BAlaska Native Education Update

2:00 p.m.

Background Information:

Conrad Woodhead, KPBSD’s Native Education Coordinator will be providing an update on recent activities surrounding Title VI, Alaska Native and American Indian Education Grant.

Title VI provides fulltime tutors at three sites: Nanwalek, Port Graham, and Tebughna, and a haltime tutor at Nikiski Middle/High School.  Additionally, Title VI provides a fulltime teacher at Skyview Middle, who continues tutoring efforts at the school, as well as planning for Title VI opportunities such as UP STREAM Academy, ANSEP, and curriculum work designed to provide credit to Title VI students when participating in tribal sponsored events.

KPBSD is committed to sending 12 students to the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program this year.  In FY15, KPBSD sent 48 qualifying 6-8 graders to the ANSEP MS Academy, which the tuition cost was provided by ANSEP.  In FY16, tuition was not covered, and KPBSD partnered with LKSD and sent 18 students to ANSEP.   For FY17, KPBSD sent 12 students to the ANSEP MS Academy.

Efforts have been completed on the district’s second Upstream Academy providing a concentrated focus on STEAM experiences, specifically Drone technology. So far, seventy middle school students that are at or below grade level have been provided this opportunity with supports and scaffolding in place so that all students can access and experience the new technology. Plans are under way to draw 36 from these 70 for the next level called Upstream Ultra, focusing on medical technology.

KPBSD continues to expand the number, and depth of partnerships with tribal entities. The second annual Native Leaders Gathering was held on the peninsula November 17 at the Kenai Peninsula College where students lead the table discussions with a focus on defining next steps with partners. All efforts in support of expanded native opportunities are appreciated and likely lead to one of KPBSD’s success indicators:

FY15

National Grad Rate-83%

National Native Grad Rate-72%

KPBSD Grad Rate-82%

Native KPBSD Grad Rate-80%

FY16

National Grad Rate-80%

National Native Grad Rate-67%

KPBSD Grad Rate-82%

Native KPBSD Grad Rate-85%

FY17

National Grad Rate-83%

National Native Grad Rate-69%

KPBSD Grad Rate-84%

Native KPBSD Grad Rate-91%

Significant partnerships supporting Native opportunities:

·         Chugachmiut

o    Grant provides development and exhibition of Heritage Kits for Seward schools, Port Graham and Nanwalek.

o    Headstart in Nanwalek and Port Graham.

o    Language Grant provides training to develop Sugt'sen language teachers with goal of two for Nanwalek and one for Port Graham. Provides Sugt'sen language speakers in the schools.

o    Behavioral Health services.

o    Nanwalek and Port Graham teacher culture training.

o    Ongoing coordination of projects and grant pursuits.

·         North Pacific Rim Housing

o    Work with us to provide teacher housing in Nanwalek.

o    Currently working to expand and improve Headstart facility in Nanwalek.

o    Working with us on funding application and plan for additional teacher housing and possible long term plan for instructional space in Nanwalek.

·         Kenaitze

o    Yaghanen tutor at Mt. View Elementary

o    Kenaitze Construction Academy

o    Bussing provided to students to participate in tutoring from Kenai Middle School

o    Individual Service Providers (ISPs) coordinated at several central peninsula schools

o    Native Youth Community Projects (NYCP) grant provides four tutors to KPBSD schools

o    Kenaitze Indian Tribe Counseling Program provides services to central peninsula

o    Kenaitze Headstart

o    Ongoing coordination of projects and grant pursuits

·         Nanwalek IRA Council

o    Provides environmental education lessons (i.e. Recycling, marine debris, trash pickup)

o    Sugpiaq value lessons (assemblies or individual teachers/classrooms).

o    Health initiatives in cooperation with Chugachmiut (i.e. anti-tobacco, health lessons).

o    Partnership with Connect Ed Grant.

·         Ninilchik Village Tribe

o    Sponsors Red Ribbon Week.

o    Provides ongoing wellness presentations.

o    Coordinates information with Ninilchik Tribal Council Health Services.

·         Seldovia Village Tribe

o    Provides Chapman school Healthy choice lessons.

o    Coordinates Seldovia open gym (BB, VB, Swimming), targeted programming/activities, Ch’anik’na Children’s House.

·         Port Graham Village Council

o    Provides guest speakers to school on health initiatives through Chugachmiut. Substance abuse and health talks with students. Environmental education and community cleanup.

o    Partnership with hatchery, tribe, and school.

o    Eggs to Elders program

·         Project GRAD Project GRAD Kenai Peninsula (PGKP) is a comprehensive educational support non-profit that has worked in partnership with the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District (KPBSD) since 2003 to enhance educational experiences for students in some of the most remote and isolated communities on the Peninsula.

o    This partnership focuses on improving graduation rates, reducing the dropout rate, increasing academic achievement and postsecondary awareness and readiness, building leadership skills, and supporting youth development through positive and productive adult/youth connection.

o    PGKP coordinates the Kenai Peninsula Native Youth Leadership (KPNYL) program. KPNYL programming and activities help students build Native and cultural pride throughout the district.

o    PGKP provides academic support coaches for students and teachers, assists students with postsecondary enrollment, transition, and completion, and helps students connect their strengths, skills, and interests to further educational training and career pathways.

o    Funding from KPBSD, the US Department of Education Alaska Native Education Program and GEAR UP grants, and corporate and private donations allow Project GRAD to contribute talent and expertise to students, schools, and familes.

·         Qutekcak provided NYO instruction to students at Skyview MS with PE teacher for one week.

·         Tebughna Foundation

o    Provides school supplies for students.

o    Funds educational activities such as bringing guest speakers to Tyonek to speak with the students, i.e. recently brought out several guests from different branches of law enforcement to educate students on their jobs, what happens when someone gets in trouble, etc.

o    Ongoing coordination of projects and grant pursuits.

·         Tyonek Native Corporation works with Tebughna Foundation (TF) by providing funds that TF uses to support students.

·         Native Village of Tyonek supports Tebughna School by volunteering to work with students. Works with Tebughna School to put in various activities (i.e. Halloween Carnival, Christmas Program).

·         Tyonek Tribal Conservation District-“Since 2014, TTCD has coordinated regular visits to the Tebughna School throughout the school year to provide science education through hands-on activities on topics such as the salmon life cycle, watershed ecology, the plant life cycle and plant anatomy, and all aspects of gardening and now a hydroponics unit in the school. TTCD also coordinates educational opportunities during the summer months to coincide with youth camps.”

·         University of Alaska Anchorage supports Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) that KPBSD has sent students to for several years.