The Navajo Nation April—May—June 2015 Department of...

April—May—June 2015 Department of Diné Education 3rd Quarter (FY 2015)

Department of Diné Education Newsletter

Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2015 www.navajonationdode.org

report.

Members of the Senate Com-

mittee on Indian Affairs in-

clude: Republicans: John

Barrasso, Chairman (WY);

John McCain, (AZ); Lisa

Murkowski (AK); John

On May 13, 2015,

Dr. Tommy Lewis,

Navajo Nation Su-

perintendent of

Schools, presented

a testimony at the

Oversight Hearing

before the Senate

Committee on Indi-

an Affairs in Wash-

ington, D.C. The

Senate Committee

on Indian Affairs is

alarmed of the U.S.

Government Ac-

counting Office’s

report that cites numerous

management problems na-

tionwide within Bureau of Indi-

an Affairs. Various manage-

ment problems within the BIE

impact the delivery of educa-

tional services to Indian chil-

dren according to the GOA

Hoeven, (ND); James Lank-

ford (OK); Steven Daines

(MT); Michael Crapo (ID); and

Jerry Moran (KS). Demo-

crats: Jon Tester, Vice

Chairman (MT); Marie Cant-

well, WA); Ton Udall (NM); Al

Franken (MN); Brian Schatz

The Navajo Nation

Photograph taken by a staff of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

Dr. Tommy Lewis Presents Testimony

Before the Senate Committee on Indian

Affairs

INSIDE Cont./ Dr. Lewis Presents Testimony 2 Navajo Nation Library 5 Testimony 8 Superintendent Dr. Lewis’ Message 3 NNDODE Meets with USOE 6 In the NEWS 11 Navajo Nation Board of Education 4 NNDODE Meets with Utah Governor 7 Shiprock Youth Center 12


(HI); and Keidi Heikamp (ND).

Dr. Lewis presented the Navajo Nation testi-

mony on ‘Examining Organizational Challeng-

es in Transforming Educational Opportunities

for Indian Children’.

“Essentially, the Committee is hoping to learn

about any problems that the Navajo Nation has

seen resulting from flaws in the BIE’s organiza-

tional structure,” said Brian Quint, Government

and Legislative Affairs Associate, Navajo Na-

tion Washington Office. “And hear if the Nav-

ajo Nation has any recommendations on how

to improve the situation.”

“This is an opportunity for the Navajo Nation to

explain our working relationship with the BIE to

improve education on Navajo. We are aware of

the problems and the Navajo Nation has made

②

Photograph taken by a staff of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

their case on these problems before the U.S.

Congress and federal officials in the past,”

Dr. Lewis said.

He further explained that the GAO report de-

scribes how several organizational realignments

have resulted in a fragmented organization that

results in multiple units being responsible for

education and administrative functions. For ex-

ample, frequent turnover and a lack of a strate-

gic plan for BIE have compounded problems.

“I will explain the current initiative we are work-

ing on with the BIE on how the Navajo Nation

can assume authority over 32 BIE operated

schools to Navajo,” Dr. Lewis said.

“Read the ‘Testimony’ on pages 8, 9, and 10, of this Edition.”


③

Dr. Tommy Lewis’ Message “Education is the cornerstone of the Navajo people, the Navajo traditions, and the Navajo society.”

In this Quarter, NNDODE has been

very busy defending and advancing

the principle of the Sovereignty in

Education by meetings with state

officials in Utah, Arizona, and New

Mexico. In addition, NNDODE pre-

pared and presented a Testimony

before the prestige Senate Com-

mittee on Indian Affairs in Washing-

ton, D.C. The Senate Committee on

Indian Affairs has been very

receptive and positive with our Tes-

timony.

Dr. Tommy Lewis and Dr. Kalvin

White met with the Bureau of Indian

Education and the U.S. Department

of Education on June 9, 2015, in

Washington, D.C., regarding the

Navajo Nation’s proposed Alterna-

tive Accountability Workbook.

The Workbook will help to bring

uniformity to the education received

by Navajo students at BIE funded

schools, ensure that Navajo students

will not be set behind if they move

schools, and enable better tracking

of the academic progress of students

and tailoring of intervention.

Significant progress was made

towards a document that could be

approved by the Secretaries of the

Interior and of Education. The feder-

al agencies will be in Window Rock,

AZ, on July 25 to continue discus-

sions on finalizing the document.

A final meeting is scheduled to be

held in Washington, D.C ., on August

May 13, 2015, Dr. Tommy Lewis, Jr., testifies before the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs that the reorganization of the BIE sets the stage for a discussion on how the Navajo Nation can improve the quality of education for our students within our schools and to build a high quality Navajo Nation education system. The Navajo Nation must be more involved in the education of our children.

(Photograph taken by a staff of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs )

www.navajonationdode.org

20 and our hope is to have the

Secretary of Interior and Secretary of

Education approve the Alternative

Accountability Workbook so we can

implement it during the school year

2015-2016. This is a very significant

progress of Navajo sovereignty in

education.

Work is in progress to transfer

authority of 32 BIE schools to the

Navajo Nation. A feasibility study

was conducted which states the Nav-

ajo Nation can assume responsibility

of these schools. With funding from

the BIE under the Sovereignty in

Indian Education Grant, we are

working on developing a plan on

how governance, human resources,

finance, and curriculum and assess-

ment will be implemented.

The initiative is beginning to get

clearer on how this transfer will oc-

cur. We are in the process of build-

ing a Navajo Education System un-

der this initiative that will have ma-

jor systemic changes and implemen-

tation for the sake of improving the

quality of education for our children

for many years to come. This trans-

fer could possible occur within the

next year.


④

NAVAJO NATION BOARD OF EDUCATION

Bennie Begay

Board Member

Appointed

Navajo Culture

Representative

Patrick D. Lynch, MPH

Board Member

Appointed

Parent

Representative

Dolly C. Begay, MA

Eastern Agency Dr. Bernadette

Todacheene

Northern Navajo Agency

Delores Greyeyes

Western Agency

Western Navajo Agency

Gloria Johns, MA

Vice President

Marlene Burbank

Secretary

Chinle Agency

Dr. Pauline M. Begay

President

Fort Defiance Agency

Powers of the Board

Monitor activities of all BIE-funded schools and local com-munity school boards, including assumption of schools.

Provide Guidance for School Accreditation Activities under NCA.

Propose budgets and plans of operation, organizational relations, create positions, and solicit funds, .

Report quarterly to the Education Committee and annual-ly to the Navajo Nation Council.

Report to the Education Committee of the Navajo Nation Council any instance where the Board has assumed con-trol of community controlled schools.

Powers of the Board through the Department

Establish procedures for the enforcement of Navajo Na-tion educational laws and implement such laws to the full extent of Navajo Nation jurisdiction.

Establish policies/procedures for carrying out the account-ability provisions of federal education laws for all BIE-funded schools.

Establish procedures/criteria to license administrators for BIE-funded schools.

Establish instructional content and achievement standards and customized CRT-achievement testing instruments, and consolidate standards.

Establish procedures/criteria for endorsing Navajo lan-guage and cultural knowledge programs, and to certify the competency of instructional personnel to deliver them.

Implement the procedures established under the Grant/ Contract Conversion/Maintenance Handbook. Recommend revisions to the Manual as deemed necessary. Implement the process for reauthorization of school contracts/grants.

Receive monitoring/evaluation reports on all educational programs serving the Navajo Nation. Provide technical as-sistance as necessary and desired by such programs within available resources.

In cooperation with the Education Committee, develop procedures to enforce the Navajo Nation school attend-ance laws.

Review/Endorse/Decline elementary and secondary school curricula, teaching and CRT-materials for consistency with the unique needs of all Navajo students in schools serv-ing the Navajo Nation.

Direct the creation and publication of curricula, teaching, and CRT-materials as needed for instruction in Navajo lan-guage and cultural knowledge.

Negotiate/recommend JPAs/MOA/MOU’s or other IGA’s as necessary to coordinate the activities of the Department with the BIE and state education departments (AZ/NM/UT)

In cooperation with the Education Committee, oversee research on the educational achievement, problems, and needs of Navajo Nation students and school systems.

Actively pursue funding to support the activities of Navajo Nation education programs.

Propose needed Navajo Nation education legislation to the Education Committee.

TITLE 10, NAVAJO NATION CODE, SECTION 106


⑤

In 1941, the Window Rock Homemakers Club operated the Window Rock Public Library as a volunteer library with pri-marily donated materials. In the early 1960s, the library was moved to the for-mer Recreation Hall in Window Rock. In 1975, the administrative control of the library was turned over to the Navajo Nation government.

In 1992, the Bureau of Indian Affairs condemned and closed the Window Rock Public Library. The public library collection was then moved to the Navajo Education Center to continue the library services. In 1997, the Navajo Nation Museum & Library facility was complet-ed. The Library collections were then permanently moved to the Navajo Na-tion Museum, Library and Visitor Cen-ter on October 31, 1997.

In 2001, the Government Services Committee of the Navajo Nation Council, by Resolution No. GSCAP-35-01, contin-ued the Navajo Nation Library. Based on the Resolution, the Navajo Nation Library provides educational, cultural and recrea-tional materials.

The Navajo Nation Library manages a cost-efficient library to meet the educa-tional, informational, and cultural needs of all age levels.

The Navajo Nation Library catalogs over 82,000 library materials. The Special Collections Library provides library ser-vices through special collections sup-porting historical, legal, cultural and gov-ernmental research.

The Office of Navajo Nation Library Staff provided information for the arti-cle. Mr. Irving Nelson is the Program Supervisor.

June 16, 2015, Window Rock, AZ. McKeon K. Dempsey, 2014—2015 Miss Navajo Nation, reads to children at the Navajo Nation Library.


⑥

April 22, 2015,

Window Rock, AZ.

On April 15, 2015,

the Navajo Nation

Vice President, Rex

Lee Jim, and Dr.

Tommy Lewis, Jr.,

Navajo Nation Su-

perintendent of

Schools, held meet-

ings in Salt Lake

City, Utah, with the

Utah State Office of

Education and Utah

State Governor,

Gary Herbert.

In the meeting with

the Utah State Of-

fice of Education,

the Navajo Nation

Vice President Rex

Lee Jim signed the

addendum to the

DATA SHARING AGREE-

MENT between the Utah State

Office of Education (USOE) and

the Navajo Nation. Right after

the meeting the Vice President

and Dr. Lewis travel to the Utah

State Capitol to meet with Gov-

ernor Herbert.

In the Governor’s office, the Nav-

ajo Nation met with Governor

Herbert and his staff regarding

Utah Bill H.B. 33 which was

adopted by the 2015 Utah Gen-

eral Session. HB 33 is an

amendment to the American Indian - Alaskan Native Education Act. In

March 2015, Governor Gary Herbert signed into law the amendment.

The amendment created the American Indian-Alaskan Native Public

Education Liaison and the “American Indian-Alaskan Native Education

Commission”.

In the meeting, the primary focus of the discussion was on 53A-31-202

subsection (1) (e) of Part II Liaison and Commission, which states: "A

representative of the Navajo Nation who resides in Utah selected by the

Navajo Utah Commission". Under this provision, a commission mem-

ber representing the Navajo Nation will be selected by the Navajo Utah

Commission and not by the Navajo Nation government. The Vice Pres-

ident and Dr. Lewis brought up the concern that the Navajo Utah Com-

mission does not act or speak for the Navajo Nation. Rather, a repre-

Utah State Governor Gary Herbert (sitting at the head of the table) said to Vice President Rex Lee Jim and Dr. Tommy Lewis: “ We will work together on educational goals.”

NN Diné Education Meets with


sentative of the Navajo Nation

who resides in Utah should be

selected by the Navajo Nation

President and confirmed by the

Navajo Nation Council. This is

the proper exercise of the sover-

eign authority of the Navajo Na-

tion government. The meeting

was a collaborative effort be-

tween the State of Utah and the

Navajo Nation to open communi-

cation dialogue on education

needs of Navajo students in

Utah. The Vice President Jim

and Dr. Lewis set an appointment

to meet with Governor Herbert to

foster government-to-government

relationship with the Governor of

Utah.

On the overall amendments Dr.

Lewis said, “Thank you for mak-

ing this happen. This is very im-

portant to us. It is our job to work

with the state governments to

make sure that we have an un-

derstanding of the partnership to

work together with state govern-

ments on education.”

In his concluding remarks, Gover-

nor Herbert said:

“We will work together on educa-

tional goals. I appreciate and

value your inputs.”

Utah State Governor Gary Herbert

April 15, 2015, Regarding the Data Sharing Agreement, Dr. Lewis and Vice President Rex Lee Jim meet with Utah State Office of Education in Salt Lake City, Utah. From left to right: Sydnee Dickson, Deputy Superintendent; Dr. Lewis, Navajo Nation Superintendent of Schools; Ann White, Director of ESEA; Dr. Chuck Foster, American Indian Education Specialist; and Rex Lee Jim, Navajo Nation Vice President.

⑦


⑧

May 13, 2015, Washington, D.C. -Chairman Barrasso, Vice Chairman Test-er, and Members of the Committee, my name is Dr. Tommy Lewis, and I am the Superintendent of Schools of the Navajo Nation Department of Diné Edu-cation. Thank you for this opportunity to present testimony on the organiza-tional challenges that we face in trans-forming educational opportunities for our children. My testimony will focus on challenges that the Navajo Nation has encountered as a result of the frag-mented bureaucracy governing Indian education at the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), the BIE’s reorganization, and will offer recommendations for improving the system to enhance educational opportunities for Native children.

The Navajo Nation has a tremendous stake in improving the education of our children. We must prepare them for active and equal participation on the national and global marketplace. We must prepare them to be produc-tive citizens in the 21st century and to be positive, involved members of our communities. Most importantly, we must prepare them to be the future leaders of our Nation. There is no more vital resource to the continued existence and integrity of our Nation than our children.

A Profile of Education and Schools on the Navajo Nation

The Navajo Nation is situated within Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. 17

school districts are operating schools on the Navajo Nation, with a total of 244 schools. 38,109 Navajo students attend schools on the Navajo Nation. Approximately 60.5% or 23,056 of thesestudents attend public schools on the Navajo Nation. 48,172 Navajo students attend public schools off of the Navajo Nation. 66 out of the 183 BIE-funded schools and residential halls are located on the Navajo Nation, of which 32 are BIE-operated schools (out of 57) and one is a P.L. 93- 638 contract school, and 33 are P.L. 100-297 tribally-controlled grant schools. BIE operated and tribally controlled grant/contract schools collectively educate 39.5% of all Navajo students, with 21.2% attend-ing BIE-operated schools, and 18.3% attending grant/contract schools.

At this moment, the Navajo Nation does not have a uniform educational system that allows for consistent regu-latory oversight of the educational op-portunities offered to Navajo students. The system is highly fragmented. The BIE is in charge of the schools that they control directly. The P.L. 100-297 and P.L. 93-638 grant/contract schools oper-ate as their own individual school dis-tricts (local education agencies), where they have their own school boards, superintendents, personnel, finances, and transportation departments, as well as individual curriculums (or lack thereof), and individual teacher/principal evaluations (or lack thereof).

The reorganization of the BIE sets the stage for a discussion on how we can

improve the quality of education for our students within our schools and to build a high quality Navajo Nation education system. The Navajo Nation must be more involved in and in con-trol of the education of our children. We have taken the reorganization of the BIE as an opportunity to study our existing education system, and have conducted a Feasibility Study on assum-ing control of all BIE-funded schools on the Navajo Nation. We are developing a plan of action to improve our education system in part through aSovereignty in Indian Education Grant (SIEG). We’ve received valuable input and feedback from numerous Navajo Nation schools and leaders from vari-ous public hearings that we’ve held on this matter.

The BIE is trying to improve, despite all the challenges that they face as an organization. The changes made to the BIE should be measured and the BIE held accountable for outcomes. Over the past three years, the BIE’s reorgani-zation and attempt to build a Navajo “school district” model appears to be producing results. Aggregate test scores provided by the BIE and Department of Diné Education Office of Education Research and Statistics show modest improvements in test scores among BIE- operated schools, in contrast to tribally controlled grant/contract schools.

The “district model” that the Navajo BIE-operated schools are using for their schools appears to be working

Testimony of Dr. Tommy Lewis, Superintendent of Schools, before the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Hearing on Bureau of Indian Education: Examin-ing Organizational Challenges in Transforming Educational Opportunities for Indian Children.


⑨

because they have been able to devel-op and implement a more uniform system, instead of each school going in different directions and/or left without support. The BIE “Navajo district” has been able to develop and implement a uniform and rigorous curriculum aligned to common core standards, rather than each school developing their own curriculum that may or may not be aligned to standards. Profession-al development, interventions, instruc-tional strategies, data analysis, etc., seem to be more effective when used in a “district system” because the BIE is able to control and influence those factors, rather than each school oper-ating as their own Local Education Agency (LEA). In contrast, tribally controlled grant/contract schools on the Navajo Nation operate independently as their own LEAs with 34 different systems. The BIE legally cannot mandate or hold tribally controlled grant/contract schools accountable to improve, aside from releasing federal funds to those schools.

Systemic and Organizational Challenges Experienced by the Navajo Nation

The GAO has reported several times on ‘systemic management challenges’ that hinder efforts to improve Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools, and recently reported that steps to imple-ment recommendations made by GAO to address these problems had not been fully implemented. The GAO’s previous studies noted that several organizational realignments have result-ed in a fragmented bureaucracy with several units being responsible for aca-demic and administrative functions. They have reported that this fragment-ed system has led to confusion on such basic matters as whom to contactabout building maintenance issues. The GAO has noted that frequent staff

turnover and a lack of a strategic plan for the BIE have compounded prob-lems. The GAO has also noted addition-al problems including many vacant posi-tions at the BIE, staff lacking requisite knowledge and skills, and inconsistent accountability of school construction and monitoring of school construction.

Many issues arise from the fragmented organizational responsibilities at BIE-funded schools. One area of signifi-cant concern is school facilities and construction. Navajo schools have to deal with the BIE on many issues, but then deal with Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) for construction. This lack of coordination causes confusion and inefficiency. Overall, the school construction program has been atediously slow process.

Another common complaint among BIE-operated schools (not grant schools) are that decisions regarding personnel, procurement, accounting, school opera-tions take a very long time within the BIE structure.

The inability of the BIE and BIA to properly maintain BIE school facilities has had an impact on the Navajo Nation’s deliberations on the extent to which it can exercise greater sovereign-ty in education by assuming control of the remaining 32 BIE-operated schools on the Navajo Nation. This is becausethe dilapidated and poor conditions at existing facilities would expose the Navajo Nation to a tremendous financial liability.

The BIE needs to improve how it moni-tors finances and audits. The BIE has been better at communicating with and informing the Department of Diné Edu-cation on school finances and audits, but there remain problems. One of the schools (Rock Point) that was cited in a previous GAO report, with $1.2 million in federal funds being sent to off-

shore bank accounts, that was missing three (3) federal audits, and accused of misusing school funds, was eventually taken over by the Department of Diné Education in 2012. Working in partner-ship with the BIE/BIA and DODE, the school is now in compliance with the law and is an example of how tribes can assume greater control and responsibilities over schools.

The organizational challenges to trans-forming opportunities for Native children do not end at the manageri-al. The BIE is undergoing another reorganization, but still has no mean-ingful plan for how they will hold schools accountable or intervene in failing schools. The BIE uses state accountability systems. On the Navajo Nation, this plus the many different school systems existing on the Navajo Nation make it difficult to measure the academic performance of Navajo children or adequately evaluate the effectiveness of academic programs. Because of the highly fragmented education system that exists on the Navajo Nation, there is also no consistent or uniform method to measure the effectiveness of teachers, principals and school administrators on the Navajo Nation.

Recommendations for Reform

The organizational challenges to trans-forming opportunities for Native chil-dren are many, but we have some rec-ommendations for reform.

Support Tribal Sovereignty in Education – Properly executed, greater sover-eignty in education will help to improve academic outcomes and allevi-ate the systemic challenges at BIE-funded schools. The Navajo Nation’s Alternative Accountability Workbook (AAW) is the foundation of the Navajo


Nation’s efforts to develop the tools to effectively govern Navajo education. The AAW also provides the foundation for a true Navajo standards-based curriculum for use at our schools. The Navajo Nation is still waiting for final approval of the AAW by the BIE and the Department of Education.

Approval of the AAW by the BIE and the Department of Education has been unreasonably delayed for several years while Navajo children continue to receive a substandard education. Most recently this unreasonable delay has taken the form of the BIE and Depart-ment of Education seemingly losing track of our last submitted draft. The Navajo Nation Alternative Accountabil-ity Workbook must have its final review and approval in order for the Navajo Nation to exercise its right to sovereignty in education.

As the BIE reorganizes, and Congress debates changes to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the ability of tribes to exercise sovereignty in education must be maintained, and tribes must be given additional tools to be able to meaningfully assert control over the education of their children in a timely manner. The Navajo Nation seeks the ability to be designated and recognized as a “State Education Agency (SEA)” under federal law. Tribally developed assessments or accountability plans should be deemed approved if they are not denied within a specified timeline. The Family Educa-tional Rights and Privacy Act should be amended to allow tribes that are able to ensure the security of sensi-tive student data access their students’ educational data. This will enable tribes to be able to properly evaluate the effectiveness of their tribally developed academic programs. Providing tribes with the tools to mean-ingfully assert sovereignty in education, where a tribe is able to and desires to take such control, would also vitiate many of the systemic management challenges at the heart of the GAO’s reports by removing the fragmented

federal bureaucracy from the equa-tion.

The BIE Needs to be a “Stand Alone Agency” - Based on the comments and feedback provided by Navajo schools and school boards, the current BIE needs to function as a “stand alone agency,” which aligns with the reform goal of “building an agile organizational environment.” Many issues arise fromhaving to deal with separate agencies for separate functions. In particular, one area of significant concern is school facilities and construction. Navajo schools have to deal with the BIE on many issues, but then deal with Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) for construction. This lack of coordination causes confu-sion and inefficiency. At the moment, the current BIE reorganization does not seem to include merging the authority of the BIA over school facilities and construction into the BIE’s organization-al structure. Overall, the school construction program has been a tediously slow process, which needs to be streamlined and restructured to be more efficient.

Funding for School Replacement and Construction Needs to be Prioritized - The BIE/BIA and federal government also needs to prioritize upgrading, fixing and replacing existing schools just as they do for the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) schools. As noted above, the poor conditions at BIE facilities is a disincentive to the Navajo Nation to exercise greater sovereignty in education.

Operational and Financial Decisions within BIE-Operated Schools Needs Quicker Action – As noted above, a common complaint at BIE-operated schools is that decisions regarding personnel, procurement, accounting, school operations take a very long time within the BIE structure. Operational and “back office” decisions should not unnecessarily impede schools.

BIE Needs Better Fiscal Management and Oversight of School Spending - As noted

in previous GAO reports, the BIE needs better management and accountability, improved oversight of school spending. To the BIE’s credit, they have been providing better communication and information to the Department of Diné Education on school finances and audits. The BIE and DODE have also been working together to ensure great-er oversight over tribally controlled grant/contract schools regarding late audits and misuse/mismanagement of school funds as demonstrated by the example of the Rock Point school described above.

Conclusion

We must have first access to the minds of our children to ensure a bright and prosperous future for the Navajo Na-tion. With your help, we can achieve this future. Thank you for your time and attention to these matters.

⑩

DesCartes Model of Reasoning:

1. Accept as true what is

indubitable.

2. Divide every question into

manageable parts.

3. Begin with the simplest issues

and ascend to the complex.

4. Review frequently to retain

the whole position/statement.


⑪

Window Rock, Arizona. The Navajo Nation Office of Special education and Rehabilitation Ser-vices (OSERS) is awarded the “Baby Face Grant” from the State of Arizona First Things First Nava-jo Nation Regional Partnership Council. The one-year Grant peri-od is from July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2016. The Grant award is in the amount of $700,000.00. The grant allows OSERS to ad-minister prenatal, infants and toddlers aged 0-3. In addition, the Grant fund seven schools to implement a comprehensive evidence based home visiting program at the sev-en schools. The will use the “Parents As Teachers” curriculum with overall goad to increase par-enting knowledge and involve-ment, provide early detection of health and development delays, child abuse and neglect and in-crease school readiness and suc-cess. 300 children will receive developmental screening. OSERS will award three grant schools and four BIE schools on the Navajo Nation. The schools

OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND

REHABILITATION SERVICES

include: 1. Black Mesa Community

School; 2. Cottonwood Day School; 3. Pinon Community School; 4. Seba Dalkai Boarding School; 5. Dennehotso Boarding

School; 6. Tuba City Boarding School;

and 7. Lukachukai Community

School. Using the Grant Fund, schools will prepare more children in the age group to progress towards

academic readiness. In May 2015, the Health, Edu-cation and Human Services Com-mittee approved the Grant Appli-cation and on June 11, 2015, the Naabik'iyat'i Committee of the Navajo Nation Council approve the Grant Application.

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services provides quality rehabilitation, independent living and early intervention services to eligible Navajo children and adults with disabilities to assure they achieve a level of independence, self-sufficiency and equal opportunity to live as productive citizens. Agency Offices include: Central Office, Chinle/Ganado Agency, Fort Defiance Agency, Crownpoint Agency, Kayenta Agency, Shiprock Agency, Tuba City Agency, and Gallup Agency.

In the NEWS

Navajo Nation Growing in Beauty Program— ó śééł

OSERS provided information and photo for

this article. Treva Roanhorse is the Educa-

tion Program Manager.

www.navajonationdode.org


⑫

Shiprock, New Mexico—The

Grand-Opening of the Office of

Dine Youth-Shiprock Youth Com-

plex kick-off on a beautiful morn-

ing of March 24, 2015, at 9:00

AM. Many attended this historic

event for the community of

Shiprock and the surrounding 19

Chapter communities of the North-

ern Navajo Agency.

The festive event was well re-

ceived by the community and tribal

officials alike. Mr. Anthony Lee, a

Traditionalist, blessed the new facili-

ty with positive energy and goodwill

for all who may enter the facili-

ty. The National Anthem was beauti-

fully preformed by the Shiprock

Teen, Miss Noellani Buck. Prominent

guest speakers shared their experi-

ences of their contribution to the

construction project, which included:

Dr. Chris Percy, (I.H.S.); Ramsey Sing-

er, (NHA); Marilynn King-Johnson,

(Retired); Wetona Becenti, Program

Supervisor ( Shiprock ODY); Ronald

Duncan, ODY Department Manager;

and former Navajo Nation President

Ben Shelly. President Russell Begaye

diligently assisted with the project as

a former Council Delegate.

The progress of the entire pro-

ject was high-lighted from the devel-

opment phase to the completion of

the facility. The Shiprock I.H.S.-

Health Promotion/

Disease Preven-

tion Program staff

was excited to

provided ice-

breaker activities.

The event was

well received by

all with lunch pro-

vided for all

attendees. A tour

of the facility was

completed with a

basic question-answer

discussion forum by in-

terested participants.

The Youth-Shiprock

Youth Complex is defi-

nitely a dream come

true because of hard

work, commitment, and

dedication to advance

the best interest of the youth popu-

lation.

Article submitted by Wetona Becenti

Wetona Becenti is the Shiprock ODY Program Supervisor III for more than 10 years. Wetona holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology and Human Services from Fort Lewis College. Mr. Ronald Duncan is the Department Manager I for the Office of Youth, Department of Diné Education.

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