NIIZHING-MDAASWAAK-SHI-NIIZHTANA-SHI-NSWI

Welcome back, students and families! We hope your transition into the first week back went well and you are ready to embark on a new year of education, memories, and growth. We look forward to connecting with you and your children this year. Our program aims to provide academic and cultural support throughout the school year and this year is no different.

First, I want to share with you a change to our program this school year. Our program is grant-funded and this impacts program offerings each year. This year we are not able to offer the extracurricular scholarship. Alternative resources are the Student Support Network, Enrolled Tribes' youth and/or education programs, and school counselors. If you are in need of additional resources please reach out and we can work to find alternatives.

Over the summer we hosted a call for art and book reviews of Indigenous authored books. We did not receive any submissions and still encourage students to submit throughout the school year. This is a great opportunity to showcase the talent of our students and for them to gain exposure of their creativity and areas of interest. To submit artwork, click here. To submit a book review, click here.

Next week we have the opportunity to gather for the first time for the school year for the Indigenous Parent Committee (IPC) meeting on Monday, September 11, 6:00 pm. Details for this meeting along with the list of 23-24 Indigenous Education Parent Committee Meetings can be found in this newsletter. The election of officers meeting is held at the beginning of the year each year to establish officers for the Indigenous Education Parent Committee. Please consider vying for a role on the committee. Our program wouldn't be possible without you. With that, please take a moment to complete this Parent Survey. Information received will provide guidance for our program in addition to meetings hosted throughout the school year.

In addition to following our newsletter for information specific to our program be sure to read through the TCAPS district newsletter to stay informed throughout the school year. Our program is here to serve you and your students. Please do not hesitate to reach out should you have any questions or areas of need our program could assist with.

Respectfully,

Summer Baldwin

Office: (231) 933-5897

Call/text: (231) 499-2421

email: baldwinsu@tcaps.net

2023/24 Indigenous Education Parent Committee Meetings

Friendly reminder!
Indigenous Education Parent Committee Meeting - Election of Officers

September 11, 2023
Time: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Locations: West Middle School Library and Google Meet

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/zxn-rqkb-wwv
Or dial: ‪(US) +1 786-220-2092‬ PIN: ‪237 363 173‬#
More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/zxn-rqkb-wwv

2023/24 Parent Committee Meetings

Locations: West Middle School and virtually via Google Meet
Time: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

September 11, 2023 - Election of Officers

November 13, 2023

February 12, 2024

March 11, 2024 - Annual Public Meeting

June 10, 2024 - End-of-Year Meeting

Parent Committee meetings are an opportunity to get involved in the Indigenous Education Program and provide input to the program.

INDIGENOUS YOUTH RESOURCES for MENTAL HEALTH AND PREVENTION

Local and National Resources for Indigenous Youth
We R Native youth support link
UNITY "I Will Live" Resources
Indian Health Service youth resources and tools
Healthy Native Youth resources

COMMUNITY

community events and gatherings

Saturday, September 9 & Sunday, September 10: GVAIL 62nd Annual Traditional Pow Wow in Grand Rapids, MI. Click here for more information.
Saturday, September 9 & Sunday, September 10: LIttle Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Traditional Jiingtamok and Kinnomaage, Soup Potluck, and Place of trading at Osborne Road, Harbor Springs.
Saturday, September 16: 19th Natural Resources Fair & Feast at Arthur Duhamel Marina from 10 am - 3 pm. Click here for more information.
Saturday, September 16: 2023 Nmé Celebration, sturgeon release at Wolverine Village Park at 1 pm. Click here for more information.
Wednesday, September 27: Empowering All Parents: Sextortion Presentation with Officer George at Suttons Bay Public School Auditorium from 6:30 pm to 7:45 pm. Click here for more information.
Thursday, September 28: Waawaakesh (Deer) Processing Workshop at GTB Natural Resource Department, 3505 Putnam Road from 4 pm - 7 pm. Click here for more information.
Saturday, September 30: The Power of Food for Cancer Prevention & Survival plant-based nutrition & cooking class series from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm. Click here for more information.

Local/Regional Tribal Event Calendars:

The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa events website
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians event website
Little River Band of Ottawa Indians event website

Discovering Careers in Marine Technology

Discovery Center & Pier is offering a FREE Discovering Careers in Marine Technology program for high school students who are interested in learning more about this career path on September 30, 2023. They ask that a parent or adult companion join the youth that participates in the 2.5-hour program. This is a great opportunity for high schoolers to learn about NMC's Marine Technology degree programs and how they can turn an interest in technology into a career. Anyone interested in learning more about this program can visit https://discoverygreatlakes.org/discovering-careers or email Stephanie Rustem at stephanie@discoverygreatlakes.org

LEISURE

Reads

This month's themed suggested reads are based on Indian Boarding Schools/Residential Schools:

Stolen Words by Melanie Florence

Reading age 6-9 years old, grade level 1-3, 24 pages. Read aloud link.

The Orange Shirt Story by Phyllis Webstad

Reading age 7-12 years old, grade level 1-3, 42 pages. Read aloud link.

Gaawin Gindaaswin Ndaawsii: I am Not a Number, by Jenny Kay Dupuis & Kathy Kacer

Reading age 7-11 years old, grade level 3-6, 44 pages.

Sugar Falls: A Residential School Story by David A. Robertson

Reading age 12-18 years old, grade level 7-12, 48 pages. Book trailer link.

Unreconciled: Family, Truth, and Indigenous Resistance by Jesse Wente

Reading age: adults, 205 pages, audiobook sample link.

Language Learners Word Search:Back to School

Click here, to play the language learners word search.

Anishinaabemowin / English Words used for the back to school language learner word search:

Kinoomaage'kwe..........Teacher (female)

Kinoomaage'nini.......... Teacher (male)

Kinomaagegamig.......... School

Gindaasogamig..........Library

Zhiibiiginaatig..........Pencil

Tisigan..........Crayon

Gasiibiigan..........Eraser

Mzinigan..........Book

Dibizhigan..........Ruler

Sapinigan..........Scissors

Gwokzigan..........Glue

DID YOU KNOW?

September 30 - national day for truth and reconciliation/ Orange Shirt Day

September 30th is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, originally known as Orange Shirt Day. Orange Shirt Day started in Canada as a day to uphold the truth and reconciliation of the experiences of residential school survivors. Residential schools were not limited to Canada but were also present in the United States as Indian boarding schools and have had generational impacts on Indigenous peoples. This day is centered around discussion, healing, and reconciliation for survivors, their loved, ones, and those who didn't make it home.

If you would like to learn more about the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Indian boarding/residential schools please visit the following links:

YouTube video of Phyllis Webstad, founder of the Orange Shirt Day movement

OrangeShirtDay.org

The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition

Interactive Digital Map of Indian Boarding Schools

American Indian Boarding Schools: An Exploration of Global Ethnic & Cultural Cleansing

YouTube video of Phyllis Webstad, founder of the Orange Shirt Day movement

"Helping me home" by Lil Coyote.