powwow – Page 4 – St. Joseph's Indian School

If only you could have heard the joy that erupted from St. Joseph’s this morning…

Greetings from South Dakota and happy powwow week!

The Lakota boys and girls waited a month, but St. Joseph’s new playground is finally done! — Shouts of joy erupted from the playground when the Lakota students finally got to play on the new equipment!

The BIG news today is the blessing of the new playground equipment! Students and staff came out during their first period yesterday morning so we could offer a prayer and express our gratitude to our tiyospaye – extended family – who made it all possible. There was a lot of excitement and glee as they slid, climbed, swung and checked out everything.

As one staffer put it:

The kids finally got to play on our new playground! They have been waiting for a month and were incredibly patient. Today it was awesome to witness them experience it for the first time. Yep, all 164 kids at once – priceless!!!!!! If only everyone could have heard the joy that erupted from St. Joseph’s this morning…we are truly blessed!!!!!!!

Pilamaya – thank you – for your generosity!

And in the midst of this excitement, powwow week is upon us!

Last week we began the process to determine our royalty for the powwow. The students taking part had to write a short essay about why they wanted to be Miss St. Joseph’s, Jr. Miss St. Joseph’s or the Eagle Staff Bearer. They were also asked to demonstrate their dancing skills and answered questions from our panel of judges. The results will be announced Friday afternoon, September 12, at the cultural presentation in the Rec Center.

Even the big kids wanted to check out every corner of the new playground. — All the Lakota students – big and little – checked out every corner of the new playground.

Powwow guests are already arriving at St. Joseph’s Indian School! Our first visitor so excited he came a week early. He knocked on our door Saturday morning wondering where everyone was. Activities officially begin Thursday morning with a bus tour of nearby Indian Reservations (pre-registration required). In the meantime, guests can visit the Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center and take in the sites in and around Chamberlain. Check out the full powwow schedule!

You can learn more about powwow, including the definition of the event and various dance styles, at www.stjo.org/powwow.

I hope each of you has a wonderful week. Please keep us in prayer that we’ll have good weather and a successful event for our Lakota (Sioux) students, their families and all our guests!

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

The Lakota children say pilamaya – thank you! — Wopila tanka – many thanks – for your generosity!

Chaplain

In reading class with the Lakota boys & girls

The new year at St. Joseph’s Indian School is well underway – we’ve had almost a month of school already. The Lakota students came back with smiles on their faces, positive

Linea teaches reading at St. Joseph’s Indian School — Linea, St. Joseph’s reading teacher for seventh and eighth grades.

attitudes and ready to learn!

To start the year, we adopted the saying “Our Future is so Bright, We Have to Wear Shades!!!!” This is why we look so “cool” in the picture.

In seventh and eighth grade reading class with me, students are starting out learning about fiction and all the elements involved in a fiction story. The first few weeks, we stress how authors use sensory details to make descriptions more vivid and the different ways they develop the characters in their stories. We also point out how important the setting is because it can affect the mood and tone of the story.

The students are looking forward to St. Joseph’s annual powwow and all the activities involved – a week from today it will be here! It is a busy and exciting time of year. Will you be joining us for powwow?

Linea – 7^th & 8^th Grade Reading Teacher

To start the year, St. Joseph’s students and teachers adopted the saying “Our Future is so Bright, We Have to Wear Shades — Linea and her seventh graders sport sunglasses in class because “our future’s so bright, we’ve gotta wear shades!”

Enjoying the Labor Day weekend with the Lakota (Sioux) students

Greetings from St. Joseph’s Indian School!

Fr. Anthony, St. Joseph's Chaplain — Fr. Anthony, St. Joseph’s Chaplain

I hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend! We were honored to have a lot of guests visit the Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center as they were passing through on their travels. I love driving through the parking lot to look at the license plates and see where everyone is from. I hope you may have the chance to visit us one day!

It was a busy week here on campus. One of our high school boys’ homes hosted the Chamberlain High School Varsity football team for dinner Thursday night. It is a way to strengthen team unity and help give the local players and coaches a chance to see how the St. Joseph’s students live. We have several St. Joseph’s boys on the team.

St. Joseph’s powwow will be September 12-13; the Lakota children are ready! — The Lakota boys and girls are practicing their dance steps for powwow!

Sadly, the team lost their season opener Friday night against a team ranked at the state level. However, the Cubs will have the chance to rebound with their home opener this Friday.

In volleyball news, the varsity season opens tonight with the Lady Cubs hosting Stanley County. Just like the football team, we have several students on both the Varsity and JV teams.

Go Cubs!

The high school students had Friday off as well as Monday. One of our homes took advantage of the time off and offered a car wash on campus. Their goal was to raise money to attend the LifeLight Music Festival in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, which is a three-day Christian music event. The car wash was a hit and they had a great time at the festival!

Here on campus over the long weekend, the younger Lakota students took in a movie – Guardians of the Galaxy – at our local theater. A picnic was planned afterwards, but they had to avoid some rain drops! They also had the chance to enjoy being outside, swim and just take it easy – it was a wonderful, relaxing weekend!

With the holiday weekend behind us, all the focus now shifts to St. Joseph’s powwow September 12-13. We are praying for good weather! The students are busy preparing regalia and practicing their dance steps. We hope you can join us!

We hope you will all have a great week! May God’s blessings and guidance will be with you.

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

Chaplain

Staying active with the Lakota (Sioux) children

Greetings from Chamberlain, South Dakota!

There was a nip in the air this morning that gave a hint that fall is on the way. We had several warm days last week and got some much needed rain. The rain has helped bring back some color to our grass. A few local cattle seemed to believe the old saying, ‘the grass is greener on the other side.’ Saturday morning, we discovered about a dozen had broken through the fence and were grazing on St. Joseph’s football field!

Last week, students and staff gathered in front of the school building to have a group photo taken in the design of the Morning Star, also found in the Lakota Star Quilt.

St. Joseph’s sports teams are getting ready for the opening of their seasons. Our sixth, seventh and eighth grade students started volleyball, football and cross country practices this week.

Speaking of the cross country team… The other night I heard voices up at the SCJ Community House where Fr. Bernie and I live. All of a sudden, 15-20 youngsters and several adults came around the corner of the house. It was a bit of a shock since we don’t usually have many visitors!

I found out later that our rec center staff had plotted out a new cross country path that led them up the hill where the house is. The team members not only run around campus but also up and down hills for better training. Some of them stopped for a break at the top of our hill before finishing the practice for the day.

The Lakota students and St. Joseph’s staff members gathered for a Morning Star group picture. — St. Joseph’s students and staff gathered for a special group picture in the shape of the Morning Star.

Some of our runners got in some extra practice over the weekend as they took part in the Chamberlain Youth Triathlon. They were able to compete on teams or individually. Two of our teams won first place in their divisions and several individuals also won medals!

Everyone is getting excited as our 38^th Annual Powwow draws closer. Our students have been practicing their dancing and the staff has been going over their notes to see where adjustments can be made to improve the experience for our guests. Today, some of the student tour guides are having a practice run for the school tours they will provide.

The Lakota children competed in a youth triathlon and did great! — Several St. Joseph’s students participated in a youth triathlon. Several earned places!

The final touches are being put on the new playground and will be dedicated on the morning of the powwow. I hope you can come and enjoy the weekend with us September 12-13! If you still need information, call 1-800-584-9200 or visit stjo.org/powwow.

If you cannot attend, please keep us in your prayers that we’ll have nice weather – just like Goldilocks said, ‘not too hot, not too cold, but just right.’

Have a great week! May everyone have a relaxing and enjoyable Labor Day weekend. If you are traveling, please drive safely.

God bless!

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

Chaplain

A Special Visit from the Black Lodge Singers

Dear Benefactors,

Fr. Anthony shakes hands with members of the Black Lodge Singers after their presentation at St. Joseph’s Indian School. — Everyone shook hands with the singers to thank them for coming and sharing their talents.

It is another beautiful day in the neighborhood here at St. Joseph’s Indian School! Things are off to a good start as we continue to welcome students back on campus. Chamberlain High School starts on Thursday, so our high school students began returning Sunday. Some were back early to take part in practice sessions for volleyball, football and golf. However, everyone was back ahead of school starting. All our high school students are now taking part in an orientation program before the first day of school meet and get to know new houseparents and new students.

The Lakota (Sioux) students in grades 1-8 began their second week of school yesterday and are looking forward to getting their sports season underway. This fall, our St. Joseph’s cross country, volleyball and football teams will play against other schools in the area.

While some recent rain has been beneficial to local farmers, it has slowed the instillation of the new playground down a bit. It is amazing to watch the progress being made! We know the students are chomping at the bit to use the new swings, slides and climbing walls as well as shoot some baskets on the new basketball court.

St. Joseph’s students practiced for powwow along with the Black Lodge Singers. — The Lakota children practiced their powwow dance steps to a live drum group!

Yesterday afternoon we had a presentation by the Black Lodge Singers. It was a wonderful way to learn about Native American heritage for both students and staff. The group – a family – hails from the Pacific Northwest. It was especially exciting for St. Joseph’s students to practice their dancing to a live drum group! With our annual powwow on September 13, it came at a good time.

Our annual powwow is an especially exciting time since many families and friends are on campus. Everyone is welcome to attend our 38^th annual powwow with festivities beginning on September 12. You can find more information at www.stjo.org/powwow, including directions and local accommodations.

I hope each of you has a great week! We’re so grateful for your prayers and support. The Lakota children keep you in prayer at our Sunday liturgy each week.

Sincerely,

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

Chaplain

The excitement is growing at St. Joseph’s Indian School!

The excitement is growing at St. Joseph’s Indian School as we end All Staff Orientation Week. Around St. Joseph’s campus, this is a time of great anticipation. We are

Mike, St. Joseph's Director — Mike, St. Joseph’s Director

renewing old acquaintances and preparing for the school year that lies ahead. Child Services Staff have had some time off and the spirits are high.

Although most Child Services Staff (houseparents, teachers and Family Service Counselors) were away for part of the summer, our Facilities Crew has been busy. The campus looks great! General upkeep and many maintenance projects have been finished with others nearing completion. The playground is torn up as we are preparing the area for our new playground equipment. It will be so awesome when it’s finished!

Our Development Staff has also been very busy this summer. They work with our generous donors to provide the necessary resources for all our programs. They are getting ready for events like our powwow in September and upcoming Donor Luncheons.

Thanks to the generosity of our benefactors, St. Joseph’s Indian School is able to educate and care for 200 Lakota (Sioux) children every year. — The Lakota children start school at St. Joseph’s on Monday, August 11!

As we come back together after a break, there is visiting and catching up to do. Employees learn about each other’s summer trips; weddings we attended or even participated in; updates on changes that have happened in each other’s lives. There is home and classroom prep along with staff meetings.

We also catch up on what we have heard about our Lakota students. Are they having good or not-so-good summers? I saw so-and-so at the store, this or that. The Family Service Counselors have some updates from their travels, but there are other stories that will have to be checked out next week when the students arrive.

On Wednesday, all our staff came together for our traditional beginning of the year kickoff. We fittingly started with a prayer service in the Our Lady of the Sioux Chapel. We asked for guidance and inspiration from the Great Spirit in meeting our important mission for the children and families we serve. The prayer service was followed by an all-staff meeting and lunch.

Yes, spirits are high as we look to carry out the work of our mission this year! We are blessed to be the hands of our donors, working directly with the Lakota children and families who come to St. Joseph’s for help.

Thank you for your generous support!

Mike, St. Joseph’s Director

The Lakota children arrive at St. Joseph’s in less than a week!

Good afternoon!

As All Staff Orientation begins to unfold at St. Joseph’s Indian School, you can almost hear the pitter patter of little (and big!) feet. The Lakota (Sioux) students will arrive for the upcoming school year in less than a week! All our staff are busy making sure everything is ready.

The orientation process gives veterans and new staff the chance to get to know one another, share insights and to ask and answer questions. All these preparations make the opening of the school year easier for everyone when the homes open Sunday and the students arrive.

Houseparents will put final touches on their home to welcome the students to their home-away-from-home. Teachers also are getting their classrooms in order and doing last minute decorating to welcome the children.

St. Joseph’s Family Service Counselors work with houseparents, teachers and support staff to help everyone understand how they can best prepare themselves to deal with the various experiences and needs the students will have.

Orientation will cap off Thursday with a picnic for all employees to share some good food and camaraderie for the opening of the 2014-2015 school year.

As part of the effort to make our program at St. Joseph’s Indian School interesting and challenging, our Principal, Kathleen, took part in a conference on education sponsored by the Priests of the Sacred Heart (SCJs) this summer. She and the principals of other SCJ schools from around the world met to share ideas and foster ways of promoting the spiritual values of Fr. Leo John Dehon, SCJ and Founder of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart.

The Lakota children will return to St. Joseph’s on August 10, so homes and classrooms are being prepared. — St. Joseph’s houseparents are stocking cupboards and getting ready for the Lakota boys and girls to return for the start of the school year!

It has been a bit noisy around the Chamberlain community these last few days. Bikers are passing through on their way to the Black Hills and the annual Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota.

In the past we have had the opportunity to bless a number of the riders and their motorcycles. We wish them safe travels and an enjoyable time!

The beautiful green of early summer is quickly fading to shades of tan and gold. Rain has been scarce lately. Hopefully, we will be blessed with rain between now and powwow so things will be nice and green for the event. We would love to have you join us for our annual powwow September 12-13. You can register to attend and find more information at stjo.org/powwow.

We hope you have a great week! Please keep us in your prayers as we prepare the arrival of our Native American students, and for safe travel of our students as they return for the upcoming school year! May God continue to bless and reward you for your generosity to for the care and education of the Lakota children attending St. Joseph’s Indian School.

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

Chaplain

Staff return to St. Joseph’s – the Lakota (Sioux) children are next!

And so it begins!

Where did the summer go? Monday morning, orientation began for new houseparents, teachers, counselors and support staff. We have 29 new team members for the 2014-2015 school year.

One mentioned she felt God’s call to come and offer her service to St. Joseph’s Indian School. This reflects an attitude many have shared in the past. We are grateful for this spirit of mission and that God calls the right people at the right time to cross paths and serve the Lakota youngsters.

When new staff were asked what qualities they bring to the job, some of the comments included:

Patience
Empathy
Wisdom
Humor
Compassion
Creativity
Love of young people

May the giver of all good gifts, our Heavenly Father, enable them to have many opportunities to share these gifts with everyone around them, students and staff.

St. Joseph’s new staff members are on campus and have begun their training. — All St. Joseph’s staff members have extensive training in working with children.

All staff will be back on campus next week, but final touches for the upcoming school year are still being made. The new playground equipment is being delivered over the next few days and it will be a challenge to get everything bolted and in place by the opening of school on August 11. Pilamaya – thank you – for your continued generosity that allows us to provide a safe environment for the children we serve!

Many guests and visitors have been stopping at the Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center. I hope you and your family will have the opportunity to visit one day soon. It is good to see the museum parking lot filled with vehicles from all over the USA and beyond. Our visitors are impressed by the facility and we have received several great reviews, such as this blog post.

Remember St. Joseph’s annual powwow coming up September 12-13. For more information or to register, visit www.stjo.org/powwow or call 1-800-584-9200.

Please continue to pray for us as orientation continues this week and for the all-staff orientation next week. Together, we will develop a sense of family and provide the best experience possible for our in-coming students. We are grateful to God for your support and encouragement which allows us to have a positive impact on the children’s lives.

I hope your remaining summer is relaxing and enjoyable. Stay safe and may God’s blessings continue to be with you and yours!

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

Where did the summer go?

Summer is nearly over at St. Joseph’s Indian School!

I just received a note from Donna, our Human Resources Director – things are looking great for the upcoming school year (which is just around the corner)!

Donna mentioned that our teaching spots have been filled, which is a special accomplishment. Newspapers recently reported that 30% of open teaching positions in South Dakota have not been filled. We even have two new Family Service Counselors hired. The only area still to be filled is for three houseparents. Please keep in your prayers that these openings may be filled with the right people.

See St. Joseph’s available career opportunities here!

New staff orientation started today. All staff orientation begins the first week of August. The Lakota (Sioux) students return August 10 and classes begin August 11. Where did the summer go?

St. Joseph’s hosts donor luncheons in cities across the U.S. Hear the Lakota students tell you their story! — St. Joseph’s students Wankiya and Alan will travel to Cincinnati, Ohio in August for donor luncheons.

Just after school starts, we’ll host our next donor luncheons in Cincinnati, Ohio, August 16 and 17. Two of our students, Alan and Wankiya, will be there with staff to meet you and share their experiences at St. Joseph’s. Register online now or call 1-800-584-9200 for more information. You can also take a look at our event calendar to see if we’re coming to a city near you!

As we continue moving through summer, it’s rodeo and powwow season throughout central South Dakota – fun for all ages! I hope to see you at St. Joseph’s annual powwow on September 13.

Whether you can attend powwow or not, you are always welcome to stop in and visit St. Joseph’s Indian School and see the good you are doing for the Lakota children. Be sure to make time for the Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center!

May God continue to keep you in good health. Know we are praying for you in gratitude for your generosity. Pilamaya – thank you!

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American Saint

Greetings to you!

Yesterday was the Feast Day of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lilly of the

Fr. Anthony is St. Joseph’s Chaplain — Fr. Anthony with the Lakota children

Mohawks. She is the first Native American to be canonized and holds a special place in the heart of the Native American people. I’ve had the privilege of visiting the village where Kateri grew up in in New York State.

One of the stained glass windows in Our Lady of the Sioux Chapel on St. Joseph’s campus is dedicated to Kateri. We ask for her intercession that the Great Spirit will give His blessings and strength to all who seek to follow her dedication and commitment to follow Jesus.

On behalf of all the SCJs, I thank you for your prayers for the success of the recent Provincial Chapter held last week in Hales Corners, Wisconsin. I had the chance to join with Fr. Steve Huffstetter, SCJ and 42 other priests and brothers to discuss various issues to help the members of the Province be supportive of one another and renewed in our dedication to serving the people of God as ‘prophets of love and servants of reconciliation.’

Thanks to your prayers, the Spirit helped move the Chapter in a very positive direction.

We also got to do some celebrating.

Fr. Leonard Tadyszak, SCJ, celebrated the 70^th anniversary of his vows. Among Father’s various ministries was his time serving in north-central South Dakota on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation.

The next day, we celebrated Br. Clay Diaz, SCJ, and his Final Profession of Vows. As part of his training, Br. Clay served at St. Joseph’s Indian School. His next assignment will take him to northern Mississippi.

On a sad note, we received word that Fr. Larry Rucker, SCJ passed away. Fr. Larry had served in South Dakota and many in this area still remember him. Please keep Fr. Larry in prayer.

As we continue moving through the summer, various rodeos and powwows will take place throughout central South Dakota. The powwows at Lower Brule and Fort Thompson will take place in early August. I hope to see you at St. Joseph’s annual powwow on September 13.

Remember, you are always welcome to stop in and visit St. Joseph’s Indian School and see the good you are doing for the Lakota children!

May God continue to bless you and keep you in good health. Know we are praying for you, in gratitude for your generosity. Pilamaya – thank you!

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

Chaplain