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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 10, 1978)
PAGE 2 JANUARY 10, 1978 Emotions High at Education Meeting The agenda for the general education meeting February 2 revealed little of what was really on people’s minds. Out of each program report arose a frank and at times emotional discussion about related con cerns. The meeting climaxed with a joint statement by con cerned parents and school per sonnel addressing the problem of “racial prejudice” in the schools. Other concerns at the meet ing, which was attended by more than 35, included the crowded buses, truancy and the use of the community liaisons. Near the end of the meeting an unscheduled presentation was made by Adi Defender, Marie Calica and Helene Weeks. De fender read a statement citing unhealthy attitudes on the part of staff and faculty in Madras schools that are psychologically damaging to Indian students. Calica, who is a community liaison at the junior high, sup plied evidence gathered through observations and discussions with students. Indian students, are nervous in class, she said, afraid of their teachers, and reluctant to ask for extra help because of past experiences of being ignored. Saying that she was tired of running into a brick wall, Calica said in a barely controlled voice, “It’s getting to the point-where I’m going to quit because I can’t accomplish anything in the face of some of these attitudes on the part of the faculty.” The liaison added quickly that she wasn’t going to quit, though, because the “kids need someone in the building to iden tify with.” She stressed the schools must provide a “nourish ing environment” for Indian students. Helene Weeks, the new coun selor aide at the high school, reported the results of her many heart - to - heart conversations with Indian students. “They are trying as hard as they can,” she said, but are faced with staff who do not understand their cultural and emotional needs. “We can’t be wrong all the time,” one student told Weeks. Behavior problems are a way of getting attention, said Weeks, because students feel they wouldn’t be noticed otherwise.- The collective statement ended with Calica noting that “We haven’t sat down and lis tened to our students.” She sug gested that instead of “going to meetings and discussing what’s best for them,” parents and interested community members should talk to the students direc tly and discover their needs. She also hoped that administrators and teachers would “sit down < ■ and talk together” with Warm Springs people. Moderator and Education Committee Chairman Mike Cle ments followed up by saying that Title IV Part B funds are being sought for better orientation of teachers and staff, “and not just a bus tour of the reservation.” Tribal Education Director Charles Calica pointed to the possibility of outside groups such as the Intergroup Human Rights Commission, the State Board of Education or O.S.U. coming in to review the situation in the 509-J School District. Marie Calica outlined her plans to remedy the problems she encounters. She is planning an Indian Studies course through O.S.U. for the staff this spring, is beginning to work on “Values Clarification Counseling” on a group level for students with behavioral problems, and will continue to invite Warm Springs professionals into junior high classrooms to share their skills and experience. Calica also plans to help parents and staff understand why there are liai- sons and what may be expected from them. Earlier in the meeting com munity liaisons came under the fire of parents who felt they should spend less time on atten dance problems and more time getting to know the community, and “helping parents to care.” High school vice principal John Trujillo defended liaison Anna Hurtado saying, “Anna’s been spending more time with attendance because that’s what we hear the Title IV Committee saying they’re concerned about.” If the attendance program is successful in the next few months, said Trujillo, then Anna should be more visible in the community. In discussion about the John son O’Malley programs com plaints arose about an enrich ment trip which high school staff cancelled on the basis of low grade averages and poor atten dance records. It was felt that a balance of enrichment activities and efforts to improve grades and attendance must be found. The Title IV Part A Parent Committee reported that $83,640 were available for school year 78-79. Their proposed budget, whiéh was mailed last week, includes counselors at the junior high and senior high, a com munity liaison at the high school, tutoring in all the schools and summer tutoring. Follow-up on last year’s summer students has shown im provement in attendance and attitude, reported high school counselor Small Fire Hawk. Geneva Smith presented the Head Start-Day Care' report and pointed to the critical space problem. Clements informed the group of tentative plans to build a Community learning center to house all education programs. Construction could begin in the spring of 1979, added Charles Calica. Representatives of the Ore gon Indian Educators Associ ation explained their organiza tion and made an appeal for members. OIEA plans to act as a funnel for Indian concerns statewide and resond to indivi dual student problems on a local basis, said secretary Pat Wood side. There are also plans to prepare a booklet listing em ployable Indians in the state. Woodside noted that none of this can be done without member ships, which.cost $5 per year. Anyone can be a member, not only Indians in education. Woodside announced the election of two new officers: Charles Calica (Vice President) and Mike Clements (Treasurer). General education meetings are held by the Tribal Education Committee after each nine week school session. They are open to all concerned members of the community and school staff. At each meeting reports are made on the progress or problems faced by the various programs offering services to Indian stu dents and open discussion is encouraged. Counselor Aides Enjoy Other Side of Fence Helene Weeks and Reida Barney have just recently been hired on at the Madras High School and Madras Junior High, respectively, as counselor-aides, funded by Johnson-O’Malley. As counselor-aides, their job is to : assist counselor in man- agement of the counseling cen ter; work with students in basic skills instruction and course work completion (under super vision of tutor) ; prepare mater ials and equipment for instruc- tional activities; perform cleri cal duties for special programs staff; and assist individual stu- dents in the school setting as directed by the counselor. “It’s really nice working here, I’m finally not being asked if I was a student,” said Helene Weeks. “Once a teacher asked me if I had a pass to be in the hallway,” added the former ‘found herself busy straightening Madras High School student. out schedules for those students Helene started work in mid- who were scheduled wrong. Doyle Whipple, counselor at December. Helene enjoys working with MJHS said, “I don’t know what high school students and the we would’ve done without her, people. “It’s kind of neat talking during her first week of work.” One thing that Reida noticed to teachers as one of them and not like a student,” stated while helping in the classroom is Helene, “It seems funny being that the students are rowdy and on the other side of the fence.” energetic. Another observation The new counselor-aide not she made was that the Indian ed that it’s quite different from students seem to hang back; when she was there - more they sit in the back row and give classes are offered now, there teachers a bad time. She also are quite a few new teachers, made note that it is only a few and Indian students have better students, not all that do this. The 19-year old wants to opportunities. She said that 1 when she was there, there was gain experience in working with no Indian counselor or com people and hopes to use her experience to become a counsel munity liaison. i Reida Barney started work or within school district 509-J in ■ January 23, the first day of the the future. She said she would new semester. Being the first like to attend Southern Oregon i ) day of the new semester Reida College in Ashland. Helene Weeks spends some of her time as a counselor aide at the high school reviewing attendance lists and referring potential problems to the proper authorities. CDS Photo Spilyay Tymoo Coyote News /v SPILYAY TYMOO STAFF Managing Editor Sid Miller Assistant Editor Sandy Rangila Cynthia Stowell Donna Behrend Photographic Spedalist/Writer Reporter/Photographer Greg Smith Secretary Trainees Priscilla Squiemphen Roger Stwyer FOUNDED IN MARCH 1976 Published by-weekly by the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon. Warm Springs, Oregon 97761. Any written material to the Spilyay Tymoo should be addressed to: Spilyay Tymoo P.O. Box 735 Warm Springs, Oregon 97761 Phone 553-1644 or 553-1161 Ext. 274 tbscrjption Rate $6.00 per year. New counselor aide Reida Barney shared a laugh with junior high students Darrin Tewee (right) and Roscoe Greene during a recent spelling lesson. When Reida is not in the classroom she helps out with clerical work. CDS Photo
