St. Joseph's Indian School

Looking forward to a long weekend

Hello and greetings from the High School Program!

Since St. Joseph’s high school students attend the Chamberlain public school, their schedule is different from the 1^st-8^th grade students.

We’re looking forward to a long weekend with Friday and Monday off for parent-teacher conferences and President’s Day. On Monday we will have a presentation by medical students from the University of South Dakota. We try to utilize no school days to bring in speakers or plan activities that will appeal to the kids and expose them to opportunities for their futures.

Parent-teacher conferences are a nice opportunity to find out what gains our Lakota students have made as well as which areas they need to focus on. We always invite the students’ parent/guardians to take part in conferences and we have a growing number of parents attending. One mother came from three hours away last semester – her dedication to her son’s education is commendable. For parents/guardians who cannot attend, our houseparents summarize the information and share it with them.

We are also looking ahead to the next school year as we work on eighth grade selections. This is a process of determining how many openings we will have in the high school program and seeing which eighth graders will best fit the public school our students attend.

Some years, we have about the same number of openings as we have eighth graders – that makes the selection process much easier. Other years, there are many more eighth graders than there are openings and the process is very difficult.

We begin in October when the High School Residential Coordinator meets with the eighth grade students to share information about the high school program; the students have an opportunity to ask questions and then they fill out a survey about their plans for the following year.

In February the Coordinator meets individually with each student to “interview” them. This consists of questions about their academics, attendance, and participation in extra-curricular/artistic/musical activities. At this same time, surveys are sent to the teachers, eighth grade houseparents, and Family Service Counselors to gather as much information as possible.

Our goal and desire is to keep every student here until they graduate high school. However, that doesn’t always work due to lack of space or when individual student circumstances have changed. One situation we’re seeing more frequently is that the student’s families are becoming more stable and self-sustained.

In these situations, the families are often ready to have their children home with them. As much as we love having the kids at St. Joseph’s, our ultimate goal is to help them and their families become productive members of their tribes and their communities. When that happens and families can be together, everyone benefits.

We are enriched by the opportunity that is provided when families entrust their children to our care and we’re fortunate to be a part of positive changes for the future. Most of all, we are grateful for the generosity of others in helping us accomplish our mission.

Special Valentine’s Day treats

Our youngest Lakota students received new books from a generous donor. — Isaiah got to join his classmates in choosing two new books from a generous donor!

Like many others, we began Lent yesterday with prayer and the distribution of ashes.

I had a morning mass on campus for part of the staff before the liturgy for the Lakota (Sioux) children in the afternoon. When I headed home for lunch I passed the younger kids on the playground, playing King of the Hill on the mound of snow at the playground’s edge.

Kaiden (first grade) saw the black smudge on my forehead and asked if those were ashes.

“Does it burn?”

No, I reassured him, the ashes were not hot, just messy and a sign that we’re sorry for the wrong things we do and want to try to do better. He seemed OK with that answer, and wasn’t scared later when he came up to receive the mark of repentance for himself.

With our high school students having a different schedule, there are few good times for all the students on campus to get together. Fr. Anthony lead an additional evening service for our older Native American students. They seem to enjoy the more intimate setting among their peers.

Today was also Valentine’s day. After a day of Lenten fasting, there was no shortage of sugary treats. Casmir, a 95-year-old alumnus from our very first class at St. Joseph’s Indian School, bought ice cream bars for everyone in the school, which were shared at afternoon break.

Another donor provided enough wonderful children’s books for every student in grades 1-4 to choose two or three from a great selection. The classrooms and homes picked a few also for use with future classes. Mary’s first graders presented me with a poster sized Valentine’s card about half as big as my office door, with hearts and handprints and lots of love.

This year we instituted a “parent portal” so families can sign in via computer and check on their child’s grades and scores. Some parents and guardians do not have computers or internet access, but many have some way to check in once in a while. Many of our families live at a distance, some up to four or five hours away, so this is another way to try to bridge the gap.

I received a report on usage, and we are quite pleased with initial interest. As happens anywhere however, some of the students who could use parental involvement and support the most are the ones whose parents or guardians remain unengaged.

A Tablespoon of Hot Sauce

Due to a good weekend snowstorm, Chamberlain canceled school yesterday. The Native American grade school students at St. Joseph’s still had classes, since living here they only have to walk a block or two.

Our dedicated facilities crew started clearing snow at 3 a.m. and made it possible to navigate the roads and sidewalks safely. We did start 90 minutes hours late. The teachers and other staff who had to drive from their homes appreciated the extra time to dig themselves out and get to campus.

Our high school students had the whole day off. Knowing there were no ballgames or activities, I figured it was a good time to stop by Sheehy Home (high school boys) for supper. They’d spent the afternoon exercising at the Rec Center, and most were now parked on the couches watching movies. A few of the guys were using the time to catch up on homework and missing assignments, which I made sure to compliment.

Supper was a memorable culinary experience. Anita’s lasagna was some of the best I’ve ever had. But next to the salad was a plastic squeeze salad dressing bottle that was slightly orange colored. From the side I saw the beginning of a word – “FR.”

I assumed it was French dressing, so unbeknownst to others I poured it liberally on my salad greens. It turned out to be “Frank’s Hot Sauce,” and my first bite it was like eating a full tablespoon of Tabasco sauce! The Sheehy boys got a chuckle out of my miscalculation.

I stopped by Raphael Home (1^st – 3^rd grade boys) after school today and found the Lakota youngsters actively playing. You can have fancy computer games and electronic toys, but today the boys were intrigued with simple old-fashioned things. Kane was trying out a yo-yo. I was able to give him a few pointers of how to hold it and get the most spin out of the wrist, signs of my own playful youth. Rudy had a lightweight wooden airplane, like we used to get in the dime store, and he and Dorian were competing to see who could keep it aloft the longest.

Imagination is the most fertile field for a child’s play, and basketball is the big sport around campus. First graders Jacob and Devin stacked a trio of laundry detergent buckets against the wall, and on top built a foot wide square of large Legos. They each had a beanie baby bird (one a penguin and the other an eagle) and were using those to shoot hoops. Teris stood guard by the bucket, blocking shots and trying to keep them away but, with persistence, they would occasionally get one by and over his outstretched arms and into the goal. They cheered as though they’d hit a game winning shot!

Of Basketball & Ping Pong

Three other eighth grade teams took part in St. Joseph’s basketball tournament. — St. Joseph’s eighth-grade team lost their first game of the tournament by only one point!

Saturday at St. Joseph’s Indian School we had our eighth grade invitational basketball tournament. Four teams participated. Robert, one of our high school students, has taken to refereeing, and I enjoyed seeing him run the court and keep the game flowing and fair.

Our team lost their first game by only one point. Disappointed and tired, they didn’t play up to their potential in the consolation round and got blown out. That game was hard for the fans to watch.

It may be even more important to cheer and support when kids are struggling than when they are winning.

Some of the girls’ homes made a batch of sloppy joes, hot dogs and dessert bars to sell at the snack bar. The game room became a lively place to grab a quick lunch and catch up with staff and students.

Our younger girls had basic gymnastics practice in the afternoon. I see our students doing cartwheels all the time, and Heidi and Mark tried to teach them some new skills, like walking on a balance beam. I got in line and tried my hand (more so my feet) at the skill along with the girls.

It was actually much like the physical therapy I had to do to strengthen the nerves to my foot after the cancer surgery, and I had no trouble walking across. But when I tried balancing on one foot and leaning forward, that’s when I needed the spotter’s help to hop down. I heard lots of giggles, but at least I tried.

We had a blizzard warning and snow started flying Saturday night.

Our facilities crew came in early and had the roads cleared in time for Sunday morning mass. Much of the snow we get is dry and powdery. This was wet and heavy, and very much appreciated in an area that suffered from drought last year.

We’ve seen what the East Coast is digging out from, and keep all those adversely affected by winter weather in our prayers. After lunch, I saw a couple of the younger boys’ homes bundle up and head for the hills for sledding.

I ate brunch with the Summerlee Home (4^th– 5^th grade girls). I tried my hand at ping pong with Chassidy, who kept it going pretty good, and gave a quick lesson on how to hold a paddle to Daejah, who was fairly new at the game. Then it came time for all the students to sit at the kitchen counter and get their valentines written out for their classmates.

Valentine Sobriety Carnival & Dance

St. Joseph’s holds a Sobriety Carnival each February for the Lakota boys and girls. — Samantha tries her hand at one of the carnival games.

Friday was our Valentine’s Sobriety Celebration at St. Joseph’s Indian School. The Lakota children in grade school enjoyed a carnival, with about ten different games around the edges of the gym. Older students and a few staff ran a face painting station at center court, and I saw colorful mustaches, cat whiskers and clown faces all around.

Each game required different levels of skill – plastic bowling pins, ring toss and a golf putt. Some were pure luck, like the Fish Pond and the Cake Walk, but the kids had a blast walking around the numbered circle to the music, or casting their rod over the partition in search of treasure. Consolation prizes were penny candies. Each student played until they won up to five small prizes.

Once their card was filled, they made their way to the tables filled with donated toys, games and knick knacks. I noticed some students would pick the first thing that caught their eye, while others were more discriminating shoppers, and carefully looked everything over before making their selection.

The junior and senior high students held a dance later in the evening. Our dances usually involve many students sitting on the sidelines and only occasionally meeting in the middle. Chris, one of our seniors enlisted the help of other classmates to serve as the DJ. The students were more willing to get up and show off their dance moves, mostly in groups. “Couples” were more likely to walk around and hold hands rather than dance together. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

Meet Luisa, new houseparent

It’s hard to believe we have been in Chamberlain, South Dakota, for almost six months. The memories of being welcomed by the bright green rolling plains are quite vivid—it truly feels like yesterday!

Of course, it doesn’t take much for me to snap back to rationality and know it was in fact, not yesterday. One look down at my boots (encrusted with snow) or the sound of my husband yelling out in frustration from the shower “Luisa our pipes are frozen!” and I think to myself: Nope. It is definitely not August anymore.

As newcomers to the state and new houseparents at St. Joseph’s Indian School, the people we come in contact with often ask us where we come from. When we say Florida people’s eyes get wide and the next question is “WHY are you here?”

Not only that, but when we called banks and other places in Florida to verify they had our new address, most of the strangers on the other line would outright chuckle and say something like “South Dakota? Wow, interesting…”

Ironically, what Jachin (my husband) and I both still wonder is why we never thought about coming here before.

We have both traveled to experience and study various cultures. We are both passionate about intercultural studies, helping the marginalized, and how God works through different people groups. Being a part of the work here at St. Joseph’s captures that and so much more.

In August we did more than just make an impulsive move across the country.

We committed to improving the lives and influencing the future of 12 Lakota boys and 12 Lakota girls.

Through these blog entries, I hope to share with you our adventures, their development, our laughter, our quest to help them reclaim their culture, and the lessons these incredible little ones have taught me.

Finally, I hope to give you a sneak peak of what life is really like at St. Joseph’s Indian School. Oh and I will definitely be sharing lots and lots of photos and videos! You may be far away but it will be nearly impossible for you not to feel the joy these kiddos bring to our life.

Let’s get started with some of my recent favorites.

The girls and me being silly.	Fun with Photoshop!
All my boys sledding.

And the one that makes me laugh so hard it hurts, a video of the boys and I playing our animal game:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k1Ov7mqNcM&w=425&h=344]

Psalm 127:3-5 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Catching up around campus

After being on the road several days Wednesday was a catch up day with meetings and answering messages. February is the time we put budgets together for next year, and work on the school calendar, so we’re all trying to look ahead and make plans for what we will need.

One of the goals for our strategic plan is to develop more opportunities for our younger students to interact with children in the Chamberlain school in the hopes that it will help build friendships for our Native American students who continue on to Chamberlain High School.

Kathleen, our principal, helped me brainstorm about some ideas.

Could we host an art fair or exhibit that would showcase works from area children?
When we or one of the other area schools have a speaker or activity that would appeal to youngsters, do we think to invite other schools?

In a time when school resources are stretched, collaboration is one answer. But collaboration has its own rewards as well, particularly breaking down barriers and giving students the chance to know one another. We’ll work to try some activities next year.

Kathleen also shared a project she’s been working on with the student leadership group. They’ve been asked about the qualities of a good teacher, and the traits that get in the way of developing a trusting, working relationship. Fairness, and not playing favorites is at the top of both lists. They don’t expect a teacher to be their best friend, but a smile and sense of humor goes a long way in helping youngsters to feel comfortable. While they didn’t use the word “sarcastic” that was the attitude that best described what turned them off in the classroom.

Aaron, who does most of our videotaping projects, asked me to stop by his office to work on a piece for our historical display. In a section about life on Indian Reservations today, I remarked that while there are a host of social problems, we need to also acknowledge the positive developments.

Since I’m the one who insisted we tell that part of the story, I was elected to talk about tribal colleges, cultural preservation efforts, wildlife conservation and land management. There is still a long way to go, but hopefully our Lakota (Sioux) students will be part of the generation that can turn things around for their tribes and families.

I stopped by Summerlee Home (4^th-5^th grade girls). We just completed the remodel of their home, and the girls were excited about moving back in, especially the fifth graders, who remembered how it looked last year. I got the grand tour and they made sure to show me how their beauty parlor chair and hair washing sink worked.

I checked in on our thrift store conversion project. Our crew was installing the slat walls around the perimeter and finishing up some wiring. We hope to start moving clothes and other merchandise in a couple of weeks, and open sometime in March. Downtown Chamberlain is getting a new drug store and city hall as well, so we hope it helps keep our small town main street active and vibrant.

We hold case service plans for each of our students twice a year. The student meets with their Family Service Counselor, homeroom teacher, and one of their houseparents to see what areas they are successful in and in what areas they need improvements. Students’ families are invited to take part either in person or via conference call. We work hard to increase parental involvement. Unfortunately, many of our students are at St. Joseph because their parents have not been involved in their education and upbringing.

I sat in on a couple of meetings for two girls, and learned more about their issues and challenges. None of their parents or guardians were able to attend. One came to us after her family wound up in a domestic violence shelter. After six months at St. Joseph’s Indian School, she is starting to rebuild self-confidence and is showing leadership with younger girls in her home.

The second girl has only been here a few weeks, and is way behind her classmates in academics. Her teacher talked of the need for more testing to see what she needs to catch up on so she can move forward. It’s a long process that takes patience on both sides of the desk.

But that’s exactly why we’re here.

The students were also given the chance ahead of time to write down activities in the home or school they enjoy and would like to see more of, as well as concerns they may have.

Though it’s only 25 degrees outside, after school kids still flocked to the basketball courts! After we moved a storage building and put up some temporary goals on the foundation, that has been a draw for the students. The portable goals have been set low enough for fifth graders to dunk, and they showed me some of their best one handed jams as they dreamed of getting a college scholarship or NBA contract some day.

Afterwards, I joined the Cyr Home (4^th-5^th grade boys) for supper. They had a session at the Rec Center reserved, so as soon as the dishes were washed, the boys crowded the couches and counters to get tomorrow’s home work done. I helped with some spelling and vocabulary words. It’s easy for an adult to give answers to a worksheet, but much harder to get a child to reason out loud and come up with their own conclusions. But that’s what it takes for them to learn.

Visit us for a tour!

The Medicine Wheel Garden will offer a quiet place for reflection and respite on St. Joseph’s campus. — The addition to the building is finished, but some displays are still under construction in the new Tokéya uŋkí nájiŋpi (We stood here in the beginning) Historical/Alumni Center.

I’m Charleen, the Historical Center Coordinator; I joined the team in October 2012. I have worked at the museum as a seasonal part-time employee the past three summers. I have always had a love of history and I am honored to be the Coordinator for the Historical Center. My responsibilities include greeting visitors to St. Joseph’s and giving guided campus tours. I am looking forward to helping our visitors learn more about the history of St. Joseph’s Indian School and the great Lakota (Sioux) Culture.

Construction of the Tokéya uŋkí nájiŋpi (We stood here in the beginning) Historical/Alumni Center is still in progress. However, the Historical Center is now open to visitors and some of the displays have been completed. The displays are amazing and a visit is highly recommended. The Medicine Wheel Garden will be completed this spring. Native plants and landscaping will complete the project, once the chill of winter has gone.

Currently, guided campus tours are available at 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. Tours can be scheduled at a different time if this does not fit your schedule. Transportation can be arranged for any tour.

All tours begin at the Akta Lakota Museum.
Summer schedule: May 1- October 31, daily tours will be at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Monday – Saturday.

In addition, visitors can enjoy a self-guided tour with additional options available at the Historical Center.

A cd to put in your car player
An mp3 player for a walking tour.

All options are free of charge.

To schedule a tour please call me at 800-798-3452 or email me at muscd@stjo.org

A busy weekend ahead

St. Joseph’s annual Sobriety Carnival includes all sorts of fun games for the Lakota children! — Cup stacking is one of the most popular games at the Sobriety Carnival!

Greetings friends! I hope you are all doing well, staying healthy, and staying warm. Things here at St. Joseph’s Indian School are going well. We have a busy week ahead of us!

This weekend is our annual Valentine’s Day Sobriety Carnival and Dance. This celebration helps to promote sobriety while the Lakota students in grades 1-5 grade enjoy carnival games and the students in grades 6-12 get to have a dance.

Our Substance Abuse Prevention Committee (SAPC) puts on several activities throughout the year to promote sobriety and the dangers of using drugs and overusing alcohol. The students always seem to enjoy these celebrations.

This weekend the St. Joseph’s Indian School seventh and eighth grade boys will host a basketball tournament. Several teams will be on campus to play in the tournament. The boys are very excited to play and hope to have many fans in the stand cheering them on.

Basketball season is in full swing for the Lakota boys at St. Joseph’s Indian School. — The seventh and eighth grade boys’ basketball team will host a tournament at St. Joseph’s this Saturday.

Next week will bring the start of the Spring Cycle of the FAST program. Families and Schools Together, or FAST, is a great program that brings several of our families to campus for eight Fridays. The program consists of activities designed to help promote family togetherness and strengthen family bonds. We are looking forward to sharing the eight Fridays of FAST with 15 families this cycle!

As always, we thank you for the support you offer to St. Joseph’s Indian School. Without your prayers and financial generosity, we would not be able to offer the programs so vital to our students here at St. Joseph’s Indian School.

Home Safely!

We just returned from Buellton California, in the scenic Santa Ynez Valley, where we hosted two donor appreciation luncheons in the area. While some of our friends had a short trip, others drove in from as far as Fresno, Lancaster and Anaheim to join us for an afternoon. Ashley and Martina were our two Native American high school students who spoke to our donors about their life and routine at St. Joseph’s Indian School.

Native American students from St. Joseph’s saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time! — The girls walked in the Pacific Ocean and wrote their names in the sand at Refugio State Beach.

Travel was an adventure. For Ashley it was her very first flight. The attendants let her peak into the cockpit and the pilot made her feel welcome (and safe!). From Sioux Falls to Denver, she had a window seat and could see the Missouri River, Badlands and Nebraska Sand Hills as we flew high overhead. On the second leg, Martina stared out the window, marveling at the mountains, canyons and vast stretches of western desert, which gave way to the incredible sprawl of metro Los Angeles. Our last short leg was at night, and the city and coastline came alive with lights and we descended into Santa Barbara. Our return was not as smooth. Fog delayed our takeoff, and because of missed connections we could only get back as far as Denver, and had to stay overnight there and come back a day late. The girls didn’t mind missing another day of school, and had fun walking around the airports, window shopping and people watching.

Despite the long distances, I recognized a few donors who have made the pilgrimage to St. Joseph’s campus for a summer vacation stopover, or to take part in one of our powwow celebrations. When others hear of our activities in September, it piques their interest and I’m sure we’ll see a few more make the journey. One couple who love motorcycling hope to roll by and visit during the Sturgis rally in August.

Tina, our phone receptionist, traveled to help with the set up and hospitality. She told me that one of the most frequently asked questions by donors on the phone is about me – “Is Fr. Steve a real person?” Many said it was nice to meet the one behind letters and emails. But the same holds true for us.

It’s a joy to be able to thank groups of people in person who make the work of St. Joseph possible.

The Lakota students visited an ostrich farm on their trip to a donor appreciation event in California. — Martina feeds the ostriches at the farm they visited.

Saturday after the luncheon, we checked out a nearby ostrich farm – a unique experience for me, but a sheer delight for our Lakota girls! A bowl of feed cost just $1. We held it out on a dust pan and hungry birds flocked around us. It was amazing to see them up close and personal! In the distant fields we observed their surprisingly quick running, and even saw a male doing an elaborate mating dance to get attention.

We drove into Solvang for mass. Visiting Old Mission Santa Ines allowed me to tell some of the background of the California missions and the history of the area tribes. It was also the annual appeal Sunday for the diocese. In lieu of a homily, we heard a 22 year old Hispanic Woman speak about how the parish school she attended in South Central LA helped give her a chance to go to college and present her with opportunities that others in her neighborhood didn’t have. I looked at our Lakota (Sioux) students, hoping and praying the same for them.

We sampled some Danish foods and pastries, then walked around to enjoy the town’s atmosphere. We found a bookstore that had a large section dedicated to Hans Christian Anderson, and later we took a photo by the Little Mermaid fountain.

On Sunday after the luncheon, we finally spent some time at the ocean, walking along Refugio State Beach.

My favorite moment came when Martina and Ashley were intently tracing their names in the sand with their toes, and a wave came up from behind, about mid-calf height, and sent them squealing and laughing to safer ground.

After enjoying some of the open scenery, we continued to Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara, where the shop with shell jewelry was the highlight. On these trips, I notice that our students may buy one of two things for themselves, but they are always thinking of family and friends, trying to find something that will give them joy.

The girls were amazed at the shops on Paseo Nuevo! — The shops at Paseo Nuevo were full of pink bling!

We headed downtown to the fashionable Paseo Nuevo shops. The girls’ eyes lit up when passing a store called “So Good,” filled with every kind of ring and necklace imaginable. It was the pinkest, blingiest place I have ever seen. I knew that, while it wasn’t my cup of tea, they would be there a long, long time. That gave me a chance to go out for a walk and check in on the Super Bowl. After they had their fill, we ended up at a pizza place where we watched the fourth quarter of the game.

We’re safely back now, with lots of memories, not just of sights, but of the warm and wonderful people we sat at table with and heard their story and their connection to St. Joseph’s.

How did you become connected to St. Joseph’s Indian School?