St. Joseph's Indian School

I had very little time to catch up before we jumped into a full day of strategic planning. We are looking at developing direction for St. Joseph’s Indian School for the next 3-5 years, as we keep in mind our overall vision for the future, and the work we strive to accomplish daily. This will involve lots of discussion meetings to come, and working groups to identify needs, challenges and opportunities. We hope to have a plan developed by January of 2012, so we’ll take some time to get it right. Our past strategic plans have kept us focused on the bigger projects we need, and have helped move the school forward. Because this involves the whole staff in partnership with students, their families and our donors, you never know the ideas and initiatives whose time has come for us to grasp onto and push ahead with.

After the day, all four of us on the management team were excited, but also tired, realizing all the work these processes take.

This evening Steve, our Dennis Home (1^st-3^rd grade girls) houseparent, took up the whole skating room for his annual Rib Fest in honor of his birthday. 32 current St. Joseph’s students have passed through his home and are still here, and he gathers them all together for this once a year celebration. This is the first year that he has had a student here in each of the 12 grades. Getting everyone together for a family picture was like herding cats, but we eventually got everyone lined up for a wonderful memento.

I had a spiritual direction session today, and I found myself saying things to the person that I need to take to heart myself. As you see good and important things that need to be done, what do you have to cut back on? If those activities and projects are really important, how can you inspire and enlist others to help you? I’m trying to dig out from the piles that have accumulated on my desk for the past 2 weeks, and know it is going to require patience, hard work and also some letting go.

As you see good and important things that need to be done, what do you have to cut back on?

After school, I stopped by the Rec Center to check out a couple of our newer extracurricular activities.  Houseparents, Chris and Aaron, were helping a group of archers to use the proper techniques and come closer to their target. That sport teaches the art of patience and self-control, and hopefully will inspire them to keep improving and achieve success, not just in a gym-but in life. The 4^th and 5^th grade boys have been rambunctious and had a few instances of name calling and bullying. They were in the game room working with Bryan and Bobby on a high energy body building exercise video. When I walked in near the end, they had worked up a good sweat, and hopefully channeled some of their energy into something more productive than fighting.

I ate supper with the Afra Home (1^st-3^rd grade girls). Since Spring Break begins tomorrow, all the homes are super charging to get things clean before they leave. This includes using up all the leftovers and perishables in the refrigerator. After supper Sherry, the Family Service Counselor, got a group of the girls together for an UNO game, which I joined. After several minutes of the girls arguing over who was going first and what direction we would go, Sherry took charge and got things started. If you’ve seen kids on the playground, they will often spend more time arguing about rules and who goes first than actual time playing. We are always looking for opportunities to teach and reinforce sharing and cooperation.

Ash Wednesday. Though it’s not a Holy Day of Obligation, people make it Holy by their turnout and participation. With the call to fasting, prayer and almsgiving, the challenge for me is to look at the excess in my life, and how I can cut back on material things and more importantly time-wasting activities that don’t really matter. Then I can focus on what is more important. And there are plenty of activities that present themselves each day that call forth compassion and a more generous response.

All the students who wanted to, could come forth to receive ashes. There was of course some giggling as the ashes dropped onto glasses, noses and even caused a few sneezes. But it meant something to each of them too. There’s something primal about being marked with ashes, that signals a call to repentance and conversion. I pray we can work together to rise from the ashes and build a brighter future for our students.

At our management meeting, we selected 8 staff members who had been nominated by their peers to receive our Employee Service Awards. I’m encouraged by the many hard-working folks we have in many different areas of campus who work so hard to make a difference, and do so with a positive attitude that helps others.

Shay, one of our high school seniors, who was accepted to Creighton University was ecstatically excited and encouraged today. She interviewed for one of their Native American diversity scholarships, and got word that she was selected! She will receive almost 2/3 of her yearly costs from that one scholarship alone! Besides college seeming more real to her, with other help and hard work, she sees it as affordable and doable. When those dreams come true for our graduates, it encourages and inspires us as well.

I’m back from my travels. Thanks to all our staff who filled in as guest bloggers during the days I was gone.

Our meetings in California focused on ways to reach out to and work with our donors. I also had some wonderful days of visiting relatives in the area, and enjoyed sunshine and warmer weather than South Dakota offers this time of year.

I next traveled with staff and two high school girls to Waukesha, Wisconsin for a couple of donor appreciation luncheons. Six of my SCJ community members who live in the Milwaukee area came to the luncheon on Saturday, and helped fill people in on the work here in South Dakota and what we’re about throughout the world.  

Shay and LaToya did a great job telling folks about their activities at St. Joseph’s, and their hopes and dreams for the future. In our free time we did a little touring, and since we were in the big city, some shopping. I went into more dress, purse and jewelry stores than I’ve ever been in, but it was entertaining and educational to see what caught a teenage girl’s fancy. The students were impressed by the vastness of Lake Michigan, and the vastness of a big city filled with so many different neighborhoods and opportunities.

Hello, My name is Mary Jane.  I am the Outreach/PQI Director here at St. Joseph’s Indian School.  I cover a variety of areas which include admissions for our students, maintaining our waiting list, working with alumni and former students, as well as college scholarships. 

Several of the outreach programs include setting up recruitment and alumni gatherings and organizing the summer Reach Out van that travels to over 30 communities on the reservations in South Dakota.  This program gives away new books that are purchased through a federal grant from RIF (Reading is Fundamental).  Each year we give away more than 2,000 books to children!

Currently, I am setting up recruitment and alumni luncheons in Rapid City and Eagle Butte for the month of April.  We encourage alumni to return to campus to visit.  We have had some come to visit with our current students about what they have done since they left St. Joseph’s Indian Schools.

I came to St. Joseph’s Indian School in 1972 to work in the elementary school.  Over the years, I have worked in the dorms, taught 4^th grade, was principal and now I am privileged to work with families, their children and our alumni.  I have met and visited with former students who went to St. Joseph’s in the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s.  They love to share their stories of how St. Joseph’s impacted their lives.

Truly, my job is the best job on campus!!

Greetings, I am Julie, the Residential Director for the 1^st-8^th grade homes here at St. Joseph’s Indian School. 

Our residential environment allows staff to participate in many events and activities with the students.  For example, each year as our 8^th graders wrap up their basketball seasons, we celebrate by having a staff vs. student game.  Last night, I joined seven other female staff to form a team.  Great fun was had by all!  I think the best part for the students is teasing staff the next day as they hobble about and complain of body aches. 🙂

This morning started on a busy note with a staff development session.  All 1^st-8^th grade house parents attended this, followed by the school staff in the afternoon.  The session topic was bully prevention (Sticks and Stones) presented on behalf of South Dakota Health EDventure.  This was an excellent training!  Our staff was presented with many hands-on resources and given access to the South Dakota Health EDventure website for additional resources as needed. 

The best things about working at St. Joseph’s Indian School is the students!

One of the best things about working at St. Joseph’s Indian School is the students; the second is the fact that things are rarely boring! Our weekends tend to be as full as our week days.  Currently students are able to participate in archery, bowling and wrestling on Saturdays.  While these events change with the season and vary by age group, there is generally an activity for the students to enjoy!

Hello!

My name is Kathleen, I am the Principal at St. Joseph’s Indian School here in Chamberlain, South Dakota. Our school is composed of Native American children in grades one through eight. The students’ day runs from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM. 

During the course of the week their studies include, reading, writing, grammar, spelling, mathematics, science, social studies, computer, art/music, religion and Native American studies. The class sizes run from nine to fourteen students.  We have additional staff for the classroom teachers to further individualized student learning.  They range from teachers aides, reading and math specialists, occupational, speech, and physical therapists. 

Every day we live our motto: to teach and serve, receive and learn.

Our goal is to help each individual Lakota child reach their potential and to address any difficulties they may have academically. Each student has an academic file which tracks progress and identifies what strategies are being used to help the student achieve. Students that are noted as ‘intensive’ receive multiple services. ‘Strategic’ students receive help in specific areas and ‘benchmarked’ students are challenged to exceed their  goals.

This week, five of our students in grades 3-8 competed in the Regional Spelling Bee and our eighth student came in third place. Later this month, we will have our eighth grade girls attend a day-long workshop dealing with math, science and engineering projects.

Hello,

My name is Shana and I’m the Director for the High School Program here at St. Joseph’s Indian School.

I’m in my fourth year here at St. Joseph’s Indian School and we’ve seen many positive changes and improvements in our program during these years.

The girls basketball team just finished up a successful season and one of our St. Joseph’s students was co-captain of the team, she’s a senior and her last game was very emotional as it’s one of her first good-byes during the end of her senior year.

Tonight is our boys District basketball game with our Chamberlain High School rival Crow Creek. The homes are all excited and ready to go cheer our team as well as our St. Joseph’s Indian School boys who play on the varsity team. I just left our high school learning center and the students there were busy trying to get some homework done before they left for this evenings game. They were full of smiles and warm welcome, which is not always the case when students are doing homework.

Our houseparents recently attended our student’s parent teacher conferences at Chamberlain High School and then our students enjoyed a four-day weekend. Many of our homes scheduled their home skiing trip for this long weekend, but due to blizzard conditions had to postpone their ‘family vacation’. There were some disappointed students and staff, but it’s better to be safe than sorry on our South Dakota roads during the winter.

The homes are trying to find another weekend for skiing. Prom is fast approaching and some of the girls have already picked out their dress, this is always a fun weekend and Chamberlain High School has a post prom party to ensure it’s also a safe weekend. There is never a dull moment in our high school program for our Lakota youngsters!

To learn more about our Native American children in need, please visit us on our St. Joseph’s Indian School’s website.

Hi, my name is Julie, I am the Clinical Services Director at St. Joseph’s Indian School. I supervise the Clinical Department which includes the Family Service Counselors, Prevention Coordinator and Family Liaison. I also oversee the Health Center.

Some activities that we have going on this time of year are the FAST (Families and Schools Together) program and our Spring Sobriety Celebration. Our FAST program is an eight session program of family meetings that provide a “Circle of Support” for student success in school, home and community. The goals of this program are to improve family functioning, promote child success in school, prevent substance abuse by the child and family, reduce the stress that parents and children experience from daily life situations and promote healing through culture.

The Spring Sobriety Celebration will be held in April. This celebration includes a sobriety walk that all of the students take part in, a dinner and a speaker and/or presentation of some kind. We also have a t-shirt design contest that the students can enter and the winner gets their design put on the sobriety t-shirts that the students are given to wear for the celebration. The celebration promotes a drug-free lifestyle.