You Know What's NOT at the Seattle Schools News Page?
Any mention of Indigenous People's Day on Monday, October 12th. Not on Twitter, either.
Now it IS the calendar but there is no story or reference to any events happening in our schools nor if the Superintendent or Board will be attending any events. This is surprising given that Superintendent Nyland was very involved in Native American education when he was working in Marysville.
The Board voted on this resolution to change from Columbus Day to Indigenous People's Day almost exactly a year ago (on Oct 1, 2014) so it's not like it's a surprise.
What is odd is that I know from listening to the Board meeting that Licton Springs K-8 is having an event and invited the Board/Superintendent to attend. It is the only Native American-focused K-8 school in the district. The speaker, Margit Moore, also announced that they received a grant (about $150K over three years) from the Gates Foundation to support Advanced Learning for Native American students.
The Board and Superintendent also got a fantastic report from the head of Native American Education for the district, Gail T. Morris. She could not be more enthused about her job and her staff and all that they are doing. Unfortunately, there is nothing on that SPS department webpage about any events for that day.
Now it IS the calendar but there is no story or reference to any events happening in our schools nor if the Superintendent or Board will be attending any events. This is surprising given that Superintendent Nyland was very involved in Native American education when he was working in Marysville.
The Board voted on this resolution to change from Columbus Day to Indigenous People's Day almost exactly a year ago (on Oct 1, 2014) so it's not like it's a surprise.
What is odd is that I know from listening to the Board meeting that Licton Springs K-8 is having an event and invited the Board/Superintendent to attend. It is the only Native American-focused K-8 school in the district. The speaker, Margit Moore, also announced that they received a grant (about $150K over three years) from the Gates Foundation to support Advanced Learning for Native American students.
The Board and Superintendent also got a fantastic report from the head of Native American Education for the district, Gail T. Morris. She could not be more enthused about her job and her staff and all that they are doing. Unfortunately, there is nothing on that SPS department webpage about any events for that day.
Comments
Teacher
TS
Treaties Violated by lack of Highly Qualified Teachers in American Indian Schools
-- Dan Dempsey
that's really wierd you'd delete that post, some body went to the effort to inform us of the work the district put into honoring first people on Monday and you deleted it.
Not well .....
and in Seattle slightly better
MSP ethnic trend results in WA State
WA scores followed by (Seattle) scores below.
In 2014 MSP reading grade 4 WA State
American Indian / Alaska Native ... lowest ethnic group 46% passing .. (50%)
In 2014 MSP math grade 4 WA State
American Indian / Alaska Native ... lowest ethnic group 34.8% passing .. (44.4%)
===
2015 SBAC English Language Arts grade 4 WA State
American Indian / Alaska Native ... 26.3% passing .. (20%)
2015 SBAC Math grade 4 WA State
American Indian / Alaska Native ... 26.8% passing .. (33.3%)
Since the Staff prefers to conceal achievement gap data ...
take a look for yourself .... Seattle MSP ethnic trends HERE for grade 4.
"The Board and Superintendent also got a fantastic report from the head of Native American Education for the district, Gail T. Morris. She could not be more enthused about her job and her staff and all that they are doing."
Glad that Ms. Morris is enthused .. so exactly what is being done about academic performance? Does anyone in administration ever report on Opportunity Gaps or is it just all talk?
-- Dan Dempsey
-- Dan Dempsey
Reader
ACTION REQUIRED | INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY | Required observance on Oct. 12 | (All Principals and Assistant Principals) Please prepare for Indigenous Peoples Day on Monday, Oct. 12. As you know, the School Board voted last October to require the observance of Indigenous Peoples Day on the second Monday of October.
Here are a number of options for recognizing the day:
Basic
We anticipate that every school would include a basic observance. This could be a statement during morning announcements and potentially also in school newsletters recognizing the day and including a few simple “did you know?” facts. You may use the following language or come up with your own:
Today we celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day. The word “indigenous” means original or native.
Did you know…
· In Washington state, there are 29 federally recognized Native American tribes.
· Thousands of people in Seattle Public Schools identify as Native American – from students to teachers to our district webmaster.
· In South King County, the Muckleshoot Tribe is the second largest employer.
· Seattle was named for Chief Sealth of the Duwamish Tribe.
We celebrate this day to honor the dignity and diversity of the cultures, traditions, histories, and aspirations of our city, state and country’s indigenous peoples.
More depth
Videos: In addition to the general announcement, a school may select one of the following videos and show it during certain classes or during common or advisory time. Please note that these videos are embedded within educational slideshows.
Elementary: Long Before You Were Born or Native Homelands http://www.indian-ed.org/sti-videos/native-homelands-lewis-clark-trail/
Middle: Tribal Perspectives on American History in the Northwest http://www.indian-ed.org/sti-videos/tribal-perspectives-on-american-history-vol-i/
High School http://www.indian-ed.org/sti-videos/contemporary-voices/
Read-alouds: K-5 or K-8 teachers may make time in class for a read-aloud on Oct. 12. The Huchoosedah Catalogue (attached) provides many options.
Tribal map: Teachers at any level may use the tribal map at http://www.indian-ed.org/resources/tribal-directory-map/ to present a brief lesson reviewing the federally recognized tribes in Washington state.
Additional curriculum: The “Since Time Immemorial” site http://www.indian-ed.org/ offers Common Core-aligned curriculum as well as resources and learning goals at the elementary, middle and high school levels. The state now requires that Native American education be incorporated into social studies teaching – ideally through the Since Time Immemorial curriculum, but some of the lessons on this site will also work for a one-day observance.
ASB-led activities or assemblies: Please let us know as soon as possible if your building would like to hold an assembly on Friday, Oct. 9 (which is now a school day) or Monday, Oct. 12, or would like to encourage its ASB to generate activities. We can help, and we’d like to share the story. Please contact Gail Morris, Native American Services Manager, for help finding speakers, resources, materials or other support.
STEREOTYPE WARNING: We encourage any or all of these additional activities, but we ask you avoid Native American-themed art projects as a means of observing Indigenous Peoples Day. These projects may lead to stereotyping or caricature of indigenous peoples.
Also, please be aware that the district is planning a number of events around Native American Education Month in November.
Gail Morris Native Education Services Manager
Pathfinder - Roger Fernandes is storytelling
Licton Springs, assembly and Roger Fernandes storytelling
Fairmount Park, Boo Balkin-Foster speaking about contributions Natives made to
settlers
Nathan Hale, Jolene Grimes made a display for the school and is coordinating with
UNEA upcoming events
South Shore, inviting Tulalip Drummers and has an evening Potlatch Event
Graham Hill, Deena Russo will discuss the meaning of Indigenous Peoples Day at
their school assembly.
I would add that the Licton Springs K-8 assembly will also feature student readings and an exhibition performance by some of our students who are accomplished Pow-wow dancers in Traditional, Grass Dance, and Jingle Dance.
Since Time Immemorial
Washington State Tribal Sovereignty Curriculum Standards
Elementary School Curriculum
By the time Washington State students leave elementary school, they will:
1. understand that over 500 independent tribal nations exist within the United
States today, and that they interact with the United States, as well as each
other, on a government-to-government basis;
2. understand tribal sovereignty is “a way that tribes govern themselves in order
to keep and support their ways of life;”
3. understand that tribal sovereignty predates treaty times;
4. understand how the treaties that tribal nations entered into with the United
States government limited their sovereignty; and
5. identify the names and locations of tribes in their area.
Middle School Curriculum
By the time Washington State students leave middle school, they will understand:
1. that according to the US Constitution, treaties are “the supreme law of the land”; consequently treaty rights supersede most state laws;
2. that tribal sovereignty has cultural, political, and economic bases;
3. that tribes are subject to federal law and taxes, as well as some state regulations;
4. that tribal sovereignty is ever-evolving and therefore levels of sovereignty and status vary from tribe to tribe; and
5. that there were and are frequent and continued threats to tribal sovereignty that are mostly addressed through the courts.
High School Curriculum
By the time Washington State students leave high school, they will:
1. recognize landmark court decisions and legislation that affected and continue to affect tribal sovereignty;
2. understand that tribal sovereignty protects tribes’ ways of life and the development of their nations;
3. understand that tribal, state, and federal agencies often work together toward the same goal;
4. explain the governmental structure of at least one tribe in their community; and
5. distinguish between federally and non-federally recognized tribes.
Awesome.... Really nice to see.
Thanks for posting
-- Dan Dempsey
This is all good but how come there is nothing about any of this right on the News page, acknowledging the day and what some schools are doing. If they can have a grinning Nyland in a story about college, maybe they could spare some time to tell us if he will be part of any of these school celebrations.
Reader wrote:
" Your posts are ridiculous. MSP isn't a measure of anything. "
So are there any "standardized" objective tools that measure anything?
MSP - SBAC - NAEP - MAPs - End of Course testing..... just wondering.
Are the gaps that are the focus of "Closing Opportunity Gaps" unable to be measured?
If so, how do we know these gaps exist and of what size they might be?
How will we know if the "supposed Gaps" are being closed?
So who would know =>
What practices would work to "Close Opportunity Gaps" and how would we know?
-- Dan Dempsey
Nearly half of Native American people are under the age of 24; more than one-third of Native children live in poverty; and Native youth have the lowest high school graduation rate of students across all schools. Nationally, the American Indian/Alaskan Native high school graduation rate is 69 percent, far below the national average of 81 percent -- but the situation for the eight percent of Native students attending Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools is much worse with an average graduation rate of 53 percent.
Failing schools, crumbling infrastructure, failure to include tribal nations in the decision-making process and lack of access to broadband and teachers and principals shortages contribute to the urgency of the situation.
From BUREAU OF INDIAN EDUCATION REORGANIZATION