STEPS Alaska Updates
Stepping Up for Alaska's Youth!
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Celebrating the Work of Sealaska Heritage Institute | |
What are you excited about working on this year? Who are you partnering with on these projects? | |
Baby Raven Reads
Baby Raven Reads is a Sealaska Heritage Education program, promoting kindergarten readiness and early literacy skills for families with Alaska Native children from birth to age 5.
This year, Baby Raven Reads will be hosting Family Literacy Events in Angoon, Sitka, Hoonah and Yakutat! We are excited to host early literacy events to bring families together for community and culture. Each event is hosted by a Community Liaison, a contractor with SHI who works with the Baby Raven Reads team to set event dates, invite families, and lead a fun, engaging early literacy event for families with young children.
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Thru the Cultural Lens
Thru the Cultural Lens recently organized Sealaska Heritage Institute’s 6th annual Culturally Responsive Education conference. The theme was Latseen Káx̱ Yéi Atdaané, or Gathering for Strength, and brought together a virtual and in-person audience that stretched across Alaska and the globe. Participants and presenters ranged from Nome in Northern Alaska all the way to India, Australia, and France to share wisdom.
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What Attendees Said About The Conference:
“[My favorite session] was a tie between David and Daaljini’s sessions. They both felt relevant, engaging, they were knowledgeable and comfortable, and I walked away feeling as though I had learned information or activities that I will directly apply to my next year of teaching.”
“This is always a beautiful conference. It’s very powerful work, and makes me feel not so alone in anchorage with this work that gets less… enthusiasm or understanding of why we do this. This conference always reinvigorates my WHY. Thank you.”
“It was really nice to have friends from western Alaska and to have their voices and experiences speaking to this work.”
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What are some opportunities for collaboration where STEPS partners could be engaged in this work moving forward? | |
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We are hiring! If you or someone you know in Angoon, Hoonah, or Yakutat, would make a great event organizer (early childhood knowledge a plus!) please contact Tess Olympia, babyravenreads@sealaska.com for more information.
Partners can help spread the word about programming to families. Contact us to get in touch with the Community Liaison in your area to assist in promoting events. Continuing to encourage families to enroll in the program is a great way to support early literacy efforts. Enrollment can be found at sealaskaheritage.org.
While the Thru the Cultural Lens grant is wrapping up, Sealaska Heritage Institute will continue to host conference activities relating to culturally responsive education. Partners might aid us in our promotion and search for inspiring and knowledgeable presenters.
Another possible partnership opportunity would be exploring one-day in-service activities to bring the CRE conference to other communities. Through this endeavor, we might enhance personal learning through a smaller event, while also developing our professional relationships with various communities.
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What’s a tool or resource everyone should know about? | |
Our conference website offers resources collected over the years that we hope folks will explore and use in their work and lives. You can learn about culturally responsive books, videos, and professionals at the following link: Resources | Our Cultural Landscape (sealaskaheritage.org). Explore the “resources” tab for more information! | |
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Providing culturally responsive books written and illustrated by Alaska Native authors and illustrators has led to increases in early literacy and social emotional skills. Every year Baby Raven Reads surveys show increases in more than 6 skill sets and increases in time spent reading together. Families are excited to read Baby Raven Reads books and receive kits in the mail each month. Alaska needs strong readers; Baby Raven Reads is a jumpstart to building confident readers for life! Please read more about the success of the program here.
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Safety & Wellbeing Conference
What: A free statewide conference for those working to improve school safety & wellbeing
Who: Administrators, Teachers, School Counselors/Nurses/Social Workers, Community Partners, School Board Members, Parents, Students
When: Sept. 13th & 14th, with a post-conference day on Family Engagement, on Sept. 15
How: Register Here for the Safety & Wellbeing Confrence here, and email Lisa Worl for more info on the Family Engagement post-conference day, lworl@aasb.org
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Kaa Tukaxsaké Héende
What: Restorative Learning Co-hort
Who: Community members committed to social justice and equity
When: 3rd Fridays, 8-10am Zoom Equity Session, 2-4pm Respectful Harvesting
How: Register here
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Continuing Education Credits for Trauma Engaged School
What: DEED now offers CEU credits for Trauma Engaged Schools training.
Who: educators who hold current five- or ten-year Alaska teaching, administrative, or special services certificates
When: Registration fees are waived for the first 400 people who register.
How: Register here
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For Students, Families and Staff | |
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The Alaska Afterschool Network’s Find a Program Map
What: A tool for families to find after school programs in Alaska
How: Click here to find a program and/or to add your program
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More Than Sad Suicide Prevention Training
What: Zoom training to become a facilitator
Who: For teens, parents, and teachers, hosted by Juneau Suicide Prevention Coalition & the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
When: Friday, August 11th 12:30-4:30
How: Register here
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Motherhood is Sacred
What: Parenting course to help strengthen families
Who: Offered by Tlingit & Haida’s Community & Behavioural Service Division
Where: Offered virtually
When: Tuesdays, 9-10:30 am
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Parents as Teachers
What: AEYC’s Parents as Teachers program continues to offer in-home AND virtual home visits. If you know of a family with young children who could use some extra support,
Who: Adults who are parenting kids ages 3 and under
When: On-going
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The Learning Connection
Who: Anyone over 16 needing support taking the next step toward college and career training
When: Daily
Where: Downtown Juneau and the Valley Library
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Outer Coast - College year
What: A community-based, student-governed postsecondary program that incorporates European and Indigenous ways of knowing
Who: High School Graduates or GED holders
Where: Sitka, Alaska
When: Applications are considered on a rolling basis; the Outer Coast year starts on August 21st
How: Apply here
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Southeast Network of Alaska CAN
When: First Wednesdays of the month at 10 am
Who: Southeast Alaskans working to increase access to postsecondary education
Where: Zoom, contact Emily for the link, eferry@aasb.org
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Looking for additional ideas? Check out the STEPS Resources page for past newsletters and other STEPS-related resources.
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