Oki. This month has been very exciting. We hired our Tribal Youth Coordinator, Alicia Doney, and she started off strong with outreach by email and phone to many of our tribal school districts and high native population urban schools. We are excited to get our virtual youth leadership work going with RISE in the last week of this month. We are also holding our first face-to-face Elder Cultural Wisdom Council gathering in the final week of September. This group will guide us as we look to incorporate self-identity and holistic education with our students.
Our first quarterly Tribal Nations Consultation meeting went great with the Little Shell, Blackfeet, Fort Peck, Fort Belknap, Chippewa Cree, and Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Nations in attendance. They shared their interests and needs as it relates to education and tribal representation in the schools. We want to solidify this meeting and offer our internal units the opportunity to meet with the tribal nations and share the good work or seek guidance. Creating communication will bring positive results. We will work to assist in the relationship building between the local stakeholders to move forward together and share resources and efforts.
The month of October will bring site visits to the school districts, tribal councils, and the programs involved in the wellness of our youth. Sharing strategies and offering guidance is the goal. Youth outreach will be moving fast too as we will be planning student events and activities to kick off in November.
Language and Culture
Amba Daya!
This last month has been packed with consultations and meetings at the tribal and legislative levels. We spoke before the Education Interim Budget and Tribal Relations Committees about the ongoing need for Native language revitalization. We are excited about the support we have received along the way and owe a huge thanks to many involved in the efforts. The Class 7 Alliance in Montana also convened a meeting that we attended and shared our goals for the future. Our next round of language grants will be rolling out shortly.
We have some upcoming professional development opportunities to share. There will be an online webinar book club featuring selections involving second language acquisition. I will also be leading and co-presenting at the MFPE educators conference.
Coming up, we will be engaging with our Elders Culture and Wisdom Council for guidance and planning. Following that, Donnie and I will meet and partner with other Native language leaders from across the country as they gather for the National Indian Education Association. Then we will convene for a meeting with the elders, youth and other leaders from the Flathead region.
Pinamaya to all of our dedicated educators as we move into Tasnaheja-hagikta (The Striped Gopher Looks Back, who was said to come out for a last look at the fine weather before hibernation season). Also, Anukope (Joins both Sides, as it was part summer part winter)
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