1999-2000 EDUCATION ISSUE
dOO0! MIS 3M& (MM aniJ 1Mj3K)S
By Joann Empey, Before & After School Caretaker
The past year for the Youth Education, kindergarten
5th grade program, has been a very busy one.
Native American students have been tutored at
Willamina Elementary School in reading and math by
Title IX Teacher Penny Buckingham and myself. Many
of the students have made considerable gains with of
the help of teachers, staff and volunteers. Because
students have made such great strides improving their
grades we encouraged them to apply for the Achieve
ment and Recognition Awards, sponsored by the Tribe's
Education Division.
Native American students attending Grand Ronde
Elementary School are also offered tutoring in reading
and math by Margaret Wilds. They too have shown
great improvements. Some Tribal students were
promoted from the Learning Resource Center (LRC)
Program into full-time classroom at Grand Ronde
Elementary. We are very proud of all the hard-working
students at both elementary schools. Margaret and I
also assist Title IX with cultural education.
This winter, 31 of the 37 Native American students
at Willamina participated in the Trail of Tears
Commemorative Walk held in Grand Ronde on Feb. 25,
2000. The students are already asking when that will
happen again.
All the students from Grand Ronde Elementary
participated in the commemorative walk. A wonderful
lunch was provided by the organizers for all of the
participants. A special thank you to the organizers
and to volunteers who helped supervise the students.
Not only was it a special bonding time for Tribal
members, but an important history lesson for us all to
remember.
Margaret and myself are available for Individual
Education Program (IEP) meetings for our students
when Tribal representation is needed. If the need
should arise, we are also available to be Tribal liaisons
for parents and teachers.
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The Tribe's Before & After School Care and Full-Day
Care Summer Program and Tribal Wellness work together
to staff this youth education program for Tribal kids in
grades K-5. We provide a warm, safe, risk-free, encour
aging and learning environment for our students.
The Before & After School Care Program and the
Full-Day Care Summer Program are for working parents
or for parents in school or training.
25 students participated in the 1999-2000 Before &
After School Program at Grand Ronde Elementary.
In 1999, 20 Tribal students participated in the
All-Day Care Summer Program.
In 2000, 20 Tribal students participated in the
All-Day Care Summer Program.
Chinook Jargon is taught by Tony Johnson from the
Tribe's Cultural Department. He teaches at Before &
After Care and the Summer Program. It is such a great
opportunity for the students.
Drumming and Native dancing is taught and led by
Vernon Kennedy from the Wellness Program.
Kathleen Feehan from Natural Resources arranges
ecological projects for the Summer Program.
Educational field trips are taken during the school
year on Full-Day Care days and during the Summer
Program.
Educational field trips are also taken in conjunction
with Coyote Camp, a day camp for the Grand Ronde
community at Grand Ronde Elementary.
In 2000, the Summer Program provided two weeks of
swimming lessons and horseback riding lessons. Other
' activities include: roller skating, bowling, hiking,
basketball, T-ball and some water activities.
The Summer Program also visited the Lawrence Gallery
in Bellevue, Oregon, where well-known Native American
artist Carol Grigg had her work on display. To coordi
nate with the visit, we did some watercolor painting.
Grigg recently published her first children's book in
1999.
During the Summer Program we have quiet reading
and journal writing time each day.
Tutoring in reading and math is available to Grand
Ronde Tribal students during the school year and
in the Summer Program.
Interested in tutoring? Parents may call Joann Empey
or Margaret Wilds at 879-2318.
ORfjCON COAST
Jorden George, Ukiah Lorn boy, Kimberly Roybal, Synon Allen and Shane Reibach enjoy a trip to the Oregon
Coast Aquarium during Spring Break.
tf '' Mtir" ' i Miranda Provost and Justine Colton learn how to
Joann Empey, Vernon Kennedy and Pearl Mekemson, along with the Before & After School Care Program, make recycled paper from Tribal member Connie
gave a drumming and dance demonstration at Duniway Middle School during their Summer Care Program. Graves during the Summer Program this year.