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Nearly 60% of Nebraska 3- and 4-year-olds are not enrolled in preschool programs.
According to educators, preschool is associated with increased success in school and beyond. But for at least a decade, most preschoolers on Nebraska’s Winnebago Reservation have been part of the national Educare Learning Network.
Deborah Van Fleet reports.
Amy LaPointe-Houghton, education director for the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, said the Educare program was once described to her as “Head Start on steroids.”
She noted in their years with the Educare system, Winnebago children have gone from testing near the bottom to being “right in line” with children in the 24 other Educare centers across the country.
“We’ve made that huge leap and it’s all around the data. We have our data compiled in a book every year, and things that are identified in that book, that’s something we make improvements on.”
She noted evaluators from the University of Nebraska Medical Center assess the children at the beginning and end of each school year.
Educare Winnebago is the only Educare program in the country on an Indian reservation.
LaPointe-Houghton attributed their success to Educare’s four pillars: data utilization, professional development, high-quality teaching, and intensive family engagement.
She pointed out one focus of their program is a social-emotional curriculum, teaching skills like identifying and expressing emotions in acceptable ways.
“To be able to better handle situations when they’re encountering some kind of traumatic event, or a stressful event. They have some tools to be able to help themselves.”
LaPointe-Houghton emphasized research about the negative effects of stress and trauma on physical health makes them hopeful if their children learn how to manage stress, they will have better overall health, as well as more success in school.
“We have high numbers of diabetes, blood pressure, heart disease. It makes me think it could be contributed because of all the traumatic things that happen in people’s lives and you don’t even realize that it’s doing damage to your body.”
To enroll in Educare Winnebago, children must live in Winnebago but do not have to be tribal members.
The program has eligibility requirements to ensure they’re serving the children with the highest needs.
In South Dakota, the Rapid City Area Schools superintendent has been placed on a 30-day leave following comments made during a Department of Education investigation.
C.J. Keene has more.
The decade-long investigation orbited the district’s treatment of Indigenous students.
Superintendent Nicole Swigart was quoted saying students operating on “Indian time” is a challenge for the district.
Members of the Native community spoke out about the comments at a school board meeting saying the comments are unacceptable and called for the school board to reassess the role of superintendent.
Members of the Native community also say the comments reaffirm claims of racism leveled at the district.
The district issued a formal apology and Swigart has been required to take cultural competency training.
However, the district is maintaining its confidence in Swigart’s ability to lead the district following the leave.
The Indian Health Service (IHS) announced this week awards of more than $24 million in grants to 23 tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations to help improve access to public health services over the next three years.
The grant program has two initiatives.
One is to expand public health services by supporting tribes and organizations in implementing core public health functions and improving management capabilities.
The other is designed to help tribes and organizations establish goals and performance measures.
IHS Director Roselyn Tso (Navajo) says the grants will support goals of ensuring comprehensive, culturally appropriate health services for American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
The IHS provides health service for about 2.8 million American Indians and Alaska Natives in 37 states.
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