WBLAS Indian Education Newsletter

Virtual Activities

Our Ojibwe Language and Dakota Language Culture classes are back!! We will be holding classes virtually through Google Hangouts Meet from 6:00-8:00pm on the dates listed below.

• Ojibwe Language/Culture Class: May 21st and 28th, June 4th and 11th

• Dakota Language/Culture Class: May 19th and 26th, June 9th sand 16th

Please refer to the District Calendar to join the Google Hangouts Meet. We will also send out emails with the information to connect to these virtual activities. All classes are free and are open to our community.

Open Office Hours

The Native American Cultural Liaison, Jordan Zickermann, will continue to hold open office hours on a weekly basis for all Indigenous students from all grade levels. The purpose of these office hours are to provide a designated time where students can stay connected with our program supports.

Our program calendar on the District Webpage has been updated with all open office hours for the categories listed above. For a tutorial on how to connect to these office hours via Google Hangouts Meet - please click HERE.

Appointment Slots

Appointment slots can be used by all students, families, and staff and serve as a platform to engage with and support the needs of our Indigenous community during this time.To schedule a 1 on 1 appointment with the Cultural Liaison, please click this button below.

Please join us on Wednesday, May 13th at 5:30pm for our virtual AIPAC meeting. To join the meeting virtually, please follow the hangouts meet link or call the number and enter the pin below:

Hangout Meeting Link

meet.google.com/vzc-wktd-azj

Phone Numbers

(‪US‬)‪+1 402-724-0239‬

PIN: ‪583 189 855#‬

Draft Agenda

Liaison Updates

Community Education Updates

District Updates

Q/A for how to start an AIPAC with Assistant Superintendent for Mahtomedi

Finalize Budget Re-allocations

Honoring Ceremony/Graduation

Recently, the Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Department of Education issued guidance regarding graduation/commencement ceremonies. Their recommendation, to ensure the safety of all participants, is that graduation should be observed at home.

While this is certainly different than we envisioned the ceremony would look when the school year began, we are moving forward with a local videographer to build a virtual ceremony that is as engaging as possible. The 2020 Commencement Ceremony video will be scheduled to go live on the district’s YouTube account at the time the commencement ceremony was originally scheduled - at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 5. It will also be available for viewing at that time on the local cable SCC Channel 19 or HD801.

Native Voices Books

Lessons of Our Land

Dakota and Lakota for Kids

Indigenous Journey Home Interactive Game

Think Indigenous: Online Indigenous Education K-8

Anishinaabemowin: Collection of Online Resources

Ted Talk: The Standing Rock Resistance and Our Fight for Indigenous Rights

Dream of Wild Health, located in Hugo, MN, hosted The Sacred Medicines & Garden Beginnings workshop. Watch now to learn about sacred medicines, planning your garden, and growing your seeds indoors. This workshop is led by Community Outreach and Cultural Teacher and Elder Hope Flanagan and Seed Keeper and Farm Manager, Jessika Greendeer.

Learn more about how Dream of Wild Health recovers knowledge of and access to healthy Indigenous goods, medicines and life ways on their website: www.dreamofwildhealth.org/

4:18 - Hope Flanagan discusses sacred medicines
35:47 - Audience Q & A
44:38 - Jessika Greendeer discusses beginning your garden
1:16:38 - Audience Q & A

The district continues to monitor updates from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and will keep families and staff members informed as the situation evolves. Please refer to the COVID-19 page on the District Webpage for up-to-date messages, information, and resources.

The Support Hub is a new feature on our District's website and it serves as a place for families and community members to access information they may need for essential services. This support provides important information regarding crisis services, basic needs, mental health and well-being, physical health, social emotional learning and more. Check out the Support Hub by clicking here.

The American Indian Education Program is supervised via the Office of Federal and State Programs, working in collaboration with the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee. The goal is to provide meaningful, intentional, effective academic/non academic services and opportunities to every White Bear Lake Area Schools American Indian student, while fostering cultural identity and pride.

Email: jordan.zickermann@isd624.org
Website: https://www.isd624.org/programs/indian-education
Location: 4855 Bloom Avenue, White Bear Lake, MN, USA
Phone: (920) 375-1757