Catholic Schools Week begins

We began Catholic Schools week with all the staff and students assembled in the Rec Center this morning for prayer. Bright yellow and blue balloons in yellow and blue (St. Joseph’s school colors) added a festive atmosphere to the stage.

This year’s theme is Raising the Standard. We try to do that, not just with academic excellence, but by forming ourselves and our Lakota (Sioux) students in all-around ways. Each attendee received a rubber bracelets with the words “body mind, heart and spirit,” engraved on them. Those are the holistic areas of child development and our own personal staff development on which we focus.

A good number of teachers and houseparents were out sick today. We’re getting the wave of flu and colds that hit other areas hard earlier. Our students have generally been staying healthier than our staff, but the health center has also seen a slight uptick in patients. We had a few subs in the school, but also had the help of some “student teachers.”

As part of Catholic schools week, some students in each classroom were given the chance to stand on the other side of the desk and address their Native American peers. Some gave out spelling words, others taught a few math problems. . .  Maybe it gave them a better appreciation for the work their teachers do.

My hope is that their experience in the classroom here will light the spark that will one day draw a few of them back to the classroom as educators.

After school, I went to Fisher Home (6th– 8th grade boys) for supper. The guys had come in from the playground and were kicking back watching cartoons before supper. I always want to have dynamic conversations with students, but like many adults I get lots of one word answers when I ask “how was your day?” or “What did you do in school today?”

Building relationships with youth, especially those who come to us from difficult home situations or poverty, takes patience.  I’ve learned to let young people talk about what they want to talk about and unfold their tale in their own time and way. Sometimes you have to sit through Sponge Bob and build rapport to set the stage for later. Around the supper table, the boys were relaxed and more talkative without much prompting and I did enjoy that time.

Icy roads canceled tonight’s basketball game, making it a good night to stay in and read a book. I don’t mind wintry weather that forces me to slow down and nurture my quieter, introverted side, as long as I know all the students and travelers are safely home.

Everyone deserves a chance to shine

The Lakota girls participated in a community hair shop this weekend, and everyone got a new ‘do!
Araya and Aralyn giggle in anticipation of curly, bouncy hair!

Yesterday, we had a Community Hair Shop to teach staff and students about braiding and decorating hair. We saw lots of cute new do’s sported around campus, and people enjoyed the time thoroughly. I promised one of our other bloggers I wouldn’t say much, and let them add more pictures and descriptions of those events.

Last night, I filled in for mass at St. James parish in downtown Chamberlain. Fr. Guy, the regular pastor, needed to be away attending to his ill father. Three of the pews were filled with very familiar folks – high school students from our St. Joseph’s program. Our older Lakota students enjoy going downtown for church when they don’t have a ballgame or something going on Saturday night. One big draw is that it gives them the chance to sleep in Sunday morning. But, I also know they enjoy taking part in the local community, and mingling with classmates and teachers from the public high school they attend.

I saw the rest of our crew Sunday morning in Our Lady of the Sioux Chapel. During the announcements Steve, our HS academic advisor, awarded the traveling academic trophies to Hogebach (HS girls) for the highest overall GPA, and to Carola (HS boys), for the fewest missing or late assignments.

There was also plenty of basketball today! Besides our girls intercity games, the Knights of Columbus and Jaycees teamed up to sponsor a Free Throw and Hot Shot contest. I saw several of our students proudly displaying trophies they’d won.

Jashon (10), Wankiya (11) and Trenton (14) took first place in their age group and will advance to the next level of state competition in two weeks!

I ran into four girls from the Afra Home (1st-3rd grade girls) walking home with their houseparent, Alice, from a trip to the dollar store where they spend some of their allowance. Mariah held out a rubber ball that bounced very high. Neveah, Loverine and Kyla clutched colorful journals they were planning to write their life stories in.

One of the books was titled, “Everyone deserves the chance to shine.”

That’s my hope for each of our students, and brought a smile to my face.

Unveiling a mural

At the end of the school day we unveiled a new mural in St. Joseph’s art room. Markus Tracy was the artist-in-residence who worked with our Native American students for the past two weeks. They worked to create a concept and bring it to life on the classroom wall.

Seventh grader Kaitlyn and one of St. Joseph’s youngest students, second grader Gavin, had their designs and ideas incorporated into the work. Fifth grader Justina saw part of a poem she wrote included in the design.

A cloth covered the wall, and our Chalk Hills Singers drum group sang an honor song to begin the festivities. Gavin and Kaitlyn then (to the roll of a drum) dramatically pulled off the cover and unveiled the work!

St. Joseph’s art room has a new mural, thanks to the Lakota children and artist Markus Tracy.
The Lakota students worked with artist Markus Tracy to create a mural for the art room.

The mural was painted in a way that the rising sun coming into the classroom window each morning from the East will be part of the art – a dynamic living piece as it arcs its way across the room.

Afterwards, attendees could snack on fresh vegetables, cheese and crackers. Talking to the artists, they were very proud about what they helped accomplish. Hopefully it will stimulate their creativity and imagination for many more beautiful efforts.

Donor Appreciate Events in Sarasota, Florida

The Lakota youngsters get to see the ocean for the first time.
Elijah and Shawn take their first dip in the ocean!

Very early last Friday morning, Fr. Steve picked up Maria, Elijah, Shawn and myself and off to the Sioux Falls airport we went! Sarasota, Florida was our destination. Our objective was to host two afternoons of appreciation luncheons for those who hold St. Joseph’s Indian School near to their hearts.

After an hour of driving and letting the boys catch a little more sleep, Fr.  Steve began to interview them in preparation for the weekend that lay ahead. As I listened and was able to participate, I knew in my heart these guys were going to do great!

After checking in with the airline and going through security, we all had a quick bite to eat, knowing it was going to be a long day of travel. After all, between shuffling through different airports and making all of our connections we may not get another chance for food until later on that night! So before we ate, we all bowed our heads and asked the Lord’s blessing on our day and the days ahead.

Fr.  Steve began each luncheon by thanking everyone for their part in St. Joseph’s success in helping Lakota children. Introductions were made and lunch was served, followed by a slide presentation and a short video giving everyone a taste of what life is like at St. Joseph’s Indian School.

The boys did a great job of not only representing St. Joseph’s Indian School and the nurturing they have received here, but they also did a great job of representing themselves. Though they may not have felt like it, they stood out as very confident young men. I, along with all those in attendance, was impressed and very proud of them.

Everyone received a picture of themselves taken with Elijah and Shawn; a little take-home memory representing all the Lakota (Sioux) students here at St. Joseph’s Indian School. I personally met people who traveled four and five hours to attend this event!

And oh… by the way, the Lord certainly did answer the prayer we made on that Friday morning at the Sioux Falls airport because before you knew it, it was time to head back home!

The trip and luncheons were more than beneficial to all. We were a blessing to all we met and they in turn were a blessing to us. We didn’t have much time to do a lot of sightseeing. Sarasota certainly is a beautiful place.  The people we met were extremely nice.  Each of us came back with very fond memories; I for one will never forget the Italian priest we met Saturday evening at St. Martha’s.  “Mamma Mia…”

News from the Health Center

After a little holiday vacation, the health center is back in the swing of things at St. Joseph’s Indian School!

We’ve seen plenty children with strep throat and, to make things more exciting, influenza A has hit!  Sound terrible doesn’t it?  It really hasn’t been that bad.

We’ve only had about 6 or 8 students with the flu since coming back from Christmas break.  All the Lakota children have had a flu shot, so this helps slow the epidemic.

Of course, when the children are sick they don’t go to school. Instead, they come to the health center for the day (sometimes in their pajamas) and hang out with the nurses!

We love to give them special treatment while they are with us: their own room, a small TV to watch, a comfy bed, and let’s not forget a delicious bowl of chicken noodle soup and crackers for lunch.  Does soup get boring? Maybe, but it’s great incentive to get well faster. *smile*

At 3 pm, when the school day is nearly over and houseparents return to the homes, we pack up the little sweethearts (with a mask if necessary) and off they go to their home with instructions on what sort of care they need that evening.

Have a Wonderful Day!

Nurse Nancy & Nurse Ronda

Returning to campus after a donor event

We’ve just returned from our Sarasota donor luncheon trip. After walking along the beach barefooted and enjoying supper at a an outdoor sidewalk café, coming home to -5 degrees and scraping snow and ice off the windshield was quite a shock to the system!

Why couldn’t I get any sympathy from the staff who were here all along facing the frigid wintry blast?

To make matters worse, a semi truck slid into an electrical pole and knocked out power for an hour Sunday night. At St. Joseph’s, we have a fuel-powered backup generator, and were able to keep key areas of campus warm until the power company got things squared away. In the winter, I say regular prayers for those who work in the cold to keep us safe and warm.

There was a big crowd in the gym last night for fourth, fifth and sixth grade boys basketball games against Chamberlain. When we have three games like that, the other Lakota children come and go for supper, homework and other activities, but everyone stops by for a few quarters to cheer the teams on.

It was also the debut of St. Joseph’s cheerleading squad. They added spirited encouragement and got the stands more involved. Their new pom poms added to their look, and they wildly waved them at exciting moments throughout the night.

All the games were very close, with Chamberlain winning the first two and our St. Joseph’s students prevailing in the nightcap. In a few years, many of these boys will be competing alongside each other instead of against one another, and we work hard to build good sportsmanship.

While I missed the weekend performances of the high school’s one act play, I did get home in time to enjoy their last dress rehearsal before they took it to Pierre for the regional competition. There they received a first place rating, and will continue on to the state competition.

Congratulations!

I’m glad and proud when our Native American students have opportunities to participate in arts activities.

After being gone from campus for a few days, I made the rounds to different departments and checked on how things are going around campus. The warehouse was stacked with bales of cardboard and shredded paper ready to be trucked off for recycling. While we actually earn a few dollars over the course of the year for doing so, the big benefit is that it doesn’t just go to the landfill as garbage, but can be reused and we help do our part for the environment. That was one of the goals of our last strategic plan.

For our current plan, we’re holding more listening meetings with staff again this week. It’s been time consuming; over two weeks I’ve met with 15 different small groups for an hour each. But we’ve heard good ideas and answered questions as we try to move forward with improving student achievement and success, and a host of other goals.

Over and over again, I appreciated how committed and passionate our staff is about trying to improve in every area on campus.

We had a farewell for Amy K, who is leaving her job in the mail processing room to go back to school. It’s always sad when part of our community moves on, but I’m happy when people take the chance to improve their education and set themselves up for better opportunities. We wish her all the best!

Basketball games, one-act plays, and cold weather

Dear Friends of St. Joseph’s,

I have the privilege of sharing some insights as to what has happened here at St. Joseph’s over the weekend since Fr. Steve and some students and staff have been at a donor luncheon in Florida.

The weekend began with the Chamberlain High School’s boys’ basketball teams taking on the Mt. Vernon/Plankinton Titans.  The schedule offered the chance for the “C” team, junior varsity and varsity to play.  The Cubs were able to win all three games with the help of the 11 St. Joseph’s students on the “C” and junior varsity teams, plus two more on the varsity.  High school games highlight the impact the inter-city basketball program, sponsored by St. Joseph’s.  You can see the interaction that took place in younger grades paying off as the St. Joseph’s and local Chamberlain students now play together.

This was also the opening weekend for the girls’ inter-city basketball program on St. Joseph’s campus.  Again, a good mixture of St. Joseph’s students and players from the Chamberlain area played some good games before a good-sized crowd of spectators.

Chamberlain High School also presented its one act play, Mark Twain’s “Is He Dead?,” which will be their entry in the state competition this coming Wednesday.  One of St. Joseph’s students, Christopher, had one of the lead roles and several other students were active behind the scenes.  The performance lasted about an hour, but we were told at the start that the rules of state competition require that a one-act play must be completed within 45 minutes.  They will have to do some further cuts, but they wanted the local public to see the ‘full’ performance, which brought laughter and enjoyment as we watched the play unfold and deal with trying to make an artist ‘famous’ and thus his paintings more expensive by faking his death.

This coming week, the Lakota children in grade school will continue to benefit from the continued presence of our Artist in Residence, Mr. Markus Tracy, who completes his two-week commitment to St. Joseph’s this Friday.  He is working with our students to produce a mural in the school.

This past Saturday was the second week of our bowling season.  The sixth, seventh and eighth graders sign up and then are assigned to teams headed by various staff members, several of whom are on bowling teams in Chamberlain.  We bowl two games and try to help the students learn and improve their bowling skills.  It is a popular event.

The weather let us down a bit in that it was forecast to be very cold (single digits and below zero!), which is one reason why I think Fr. Steve scheduled the donor luncheon for Florida (Ha!), but it has not been as bad as predicted, nor did we get any more snow.

What snow we had at Christmas is mostly gone now, which has been frustrating for our Native American students since many of them received snow boards from Santa and our benefactors, but have not been able to use them. During recess, many of the younger students have been sliding down the hill on their stomachs looking like a bunch of seals!

In closing, I would like to say pilamaya – thank you – for your generosity towards the Lakota boys and girls at Christmas.  It was a joy to go from home to home to witness the students opening their gifts.  There was lots of excitement and many ooh’s and aah’s.

May the Great Spirit continue to bless and reward you as the new year unfolds.

Sincerely,

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

Chaplain

Christmas blessings for the Lakota children

The Lakota boys and girls were blessed to receive wonderful Christmas gifts.
No matter how old they are, the Lakota boys and girls are so excited to receive Christmas presents!

Christmas continues into January at St. Joseph’s!  The excitement gets to linger for at least a week after break, extending the students’ excitement about presents to come.  It’s always fun to experience the Christmas holiday through the eyes of a child. No matter how old they are, or how much they may try to hide it, they are excited!  The first week after break brings excitement and anticipation for Sunday’s big event!

If there is one thing I would wish for in life, it would be that all kids would wake up to at least one present on Christmas Day. 

I no longer ask my students what they got for Christmas when they come back… I haven’t for years.  It breaks my heart that some experience no family time, or no gifts for this holiday.

It’s so exciting for our students that they have a Christmas to return to and presents to put the sparkle in their eyes!

Over the years, Christmas has changed at St. Joseph’s, not just the date.  I remember when I first started working at St. Joseph’s, we looked through used toys to try and find enough to give each of the kids a present.

Sometimes, it was a real stretch.

Many times, the toys had someone else’s name on it.  Often, the students were given games with missing pieces. Everyone got socks and gloves and were very happy to receive those items.

I remember one year my dad arranged for a company to send Nerf footballs for all the boys.  For the girls he made each their own tablets with their names printed on them (he owned a print shop)!  It was something new and exciting.

The Lakota children are so excited to open their gifts!
Ethan peeks into his gift a little early.

Thanks to very generous donors, Christmas gifts are awesome and definitely appreciated.

After the celebration, kids come to school sporting a new sweatshirt or talking about different toys they received.  We are blessed to have great donors!  One home got rollerblades and went skating Sunday afternoon.  They had great stories and, more importantly, great smiles!

This is a time I often spend reflecting on the true blessings I have.  Sometimes we forget how good we really have it.  I hope part of Christmas at St. Joseph’s and everywhere helps you reflect on what’s important too.  I have too many to name here, but my granddaughter, children, husband, job, relationship with God, and living in America would top my list!

May the New Year bring you peace and God’s blessings!  May the excitement of a new toy from your childhood spread into the joy of giving and sharing this New Year.

New adventures, abroad and in the snow

Each summer, we offer a 3-week exchange program with our sister school – also founded by the Priests of the Sacred Heart – in Handrup, Germany. Yesterday, eight of our Native American high school students interested in applying for consideration had their chance to make a power point presentation to a the staff of St. Joseph’s High School program.

They were honest about their fears: lost luggage, not understanding much German, how would they get along with the host families. They also spoke of what they hoped to gain from the experience: a different sense of history, the self-confidence that comes from trying new adventures, appreciation of another culture, and preparation for college.

One girl said that, while both of her parents are Sioux, one of her great grandfathers was a German Homesteader, and she would be fascinated with exploring that connection.

I enjoyed each of the presentations. I was there for moral support, and am glad I’m not the one who has to make the final determination on who goes. Most of the students were juniors, but a couple are still sophomores, so if not selected this year, they will have the chance to try again.

Our younger Lakota students are taking computerized standard testing called MAPS. They’ve proven to be patient throughout the sometimes trying process. One benefit for them is that homework is light this week due to the tests.

After school, many headed to the football field to take advantage of sledding. The sun came out and warmed the ground above melting. Once the sun went down, the slopes refroze and created conditions for long and fast runs down the hill.

As I called it a day, and came past on my way home, the squeals of delight rang in my memory.

Boys basketball season has started!

St. Joseph’s Lakota (Sioux) boys have started their basketball season.
Dylan let fly from the side to score the winning basket!

Yesterday St. Joseph’s fifth and sixth grade boys opened up their basketball season with a pair of wins in front of the home crowd!

Our fifth graders jumped out to a big lead and never looked back. The sixth grade game went back and forth with many ties, and was a great team effort. Our opponent’s taller players had an advantage close to the basket, while our smaller unit passed it around well to get good shots.

With the game tied and only 30 seconds left on the clock, our tiniest player, Dylan, let fly from the side and hit the go ahead and eventual game winning shot.

I happened to be sitting near his grandparents, who were so delighted and excited to be able to share in that special moment with him.

Though small, he sure walked tall after that memorable moment!