My name is Allyssa and I am the Human Resource Associate here at St. Joseph’s Indian School. I have worked at St. Joseph’s for two years. My duties mostly include the employee relation aspects of the organization. This includes the staff appreciation breakfasts, the Christmas party, staff recognition, staff wellness and our annual chili cook-off.
Those involved with the wellness group enjoy guest speakers, newsletters and healthy activities on seven dimensions of wellness. The seven dimensions include physical, spiritual, emotional, occupational, intellectual, environmental and social wellness. The overall goal of the program is to provide employees and their families a holistic approach to wellness. Most recently we held a 5/10K walk, run, bike for staff and family members. We had a wonderful turnout of 100 participants and are planning another event for the fall.
HR will temporarily relocate during the summer months while our offices get a facelift. We have begun the packing process, but have a ways to go yet. Our tentative moving date is July 1. Although moving is never fun, we are looking forward to the end result!
What a year our students have had! The biggest change was me!! My name is Gina and I teach computer class.
I came to St. Joseph’s in September fresh out of the business world. Together, the students and I grew by leaps and bounds. Among a lot of new skills acquired , the first and second graders now know what a CPU (central processing unit) is, what the letters stands for, and what it does. Besides improving their typing skills every class period, they delved into programs such as KidPix and MS Word making graphic pictures and posters.
The best part of helping kids at this level is the moment when they “get it” and they realize they do. There was one young boy who consistently had a LOT of trouble just signing in to the computer with his name and password. Shortly after Christmas break, he was in class and I heard a big shout out from behind me, “I DID IT ALL BY MYSELF!!” and he threw up his hands in triumph!
He had finally mastered signing in without help from me or his neighbors. I went over and high-fived him, and the ear-to-ear grin on his face said it all! That was worth every struggle he had weathered, just to see the sense of accomplishment and pride he had at that moment.
The third graders learned many new things in Word and KidPix also, but their final project was learning an internet based program called Little Bird Tales where they wrote a book titled “All About Me.”
They had fun drawing scenes from their lives and writing a sentence about it. When they finished their project, the stories were printed and bound so students could take them home and share with their families.
Joe’s monster he drew for the Monster Exchange!
The fourth and fifth graders did a Monster Exchange project where they drew a “monster” in the Paint program and then wrote a description of it to exchange with the other class. They then had to try and draw the other class’ monster from the description. The results were quite interesting to say the least! They learned that drawing from the description was not as easy as it seems.
The upper classes (sixth through eighth) learned a lot about Microsoft Office and its programs. For one of their projects, each student made a PowerPoint presentation about themselves and their life at St. Joseph’s. They learned all about the bells and whistles of the program. They LOVED to have the computer applaud for them as they started their presentation!
One of the best projects we did this year was with the eighth graders in collaboration with the Social Studies class. They are required to write a research paper and present it to the school, so we worked together to complete the project. We did assignments that would benefit them not only in computers but would also be some of the work they had to do in Social Studies. I really enjoyed doing this as it showed the kids that the stuff we do in class does have an actual real life purpose. I really hope next year I can do more projects like that.
All in all it has been a very productive year for us. I am looking forward to finding new and fun ways for them to learn all about technology.
Jarrad and Fr. Steve at this weekend’s eight grade graduation ceremony.
On May 25th, 2012, St. Joseph’s Indian School was proud to watch 21 eighth grade students process into Our Lady of the Sioux Chapel and graduate from eighth grade. It was a wonderful day, full of celebration. We, the staff of St. Joseph’s Indian School, are always humbled and honored and to be able to spend such a special day with our students and their families. While it was a bit cool, the day went off without a hitch and the graduation ceremony was truly lovely.
So what does it mean to graduate from eighth grade? For many of our Native American students, they will return to St. Joseph’s Indian School in the fall to be a part of our High School program. For others, they will begin a new journey in a new place. No matter where they are going, it is a new chapter for our eighth grade students as they begin their high school career. Some are nervous, some are excited, some a bit scared, but in my opinion, all of them are ready to take on this new challenge.
For those returning to St. Joseph’s Indian School this fall for the high school program, they will come and spend three weeks on campus, beginning on May 28, 2012, to go through our transition program which will help get them ready to attend Chamberlain High School this fall. It is just a preview of what they will be experiencing at a new school. The students will get to meet some of the Chamberlain High School teachers, tour the Chamberlain High School, and begin to the learn ropes of being a freshman. It is a great introduction to what they can expect this fall.
While the eighth grade students are preparing for the fall, the Clinical Services Department is doing the same. This summer, the Clinical Services Department will spend a great deal of time traveling. What do we do while we are traveling? We visit our current students and their families and we work on admissions for the fall. Part of the admissions process is to interview the student and their families to learn a bit more about them and to see if their needs can be met by St. Joseph’s Indian School. It is a great time to start building relationships with new students and families. Traveling to see our current students and their families is just another part of building relationships with those already a part of St. Joseph’s Indian School as well.
While summers can be a bit quiet around St. Joseph’s Indian School, there is always someone around, so if you are in the area, make sure and stop by to see us! We are always willing to give a tour, talk about what we do and share what a great place St. Joseph’s Indian School is. So come and see us, you are always welcome!
Hi, I’m Sarah and I’ve been at St. Joseph’s Indian School for 11 years.
And I’m Jennie; I’ve been at St. Joseph’s Indian School for 17 years.
We’d like to give you an inside look into one of the biggest days here at St. Joseph’s: 8th Grade Graduation. Continue reading to hear about our exciting day!
Congratulations graduating class of 2012!
As the year comes to an end, the eighth graders become extremely excited, but also anxious. They are anticipating their eighth grade graduation and all of the banquets, ceremonies, and special gifts that go along with it. Along with all of these great things, there can also be some nervousness for our Native American students. It may be the students are envisioning their first day of high school at a new school, or they may still be unsure of where they want to go to high school. This is my seventh year of eighth grade graduation. One would think I would be used to this chaotic order of the end of the year… However, I too, as an adult, still get caught up in the excitement and anxiety.
St. Joseph’s does something special for our kids in these last few days. We offer them what we call our Eighth Grade Retreat, where all eighth graders spend some time together, along with a few staff, and discuss high school and the future. We reinforce what a wonderful time of their life they have ahead of them, but also that they may experience struggles along this way. We encourage these students and remind them that, during those times of trouble, they must remain confident in themselves, keep their faith in God strong, and also that they can lean on their St. Joseph’s family. We then give students special letters that have been written for them from the staff and faculty of St. Joseph’s. These letters are a surprise to the students. Sometimes the letters bring tears and sometimes they bring laughs, but most of all they offer the students support. They show someone here at St. Joseph’s will continue thinking of them even though they may not see the student as often.
The students have an opportunity to say, “Thank you” to family and friends.
The day continues on with a pizza lunch, where staff are invited to give their congratulations to the graduates and a trip to the movie theatre with their fellow eighth grade classmates. The day is full of emotion. I have asked students in the past what their favorite part of the day was. Most students respond with reading the letters. For me, this affirms the purpose of the retreat and most definitely the personal letters to the students. It validates the time spent doing them and most of all I go away feeling as though I have given the students my best. I’ve taught them Science, I’ve attempted to teach them social skills, but most important of all I’ve told them I care.
Then on Friday the big day is finally upon us! Students are with their families and friends in the morning getting dressed up, sharing breakfast and having pictures taken. They report to the chapel around 10:45 am for final instructions and line-up in preparation for the 11 am start. This is a fun time as the students are excited and nervous and are just enjoying the moment. Once the actual graduation begins there is some nervousness as they walk down the aisle in front of family, friends and staff. The students generally relax once every one is in and seated and the actual ceremony begins. The students participate by doing the prayers of petition, thanking our guest speaker and reading a friendship poem usually written by one of our eighth graders.
Their faces truly begin to beam when it is time to receive their eighth grade certificate. Again the nerves show a bit as they walk up in front of everyone and pose for a picture but the pride is evident. Next the Rose Ceremony, a favorite time for our students, begins. They are given two roses which they present to their families as a thank you for all of their support and love throughout the years. They also write thank you notes to family and staff that are delivered during this time as well. Then the most fun moment of all is the slide show. Each student is represented by baby pictures progressing through their eighth grade graduation picture and then they personally share their favorite memories in a short video clip. The students then proceed to the receiving line where everyone greats them with congratulations and good luck!!
Family and friends congratulate the recent graduates.
Our students then officially begin their transition home and onto the next steps into their futures. This is a very bittersweet time for all of us who work with these students. We are so very proud and excited for each of them but a little saddened as we know we will need to let go as they move on.
It is truly our pleasure to be a part of these young lives and appreciate the families giving us the opportunity to Serve and Teach, Receive and Learn. Honestly, it’s the greatest gift in the world! 🙂
Today was the last full day of school here at St. Joseph’s Indian School. At day’s end the students gathered in the school gym for the perfect and outstanding attendance awards. Thirty-eight children made it to school every day (which is made a bit easier when you live on campus) but still, that meant getting to and from breaks on time and showing up to learn day in and day out.
As an incentive to get students to make such an effort, we take a portion of the Box Tops for Education that donors send to us, and buy some nice end-of-the-year prizes. Bikes are always a favorite, and eight children took home a bicycle. Some students chose a camera or MP3 player as an alternative. Most of the older students opted for a gift card to the local clothing store to supplement their wardrobe with something new and in style.
Our eighth graders had a morning retreat led by Fr. Anthony. Many of the staff wrote them letters of support and memories. They had a half an hour to read through those, producing several teary but appreciative eyes. When you live at a school 24/7, the memories of the many things students and staff share are even stronger.
Afterwards, we practiced for tomorrow’s graduation, so everyone knew where to sit and process and receive. Lunch brought a pizza party for the graduates-to-be in the gym. The students went on to an afternoon matinee, while I opted to go back to the office and take care of the paperwork that is the constant part of an administrator’s job.
Those students who have relatives graduating will stay another day. Most of the other students headed home shortly after the school bell rang. We’ll still have about 50 students next week as summer programs begin, but others said goodbye next August 12, when we start all over again.
The school was unusually quiet when I visited yesterday. Grades 1-5 were up at the high school track for their field days.
As this school year ends, I was involved in meetings with staff about next year’s schedule and our long-range maintenance and planning needs, so I didn’t make the festivities. When I caught up with the students after school, they proudly displayed the ribbons they won for 100 meter dash, softball throw or a score of other events.
Our middle school students were in the classrooms. One very quiet room was finishing up the last math test of the semester. The 6th grade language arts students had finished their Literature reader and were taking off dust covers and cleaning up the books to prepare them for next year’s classes. All the classrooms are scheduled to get a clean coat of paint over the summer. As the teachers put things away, the walls are starting to look especially bare to prepare for that work.
Today was the last faculty meeting of the year. Kathleen, our principal ordered the makings for banana splits and I helped dish out ice cream and thank the teachers at the close of another successful year. Some of them will work for parts of our summer program. Some will take the summer off or do something completely different to renew themselves for next year. Richard and Vaye Jean are retiring, and Kathleen presented them with a small gift as a token of our affection.
Human Resources (HR) updated me that we’ve filled most of our school positions, but are still interviewing for four more positions. Our advertising and word of mouth seems to be working as there are a good pile of resumes to review and references to call. HR is one of the busier groups on campus over the summer as we try to get new staff trained and in place for a smooth start in the fall.
Most of our donations are small, regular sacrificial gifts in the $20 range. Larger gifts usually come in the form of a bequest or a charitable gift annuity. But today I was surprised by the biggest unannounced donation I’ve seen this year – enough to pay 3 teacher’s salaries, or help with special projects wherever it is needed! When I made a personal call to thank the donor, he was a man of few words, but just wanted the money to benefit our students and our programs. I am humbled and grateful for people’s generosity, and committed to running good programs that use these resources to make a difference.
Today was “Step Up Day” at school, which means students spend the last hour of the day in the classroom they will move up to next year. Teachers spoke to their soon-to-be students about expectations and answered questions to help students feel more comfortable with the move.
The first graders were excited about the desk configuration in second grade, where they will each have a free-standing desk instead of being grouped together on a table. The fourth graders learned they will get an assignment book – and have to take responsibility for writing down their homework instead of the primary teachers handing it to the houseparents. Fifth graders physically move up, going from the middle to the top floor. They also get their own locker in the hall. Eighth graders – instead of stepping up – stepped out and got to spend an extra hour on the playground. Life is full of transitions. In preparing for them we find talking through them helps reduce some of the anxiety.
Another day, another cook out! Tonight the Lakota Homes (6th-8th graders) got together for a pre-game picnic. This was something like a pot luck as each of the homes brought something different as they use up all that’s in their cupboards and freezers as we approach the end of the year. Even if the front of the line emptied a few of the offerings, there were still many scrumptious dishes to satisfy the taste buds.
Fortified with a good meal, we loaded up the school bus and headed up to the local high school softball field for the annual staff vs. 8th grade showdown. The staff had to hit a bigger ball that didn’t travel as far, and the 8th graders got 5 outs per inning to try to even up things a bit. It might have given a talented 8th grade much of an advantage. The students jumped out to an early lead, and never trailed, prevailing 14-11.
I pitched; my earned run average may not be something to be proud of, but my main goal was to throw strikes and give the students – especially the less athletic ones – a good chance to hit the ball. Everyone had fun, though tomorrow I know that after trying to recapture the game of our youth, this veteran player and a few others will have some sore muscles.
Hello, my name is Craig, St. Joseph’s Indian School’s sixth grade teacher.
The sixth grade took its annual trip to the Badlands. We took the entire class with the assistance of Linea, Jennie, Fr. Steve, Vajean and myself. It was a little cloudy and cool, but the kids were excited – many had never been to the Badlands before.
We stopped at the visitors’ center first and saw a movie about the formation of the Badlands and its surprisingly vast variety of wildlife. We toured the hands-on museum and then headed out to explore. The high-points of the day were whenever the kids just got to explore and hike. I think they could have done that the whole day! We also had a tasty lunch and the park café: burgers and fries for energy.
We all got back safe and tired, but the trip was a great success!
Actually, dressed like a mad scientist, tonight I was worked at the end of the year honors banquet for our 4th-8th grade students. Twenty-five students have all A’s and B’s and 5th grader Camron was the lone student to pull all A’s for the whole year. “Monsters” was the theme chosen, and staff and students dressed up in a variety of fun and/or scary costumes.
Look out kids, it’s the Purple People Eater!
For dinner, we had to choose from a mystery menu, not quite knowing what we were ordering. “Witches broomstick handles” turned out to be green beans and “vampire blood” was tomato juice. I thought I was in luck with my first course when I got a knife, fork and spoon with green beans while my neighbor had all food and no utensils!
To my dismay, the ghoulish waiter made me turn them in so when the next course came I had to eat spaghetti (a.k.a. Frankenstein’s Brains) with my fingers! We had lots of laughs. I teamed up with a group of teachers, houseparents and staff to sing a rendition of “Monster Mash.” When it came time to pass out the certificates, our students also received a T-shirt reading MONSTROUSLY AWESOME HONOR STUDENT.
Our 8th graders presented their social studies research projects today on historical figures of interest. Some chose presidents like JFK and Teddy Roosevelt. Others chose Lakota leaders like Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull. One girl chose Aristotle, which Dave the teacher noted was a first.
With the help of our computer teacher Gina, the students put together power point presentations that were quite good and made the information come alive. Some of the kids struggled mightily in front of a crowd of peers. Others were big hams and relished the spotlight. While it’s not easy, it’s necessary to overcome fears and grow in self-confidence to let their voices be heard.
Tonight the t-ball league (1st – 3rd graders) handed out their end of the year awards. Diamond (great name for a ball player!) and Keshaume got Golden Glove Awards. Samantha and Nevaeh were acknowledged for having the Best Attitude, and Gavin and Jarret received the Sportsmanship Trophy. Because of an unusual three-way tie, no team won first place, but all the kids got ribbon medals and wore them as proudly as though they’d just won the Olympics.
Today was the last day of school for Chamberlain High School. Our four high school homes emptied out quickly once the school day was over. Many of the students will be back in a couple of weeks for driver’s ed, transitional living classes or summer work experiences. Kudos to all the staff who work with these students and saw them through to another successful year!
The ten 1st-3rd graders who have made honor roll all year were treated to a movie and supper in Mitchell. I joined Jennie (Student Coordinator) and Celia (Residential Coordinator) to chaperone the students and had a delightful time. The Pirates: Band of Misfits was not exactly a classic that I’ll never forget, but what I will always remember and treasure were the kids’ giggles and laughs at the silly humor. We ate supper at Culver’s, where everyone got to chose from one of 5 children’s meals, and end the outing with a scoop of frozen custard.
Children’s laughter has a magical quality that heals and strengthens the heart.
We have a small bus that was just the right size for our group. The trip takes about a hour each way. Videos entertained for a while, but mostly we started playing guessing games, talking and telling stories. I sat next to first grader, Nevaeh. Spending a couple of hours talking to a seven-year-old grounded me more solidly in the world view of a child. They have more questions than I have answers, but that’s why young minds can soak up so many things so quickly. Hopefully these Native American students will work hard throughout their many years of study, and learn how to enjoy learning.
