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
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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
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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.
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