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La Conner School District Awarded 2023 Board of the Year Small District!
Join us in congratulating La Conner school district in their achievements. Watch the video from WSSDA honoring La Conner School District.
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Highline Since Time Immemorial Partners Convening
Office of Native Education staff Willard Bill Jr (Assistant Director) and Kayla Guyett (Tribal Language Liaison) were invited to Highline Public Schools (HPS) for a convening celebrating the creation and growth of their Muckleshoot specific Since Time Immemorial curriculum and strategized ways to increase intentional implementation across the district. This gathering included Highline’s Superintendent, cabinet members, central office staff, and past employees who helped create the current place-based curriculum, as well as community members and Muckleshoot Tribal representatives. Representation from the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe included Donny Stevenson (Vice Chair), Eileen Richardson (Language Director), and Stephanie James (Culture Director).
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Highline Public School administrative staff, Muckleshoot Tribal representatives, and OSPI Offce of Native Education staff gather to celebrate the creation of and advocate for implementation of Muckleshoot's STI curriculum.
This convening opened with the “why” of the work; why Since Time Immemorial curriculum and implementation is so important to Highline staff, students, and the district as a whole. There was then some time for attendees to engage and explore the place-based curriculum HPS has created in collaboration and consultation with Muckleshoot Indian Tribe. Finally, guests were invited to sit on a panel for HPS staff and offer insight, guidance, and hopes for the curriculum moving forward. The day highlighted the responsibility and accountability of the district in regard to Tribal consultation and implementation of the place-based Tribal Sovereignty Curriculum.
A big congratulations to Highline Public Schools for their work with the Since Time Immemorial curriculum and collaboration with their partners, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe. We are excited to see the work grow, and implementation increase across the district! A special thanks for Sara Marie Ortiz (Native Education Program Manager) for inviting Office of Native Education staff to engage in and contribute to this work.
Willard Bill Jr.
Office of Native Education | OSPI Washington State
Assistant Director
Willard Bil Jr. began his professional career at the Muckleshoot Tribal School. Since 1997 he has served the local Native population in a variety of roles including classroom teacher, building and district administrator, cultural director and now Assistant Director for the Office of Native Education at the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).
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Kayla Guyett
Office of Native Education | OSPI Washington State
Tribal Language Liaison
Prior to joining the Office of Native Education, Kayla came from the public-school systems working with our Native students as well as systems that impact both policy and students directly. She has also served as a culture teacher at Chief Leschi School, eventually receiving certification as a Lushootseed language teacher from the Puyallup Tribal Language Department. Tribal languages have been a passion of Kayla’s for the 12+ years she has worked in education, and while still young in her language journey she strives to learn from elders in the community as well as elders in this work to best assist and support our Tribal Language programs across the state.
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American Indian Endowed Scholarships Available
Apply for the 2024-2025 American Indian Endowed Scholarship (AIES) awards through Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC). Visit WSAC for more information.
Deadline to apply: March 1, 2024 | Scholarships range from $500 to $2,000!
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Financial Assistance for Students
The American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) is proud to sponsor the AIANTA Tourism and Hospitality Scholarship, which provides American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students with financial assistance towards a degree or certificate in hospitality, tourism, recreation, culinary arts, museum studies or related fields.
Three students will be awarded $1,000 each semester (fall and spring semester only).
Deadline to Apply: Friday, April 26, 2024 | See the flyer for more details
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January 15 Marks the 15 Year Resolve to Commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
"On November 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed the King Holiday Bill into law, designating the third Monday in January a federal holiday in observance of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The legislation to recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day was first introduced just four days after his assassination on April 4, 1968. Still, it would take 15 years of persistence by civil rights activists for the holiday to be approved by the federal government and an additional 17 years for it to be recognized in all 50 states. Today, it is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer and improve their communities."
Read more about the 15 Year Battle for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Article quoted from the National Museum of African American History & Culture
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Taking Applications for PEI Tribal Engagement Coordinator Position
The Tribal Engagement Coordinator is the statewide point of contact for Pacific Education Institute's (PEI) outreach to and partnerships with tribal nations. The position primarily manages PEI’s efforts to build respectful and trusted relationships with tribes, their members, and their staff through our Green Jobs work.
The position also supports efforts to ensure tribal sovereignty, expertise, and knowledge are centered in the design, development, and delivery of high-quality PreK-12 professional learning and educational materials through PEI’s FieldSTEM programs. FieldSTEM helps students make balanced, well-informed decisions for just and sustainable communities and to become future leaders in the conservation and natural resource sectors.
This position is in Washington State and requires travel within the state and possibly to national conferences or events. Visit PEI’s Website to apply
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APPLY NOW for Indian Education Grants!
Native American Language Program (NAL@ED)
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) is issuing a notice inviting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2024 for Indian Education Discretionary Grants Programs—Native American Language (NAL@ED) program, Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.415B. This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1810–0731.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: January 17, 2024
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Governor Inslee's $50 Million Plan to Combat WA's Fentanyl Crisis
Governor Inslee's proposed 2023–25 biennium budget would allocate money to address Washington's fentanyl crisis by focusing on education and awareness, overdose prevention, treatment access, recovery support, first responder support, and community health hubs. Read more here.
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SAVE THE DATE!
Since Time Immemorial Training
Tribal Sovereignty Curriculum Introductory Training: Lummi Nation
This eight-hour workshop offers place-based training with nearest Tribes, which includes an overview of the STI curriculum, guided navigation through the website, and an introduction to the Native Knowledge 360 curriculum.
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Strengthening Tribal Consultation Training
Watch for Upcoming Training Opportunities Here!
Senate Bill 5252 states that beginning September 1, 2024, school board members, superintendents, and any other staff at school districts that are required to perform Tribal consultation under Title VI of the federal ESSA (P.L. 114-95, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1001 et seq., 20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) must take and certify completion of the 3-hour Strengthening Tribal Consultation training focusing on:
- Native Student Identification
- Data Sharing
- Implementation of Tribal history, culture and government – Since Time Immemorial
Additional trainings are being planned for School Year 2023–2024 and will be posted on our Tribal Consultation webpage and sent as they become available.
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Earn Free Clock Hours!
Watch Dr. Ross Greene's Training on Behavioral Intervention Strategies
It’s not too late to earn free clock hours! If you weren’t able to attend the live Collaborative and Proactive Solutions training with Dr. Ross Greene, you can still earn clock hours by watching the recording.
In this training, Dr. Greene provides an overview of the Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS) Model, as an alternative to “discipline-as-usual” behavioral intervention strategies. The training also includes: the nuances of assessment, engaging students in solving the problems that affect their lives, and strategies to reduce restraints and eliminate isolation.
Register on pdEnroller to watch the recording A total of 3 clock hours are available (1.5 Equity and 1.5 Special Education). Please email Emme Williamson with questions.
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