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Message from the Director
Happy New Year!  As we enter 2016, it's a good time to reflect on our accomplishments in 2015.  I want to thank all BIE employees for your hard work and commitment to improving educational opportunities for our
Native children. It is because of your dedication that we launched new initiatives that support the self-determination of tribal nations, established partnerships that invest in our educators, and took additional steps to improve our students' learning environment in 2015.  While there may be many challenges ahead in this New Year, let's not lose sight of our main priority: to put our students' academic success at the heart of everything we do.  This year will bring many constructive changes within BIE and I am sure by working together, staying focused on our priorities, and putting students first, we will all make a lasting impact in the lives of Native children. 
 
Dr. Charles "Monty" Roessel 
Funding Opportunity: Sovereignty in Indian Education Enhancement Program
BIE recently announced that $1 million in funding is being made available to federally recognized tribes through the BIE's Sovereignty in Indian Education (SIE) Enhancement Program . The SIE Enhancement Program supports tribes in their efforts to assume control of BIE-funded schools serving their communities.
 
SIE Enhancement Program awards will range from $100,000 to $200,000 totaling $1 million per fiscal year depending on the number of schools involved, the student enrollment, the complexity of creating a new tribally managed school system, and the tribe's technical approach.  These enhancements will provide funds for tribes to: 
* Research and develop an alternative definition of adequate yearly progress (AYP); 
* Develop an implementation plan that will reform a tribe's current organizational structure towards an      expert and independent Tribal Education Department (TED) that supports schools and students; and
* Covers the execution of the implementation plan with identified staffing, projected timelines, proposed    budgets and activities.
 
The funds support the development of school-reform plans to improve educational outcomes for students and strengthen efficiencies in operating BIE-funded schools on the reservations where they are located.  A tribe must have at least one BIE-funded school to be eligible for funding.  Grant proposals must be received by Wednesday, January 13, 2016, at 4:00 p.m. EST.
 
For more information, contact Wendy Greyeyes at wendy.greyeyes@bie.edu or 202-208-5810.  
BIE Partners with National Board to Accelerate Effort to Reach 1,000 Board-Certified Teachers in BIE Schools by 2020
In a focused effort to strengthen teaching and improve student outcomes in BIE-funded schools serving American Indian students, BIE is working with the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards to support teachers to pursue and achieve National Board Certification. 

National Board Certification is a rigorous, performance-based, peer-reviewed assessment similar to Board certification in fields such as medicine and engineering. More than a decade of research shows that the students of Board-certified teachers learn more than their peers.

As part of this partnership, BIE will provide schools with funds to offer a $1,000 bonus to educators upon successful completion of each of the four Components. BIE will encourage tribally-controlled schools to offer a $2,500 salary increase for educators who obtain the National Board Certification.

To be eligible for National Board Certification you must be an educator in a tribally-controlled school or a BIE-funded school, hold a bachelor's degree, have completed three full years of teaching or counseling, and possess a valid state teaching or school counseling license.

More information can be found in the full NBPTS press release and the BIE National Board Certification Training Webpage.
Students at Blackfeet Dormitory in Browning Receive High-Tech Gear
The Blackfeet Boarding Dormitory, in Browning Montana has been selected as one of the BIE Dormitories to partner with Verizon Wireless as part of the initiative to support Native American communities and the commitment to President Obama's ConnectED Program
 
On December 9, 2015 the Verizon team delivered tablets to all students at the Blackfeet Boarding Dormitory.  The evening was very well planned with each residential student, grades 1 through12, being provided a Nokia Lumia tablet.  The students also received introductory training of the mobile device's tools.  Students had first-hand experience with grasping technology and how to navigate the device.  The program initiative will allow for enhanced student academics and enriched cultural resources.


Teach for America-South Dakota Forges Formal Partnership with Tribal Nations 
Teach for America-South Dakota has announced new partnerships with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and Rosebud Sioux Tribe to recruit more Native teachers and expand educational opportunities for Native students. This partnership allows Teach for America-South Dakota to increase its recruitment efforts at tribal colleges to encourage more Native college graduates to teach in tribal communities, including reservations with BIE-funded schools, and provide more professional development on culturally-responsive teaching methods. 
 
Teach For America-South Dakota aims to recruit more corps members that identify as Native by 2020, with at least a third being South Dakota tribal members. The formal partnerships with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, and Red Cloud Indian School advance the organization toward this goal.  
 
For more information, view the full Teach for America-South Dakota Press Release

Rock Creek Grant School among 33 Schools Named "School of Distinction" by College For Every Student
Clyde C. Naasz, School Principal/CEO at Rock Creek Grant School , is proud to announce the school is among 33 schools in nine states and Ireland as "Schools of Distinction" from College For Every Student (CFES), a global leader in helping underserved students become college and career ready.  Rock Creek Grant School is a BIE-funded school serving grades K-8 on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in South Dakota.
 
The CFES "School of Distinction" award recognizes schools that have exemplary programs incorporating the three CFES core practices: Mentoring, Leadership through Service, and Pathways to College.  These schools provide intensive exposure to the three practices for targeted students, known as CFES Scholars, and creating a culture that promotes college and career readiness for all students.  Rock Creek Grant School accepted the award at the CFES Conference in Burlington, Vermont and was the only American Indian School to receive this honor.
Chemawa Indian School Senior Receives National Recognition from Northwest Youth Corps
BIE congratulates Angela Noah, a senior at Chemawa Indian School, for being recognized as the 2016 Corpsmember of the Year by the Northwest Youth Corps
.  The Northwest Youth Corps is a non-profit organization that provides job training, education, and an outdoor school program for youth to learn and work in conservation, forestry, preservation, and construction projects.  Noah is a member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe and serves as senior class president.  She will travel to Washington D.C. in February to receive her award and tour the Nation's capital. 

Noah is a visionary and an asset to her home community and her Chemawa family.  Her long-term goal is to start a conservation corps on her reservation to help empower Native youth.  "My legacy will be to help these people, to inspire, and to give hope.  I want to ensure that every Native American youth acknowledges their full potential and understands that there are infinite possibilities." 

Return of the Runners 
The Santa Rosa Day School, a BIE-operated school serving grades K-8 on the Tohono O'odham Reservation in Arizona, was recently featured in Native News Online  for their success in reestablishing cross country as a sport and a traditional activity for their students.  BIE congratulates the Santa Rosa Day School Cross Country Team for their achievement in reviving the traditional practice of running in their Tribe.  We wish this next generation of runners the best as they continue to honor their culture and improve their physical and mental health. 
Ojibwa Indian School Holds Powwow to Honor Veterans 
Ojibwa Indian School, a BIE-operated school serving grades K-8 on the Turtle Mountain Reservation in North Dakota, recently hosted a powwow to honor veteran's for their service. The Ojibwa Indian School powwow had a tremendous turnout with over 500 attendees and students from three local schools to celebrate the service of 19 tribal veterans and their culture. 







Bureau of Indian Education
1849 C Street NW
Washington D.C., 20240
(202) 208-6123

www.bie.edu

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