Spilyay Tymoo
Coyote News, est. 1976
PO Box 489
Warm Springs, OR 97761
ECR WSS
Postal Patron
U.S. Postage
PRSRT STD
Warm Springs, OR 97761
September 13, 2017 - Vol. 42, No. 19
September – Wanaq’i – Summer - Shatm
Students achieve positive performance goals Languages
Graduating from high school is
one of the most important things
a young person can do, because the
achievement improves the rest of
the person’s life, even future gen-
erations.
On average overall, a high
school diploma allows for better
job and higher education opportu-
nities, higher wages and job secu-
rity, confidence in pursuing a ca-
reer, even longer life expectancy.
At Madras High School the
ninth-grade on-track rate monitors
the likelihood that each student just
completing the freshman year will
graduate.
The student needs 24 credits to
graduate; so a freshman who earns
six credits is on-track to graduate.
“This is a big predictor for gradu-
ating after four years,” said Ma-
dras High School Principal H.D.
Weddel.
During the past four years at
the high school, the overall ninth-
grade on-track average has seen a
36-percent percentage point im-
provement. The state education
department even called to con-
gratulate the school.
The overall on-track rate is bro-
ken down by identified groups of
students at the school, and the Na-
tive American ninth-graders have
seen a dramatic increase in their
on-track rate.
For the Native American ninth-
graders at Madras High School,
the on-track rate during those
years has gone from 33 percent,
to 68 percent in 2015-16, and then
to 69 percent last school year.
“The on-track rate for the Na-
tive American students has more
than doubled, and we’re very ex-
cited about that,” said school Prin-
cipal Mark Neffendorf.
Principal Neffendorf and
Principal Weddel came to the high
school four years ago. Before that
they were principals at Bend High
School.
At the Academy
Like the high school, the Warm
Springs Academy received some
good student performance news.
(Please see STUDENTS on 7)
Council
hears plan
for KNT
The board and management
of Kah-Nee-Ta Resort and Spa
have been considering options
for bringing in a partner to help
run and improve the resort.
The idea has the support of
Tribal Council, who heard some
details of the proposal this week.
Kah-Nee-Ta needs signifi-
cant improvements in order to
be competitive in the regional
destination resort market. On
its own the resort is not be able
to make this kind of invest-
ment. The partnership ap-
proach would be the way to
keep the resort open past this
fall.
(Please see KNT on 7)
Courtesy Kah-Nee-Ta
return to
Academy
The Native languages of the
Confederated Tribes this year will
be taught during the regular school
day at the Warm Springs Academy.
The Culture and Heritage Depart-
ment, Education Committee and
others have advocated this change
for some time now.
“We’ve always wanted culture and
languages to be part of the regular
school day,” said Deanie Smith,
Culture and Heritage Language co-
ordinator and Education Commit-
tee member.
“So this is an important change
for us. Culture and language are no
longer on the back burner. They’re
coming to the forefront.”
Tribal languages and culture once
were part of the regular school day
for younger students with 509-J, but
the district discontinued the pro-
gram some years ago.
Culture and Heritage then taught
language and culture during the Rise
& Shine period at the Warm Springs
Academy. Rise & Shine was early
in the morning, before the start of
the regular school day. Culture and
Heritage also taught after school at
the Academy.
Because of the timing, the les-
sons were not available to all stu-
dents, depending on when the par-
ent was able to drop off or pick up
the student, for instance.
(Please see LANGUAGES on 7)
Enterprise updates at Council
Toward development of the downtown
The Indian Head Casino board
and management met with Tribal
Council this week, reviewing 2017
and looking toward 2018.
The big change is the Plateau
Travel Plaza, said casino general
manager Jeffrey Carstensen. Con-
struction is proceeding on sched-
ule, with the opening expected in
March 2018.
The framing work at the Travel
Plaza main building is done, and the
roof will be going on soon, Mr.
Carstensen said. Next will be the
black top for the large parking area.
The casino team is working with
ODOT toward a gas rebate agree-
ment, similar to the one that ap-
plies to the sales from the reserva-
tion sales. At 80-percent the re-
bate is significant.
Regarding Indian Head, the ca-
sino continues to implement the lat-
est technology innovations. Indian
Head is also adjusting its minimum
wage standard, allowing the casino
to compete with other employers
in the region. Some other notes
from the meeting:
The new tribal casino that
opened in Washington has had no
apparent impact on business at In-
dian Head, Mr. Carstensen said.
Food and beverage sales have
been up in recent months. Part of
this has been due to the number
of fire fighters in the region, pur-
chasing meals at the casino, Mr.
The downtown, or campus
area of Warm Springs holds an
economic development oppor-
tunity for the tribes.
The vision of the downtown
plan is for small business de-
velopment, serving residents of
the reservation, and visitors
from Highway 26.
There are some challenges
to achieving this. The con-
demned buildings on the cam-
pus need to be removed, and
the underground infrastructure
needs to be renovated.
The demolition of the con-
demned buildings is moving
forward: You can see the struc-
tures slated for removal by the
red ‘X’ painted on the side.
Replacing the underground
pipes is more complicated, be-
cause the cost is much greater.
The tribes have been en-
couraging the Bureau of Indian
Affairs to address the matter,
but budgeting the funds for this
has been an ongoing challenge.
Meanwhile, though, the
Warm Springs Community Ac-
tion Team has been working on
a project that could help get the
downtown plan on track.
A key component of the
WSCAT program involves the
‘old commissary’ building—an
historic structure—currently lo-
Carstensen said.
Close to 70 percent of the
workforce at the casino is Native
American, he said.
Credit Enterprise
After the casino presentation,
Credit gave its Council update. The
enterprise is expecting a dividend to
the tribes in 2018 of $250,000, said
Bridget Kalama, Credit controller.
Projections beyond 2018 are not
yet available, as it is not known what
the per capita will be in the follow-
ing years.
Credit has faced two major chal-
lenges in recent years: The reduc-
tion of the per capita, followed by
closure of the Forest Products mill.
Due to these factors, the account
delinquency rate jumped from about
8 percent to 44 percent, said Carlos
Calica, collections supervisor. Per
capita payments, for instance, were
a means of keeping many accounts
current. When per capita was cut,
the accounts were adversely af-
fected.
Credit has taken measures such
as reducing interest to zero percent,
but this in turn reduces revenue to
the enterprise.
Council and Credit officials also
discussed the WSFPI receivership
process, which is winding down.
Credit is to receive significant re-
ceivership payment, as the enter-
prise is a secured creditor.
Dave McMechan/Spilyay
The old commissary currently sits vacant.
cated by the Post Office and police
station. The Community Action
Team last year met with the mem-
bership and Planning, collecting
ideas for future use of the building.
Based on the input, WSCAT is
now pursuing a plan to move the
old commissary to the lot by High-
way 26, at Paiute Avenue and Sum-
mer Street. The renovated build-
ing could then be a small business
incubator, said Dustin Seyler,
WSCAT finance counselor and small
business advisor.
There would be retail space in
the downstairs of the building, and
business office space above.
Many kinds of small businesses
could take advantage of the oppor-
tunity—a coffee shop, barber shop,
flower shop, artisan areas, among
other ideas.
The Community Action Team
is pursuing a grant to make this
idea become a reality. The appli-
cation to the potential funding
groups is still pending, but there
is hope the plan is appealing to
the funders, Mr. Seyler said.
An architecture firm and a
landscape architect are also inter-
ested in helping. Moving and then
renovating the building would be
the first phase of the project.
At that point the businesses
could move in. The enterprise
would be overseen by a program
manager. Not only would this
provide space for several local
small businesses, but it would help
attract others to develop on
nearby vacant lots.