Smoke Signals
By Teacher Elaine Raven
It has been another positive year for the Head Start
Program. This year, the program served 37 children
and their families. The children have come to develop
social and emotional skills as well as skills which will
help them in Kindergarten. The staff at Twah Sunchako
has been busy attending conferences and trainings,
including an important one on Head Start Performance
Standards. Many of the staff have also been taking
college classes through Chemeketa Community College.
Everyone has been working very hard to keep updated
on the latest advancements in early education.
Vikki Bishop also had the opportunity to visit a
Tribal Head Start Program that has adopted the
immersion method of teaching children. These
children learn the same things as other Head Start
students, but in their own Native languages. Tony
Johnson has been working hard to get a grant to begin
a part-time immersion class in this Head Start Program
as well. Several of the teachers have also been working
diligently to learn the Chinook language so an immer
sion classroom might someday become a reality.
Parents have also been offered a number of classes
this year. Linda Craven, professor of Early Childhood
Development at Chemeketa, has taught several work
shops dealing with the healthy development of
children. She also gave a special talk about how Head
Start teaches children to learn without using
worksheets, but through interactions and play within a
structured curriculum. Parents also got the opportu
nity to learn about nutrition and literacy.
In fact, the new "Literacy Night" program has just
started. On the first "Literacy Night," parents, chil
dren, and staff members gathered at the community
center for a reading of The Ten Little Rabbits and
activities related to that book. Parents were also given
a crash course in Chinook. The children were really
proud of how much their parents knew. The second
"Literacy Night" featured the book, Storm Boy.
Parents have also been instrumental as volunteers
this year. So many parents have been able to take time
to have lunch with us, attend field trips, or just visit
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1999-2000 TWAH SUNCHAKO HEAD START
lslrow: Rilee Merder, Melissa Biery, Zoey Holsclaw, Anthony Cook, Kiana Leno, Stephanie Quigel, Kayla Koumentis, Kallie Kellogg, Will Trammell and Jordan McKnight.
2nd row: Selena Ulestad, Shantell Ulestad, Karmie Schlappie, Shannon Quigel, Jordan Smith, Nicholas Williams, Mykal Stewart, Nathan Butler, Jessica Roberts, and
Teacher Penny Cook.
3rd row: Teacher Kandee Little, Kalim Merder, Jas Riddle, Miranda Williams, Jade Colton, Braden Ebensteiner, Codie Haller, Cheyenne Fasana, Hannah O'Donnell, Lyndsey
Lumley, and Michael Sweeney.
Back row: Teacher Tara Leno, Teacher Elaine Raven, Teacher Jackie Long, Daniel Haug, Tersa Stewart, and Brian Krehbiel holding Caden Leno.
for a few minutes. This has meant so much to the
children to share their families with their peers and
teachers. Some parents have taken time to serve on
the Parent Policy Council. These parents are: Tracy
Biery, Melody Fuller, Janell Haller, Mychal Leno, and
Diane Kimbol. Suzi Aldrige and Bob McElderry have
worked all year to make policies that help run our
Head Start Program.
We have been lucky to have our interns and
student volunteers again this year. Their help in the
classroom has allowed teachers to get so much more
accomplished. During Honor and Recognition, Sam
George was recognized for his volunteer services with
the class this year. Congratulations were also in order
for our long-term high school intern, Tara Leno, who
graduated this year. We wish her the best as she goes
off to attend the Northwest Nanny Institute. But, she
will truly be missed! We also have been lucky enough
to get community volunteers to serve on our Medical
Advisory Committee Kathleen Marquart, Linda Mann
and Bonnie Tom.
To end our year, we planned a number of field trips
around the area. Our first was an excursion to the
Oregon Coast Aquarium. Head Start collaborated with .
the Science and Math Investigative Learning Experience
(SMILE) program from Willamina Junior High to go as
one large group. The children and staff were excited
to check out the new underwater tunnel and learn
about tide pools from the SMILE teacher, Bart Baldwin.
Our year will ultimately end with the 1999-2000
Head Start Graduation Celebration Pow-wow at 5:30
p.m. on Thursday, August 17 at the pow-wow grounds.
We will be honoring the 16 students who will be
graduating into kindergarten. Frybread and graduation
cake will be served immediately following at the
community center. Everyone is welcome to attend.
It has been a great year, and we are expecting
many more to come. As the plans for our new building
get under way, we realize that our program will
continue to grow and serve more families in the future.
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Clockwise from left:
Jas Riddle, Jade Colton, Lyndsey Lumley,
Landon Bobb and Braden Ebensteiner.
oms
Twah Sunchako is open Monday through Friday from
7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The program begins in September and continues
through mid-August.
45 children participated in the combined Head Start
preschool program in the 1999-2000 year.
71 of these children are TribalNative.
Activities emphasize Native culture and traditions.
Members of the cultural programs as well as the medi
cal, dental and youth programs come into the class
rooms for presentations.
Bus service is available to Grand Ronde, Willamina,
and Sheridan areas.
Applications are still being accepted. Call 879-2287
or 879-2161 for more information.