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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 2022)
Curriculum, continued from page 1 Oregon public schools teach about Native peoples, codified into law with the passage of Senate Bill 13 (SB 13), Tribal History/ Shared History, in 2017. SB 13 mandates the instruction of lessons about the nine Oregon Tribes in fourth, eighth and 10 th grades. The Siletz Tribal Curriculum, devel- oped with grant funds from the Oregon Department of Education, offers schools a chance to supplement that mandatory curriculum with Tribally specific lessons unique to Siletz Tribal history. Lesson plans and materials are already available for download on the Siletz Tribal website at www.ctsi.nsn.us. Tribal staff plans to release a final set of lessons for grades three, seven, nine and 12 in time for the 2023-2024 school year. Contact the Siletz Tribal Culture Department at culture@ctsi.nsn.us with inquiries and questions. Most Often Requested Numbers Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians – 800-922-1399 Salem Area Office – 503-390-9494 Portland Area Office – 503-238-1512 Eugene Area Office – 541-484-4234 Purchased Referred Care (PRC) – 800-628-5720 Tribal Veterans Rep – 541-444-8330 or 541-270-0569 Siletz Community Health Clinic – 800-648-0449 Siletz Behavioral Health – 800-600-5599 Chinook Winds Casino Resort – 888-244-6665 Chemawa Health Clinic – 800-452-7823 Bureau of Indian Affairs – 800-323-8517 Website – www.ctsi.nsn.us Need Rental Housing? The Siletz Tribal Housing Department encourages you to apply for the Low-Income Rental Program waiting list in Siletz (1-4 bedrooms) and Lincoln City (2-3 bedrooms – Neachesna Village). Applications can be obtained at any Tribal area office (Eugene, Salem, Portland, Siletz) or online from the Tribal website – ctsi.nsn.us; follow links – Tribal Services-Housing-Low Rent Apartments & Home Ownership. Questions? Call 800-922-1399, ext. 1322, or 541-444-8322; fax: 541-444- 8313 Head Start uses nutrition goals and tracking to help keep children healthy By Nancy Ludwig, MS, RDN, LD, Head Start Consulting Nutritionist September brings new and returning students to Head Start classrooms! As part of my role as consulting nutritionist for Siletz Tribal Head Start, I offer practi- cal nutrition information. This month my focus is on how Head Start addresses child nutrition and tracks health indicators. Did you know Head Start has nutri- tional goals? Basically, five areas of focus are required and each has performance standards. Briefly, the areas include the following: • • • • • Identification of nutritional needs Nutritional services Meal service Family assistance with nutrition Food safety and sanitation A variety of opportunities exist for staff and parents to discuss each child’s nutritional needs. This can include time during enrollment, a home visit or other meetings with the staff. It is important that parents share the special nutritional and feeding requirements for children with disabilities and/or food sensitivities. The child’s growth (height and weight) is measured and monitored. The consulting nutritionist (me) is available to support families with nutritional needs and concerns. The nutrition program must serve a variety of foods that consider cultural and ethnic preferences and broaden the child’s food experience, along with meeting the nutritional needs and feeding require- 4 • Siletz News • ments for the children (including special needs). If you have concerns about this, please contact the program. It is also appropriate to ask to speak with the nutrition consultant for specific support. For 3- to 5-year-olds, the quanti- ties and kinds of food served must con- form to the recommended serving sizes and minimum standards for meal patterns recommended in the USDA meal pat- tern or nutrient standard menu planning requirements outlined for the program. The foods served must be high in nutrients and low in fat, sugar and salt. Meals and snacks are appropriately scheduled and offered at consistent times. In the normal classroom setting, family- style meals are offered to contribute to the development and socialization of each child through offering a variety of foods at a table where children serve themselves with suf- ficient time to eat. Conversation is encour- aged and food is not to be used as reward or punishment. Some of these meal practices were modified due to COVID safeguards. Family assistance with nutrition includes parent education activities and opportunities for education on food preparation and nutritional skills. Teach- ers conduct nutrition education each week with in-classroom activities. Be on the lookout for nutrition infor- mation in your information packets each week. To further support this goal, I offer nutritional information in Siletz News. Following the food safety and sani- tation measures protects the health and safety of everyone. Tribal health inspec- tors, as well as state inspectors, review and audit the program. Self-inspections are also conducted quarterly. September 2022 In addition to the five areas of nutri- tional focus, Head Start is required to track growth and other health information, such as hemoglobin. One purpose behind measuring health indicators is to measure outcomes and therefore, possible success or shortcomings of the program. If the program demonstrates success, funding seems more likely to continue. On the other hand, if health indicators indicate increased risk, a closer look is needed. This may mean changes to the program to better support families. Children’s health and nutrition indica- tors are monitored in two primary ways: 1. Nutrition screening forms at parent orientation with questions about your child’s eating habits. If your family does not have access to adequate food at home, please share this information to receive support for access to suf- ficient safe and nutritious food. 2. Periodic measurements include weight and height for all students, as well as offering hemoglobin testing (with confidentiality in place) a. BMI is a mathematical calcula- tion from height and weight. It is not a perfect way to track growth and it is important to look at this number over time, not just once. High and low BMI values trigger potential risk and therefore, a referral. This does not necessar- ily mean there is a problem, but it is currently the action point to provide extra care for this child. A referral may be in the form of a letter requesting that you fol- low up with your doctor. Another option would be to the consulting dietitian/nutritionist. This service is available to all Head Start fami- lies, even when BMI is normal. b. Hemoglobin testing is conducted to screen for possible anemia. Hemoglobin is a protein found in the red blood cells. These cells are responsible for carrying oxygen around the body. When the body doesn’t have enough red blood cells, or when they do not work properly to transport oxygen, the body doesn’t have what it needs to function well. Symptoms in children are often different from those experienced by adults. These may include poor neurological development, dis- turbed behavior, paleness, rapid heartbeat, difficulty learning and low levels of concentration. This is contrasted with adults who primarily report feeling sluggish and tired. Head Start parents have rights to refuse tests. It is important to be informed about the purpose of the tests in order to make informed decisions regard- ing the well-being of your child. Please know that Siletz Tribal Head Start offers nutritional support at no cost to Head Start families. This usually occurs over the telephone. If you have nutrition concerns about your Head Start child or want to discuss family nutrition concerns, please contact your teacher or the director and ask to speak to the nutritionist.