Canku Ota
	(Many Paths)
	An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America
	May 5, 2001 - Issue 35
	School News
	gathered by Vicki Lockard
	The information here will include items of interest for and about Native American schools. If you have news to share, please let us know! I can be reached by emailing: Vlockard@aol.com

Native American charter school approved The All Tribes American Indian Charter School cleared its first major hurdle Thursday night when local school board trustees voted unanimously to approve the school. "Valley Center has its first charter school," said school board president Wendy Zeugschmidt after the vote. The school's organizers now have to take their charter petition to the state board of education for final approval. In the meantime, they plan to begin raising the nearly $3 million needed for the school, said Michelle Parada, one of the school's two chief organizers. "There was no school to give to until tonight," Parada said. Parada, who grew up on the Rincon reservation, said she and fellow proponent Mary Ann Donohue proposed the school as a way to curb drop-out rates among Native American students. While the school will be open to any student, Native American culture will be infused into the curriculum, including teaching the Luiseno tribe's planting methods in agricultural science classes and reading literary works by Native American authors in English classes. "A lot of people are interested that our school (would be) teaching Native American culture, exceeding state academic standards and maxing out classes at 20 kids," Parada said. "It's a private school education without the private school expense." Parada and Donohue plan to open the school in September and expect to serve between 60 and 100 students. The school will start with grades 6-8 and gradually work up to serve 12th graders in the next four years. "We're always interested in something that helps students, including Native American students," Jobe said. "We would encourage anything that helps student achievement." http://www.nctimes.com/news/2001/20010420/ii.html

AZ Lawmakers Consider $1M for Hopis POLACCA, Ariz. — Help is on the way for Hopi people, especially for college-bound Hopi students. Hopi Chairman Wayne Taylor Jr. said bills that would appropriate more than $1 million for Hopi projects are making their way through the Arizona State Legislature. He also announced that the Hopi Tribe has established an educational endowment fund that will start paying for the college education of Hopi students in the fall. The chairman praised the Hopi Junior/Senior High School governing board and administration for running a school that encourages students to excel academically... http://www.cia-g.com/~gallpind/todaysnews.html#anchor6

Hopi High students journey to D.C. POLACCA—Thirteen students and two sponsors from Hopi High School recently spent a week in Washington, D.C. with the Close Up program. The Close Up Foundation is the nation’s largest non-profit civic education organization. It gives students the opportunity to see Washington, D.C. as a living city. The daily activities included meetings with members of Congress or their staffs, and government spokespersons. The students had the chance to ask questions and hear updates on important national issues. The students also attended seminars on the judiciary, international relations, as well as political, social and economic issues. They became informed on the federal budget and the legislative process. They also had time to explore the capitol’s historical and cultural sites. http://www.navajohopiobserver.com/navajohopiobserver/myarticles.asp?P=403768&S=392&PubID=6668&EC=0

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