives. My wife of over 30 years, Sheri also works in the YME school district as an elementary teacher. Together, we have three adult children and three beautiful grandchildren. I graduated from USD (1989) with a degree in Biology Education, from SDSU (2001) with a degree in Education Administration, and from USD (2016) with an Educational Specialist degree. I taught middle and high school science and math (12 years) before becoming a principal (17 years). I was in the South Dakota National Guard for 28 years and grew up on a farm in eastern South Dakota as one of 8 children.
I firmly believe that a school should represent the values of a community and your feedback can only strengthen us, so if you have a question, concern, or idea, please do not hesitate to contact me. You can email me at rschneider@isd2190.org, call me at (320)564-4081, or approach me personally. I can often be found at school or community events. I also encourage you to drop in and would love to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee with you because I want to get to know you. I would love to get to know you because I believe our success is based on working together as a team. We truly are all in this together.
-Rich Schneider
Superintendent