OPI Indian Education for All Compass Update February 2023

IEFA Awareness Event at The MT Capitol February 14th

Commonly known as IEFA Rotunda Day, this event highlights Montana's constitutional commitment to Indian Education for All and the teachers who make it happen in our schools.  This event will also highlight and honor some of the upcoming Making Montana Proud Poster Series candidates.  The goal of this event is to educate our Legislators regarding Montana's leadership in Indian Education for All and to share some of the great work being done in the field.  We encourage you to take this opportunity to celebrate Indian Education for All with your students and school community and/or to share your IEFA work and successes with your elected officials.  

16th Annual IEFA Best Practices Conference March 17th & 18th

The OPI IEFA team will host the 16th Annual Indian Education for All Best Practices Conference 2023.  We are excited to return to having a live event on March 17-18, 2023 at Helena College and the Bryant Elementary School Gymnasium.  Our theme is Strengthening and Healing through Cultural Knowledge and Education. Here is a general agenda:

Friday, March 17 -Helena College and Bryant School Gym

8:00 - 11:45 a.m.                Pre-Conference Workshop Series (selection of session required) - Helena College

11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.      Registration - Helena College

12:30 - 1:45 p.m.                Welcome, Keynote Address, and Teresa Veltkamp Advocacy Awards for Excellence in Indian Education - Bryant School Gym

2:00 - 4:50 p.m.                   Breakout Sessions - Helena College

5:00 - 5:45 p.m.                   Cultural Continuum with Tribal Elders Panel - Bryant School Gym 

Saturday, March 18 - Helena College and Bryant School Gym

 9:00 - 10:15 a.m.                  Keynote Address with Buffalo Unity Project Students (Poplar Middle School) - Bryant Gym

10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.         Breakout Sessions - Helena College

Registration is free and the link can be accessed on the Upcoming Events/PD page of the OPI IEFA website

Need Professional Development Units?   The Montana Office of Public Instruction Indian Education for All Unit has some great virtual options for you! Each webinar/workshop is a 90-minute recording you can watch when it suits you and your schedule. To earn professional development units, you will need to complete a short survey after watching each recorded episode. Be sure to check out our most recent presentations which all feature American Indian speakers.  Some of the presenters include Julie Cajune, Keving Kicking Woman, Rosalyn LaPier, Rose Bear Don’t Walk, Lea Whitford, and Senator Shane Morigeau, INDIAN EDUCATION FOR ALL BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE BUILDING WEBINAR SERIES Tribal Sovereignty Indian Boarding Schools: From History to Healing Ethnobotany   Buffalo Nations: History and Revitalization of the American Bison Yellowstone National Park Workshop, North Yellowstone Lodge Workshop Dates:     August 2-8, 2023     August 9-15, 2023 The new Buffalo Nations Landmarks program will prepare two groups of K-12 educators from across the U.S. to implement a curriculum focusing on the history and revitalization of the buffalo as situated within the histories, geographies, and contemporary knowledge of Indigenous Nations. K-12 teachers and other educators are eligible to apply.  Attendees will receive a $1300 stipend.  The program is relevant to teachers across all grade levels and subject areas, though K-8 teachers, science teachers, and social studies teachers may benefit most. For workshop information and application forms visit the Buffalo Nations Landmarks website

The OPI is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, require an alternate format, or have questions concerning accessibility, contact the OPI ADA Coordinator, 406-444-3161, opiada@mt.gov, Relay Service: 711.