American Indian parents seek answers from District 15

The parents are waiting for answers. But they don’t feel they will ever get any answers from St. Francis School District 15 Superintendent Ed Saxton.

The parents in this situation are American Indian and they want answers on how the district is using the American Indian Education grant, why the grant funding was frozen in December 2010 and when they can expect to see changes in classroom curriculum that does not rely on outdated books.

According to Curriculum and Assessment Coordinator Kurt Becker, a paperwork audit was completed after “I received information in December of 2010 that indicated to me that our student count for the 2010-2011 school year may have been wrong,” he said.

Tutoring services were reinstated in January, but other programs are still on hold, said Dennis Sargent, program coordinator.

Since January the parent committee, which has 10 to 14 members, has been trying to work through several program issues with Saxton and Becker.

At the beginning of the year, the parents presented a list of 27 concerns covering grant paperwork, communications, curriculum, teacher training, use of the American Indian Education grant and cultural activities.

“We had hoped to have had the issues addressed and resolved by March,” said parent Tricia Daniels of Oak Grove.

But there has been no resolution yet, she said.

Saxton claims the parents are stuck in the past, but they have continued to ask the same questions since January and have received no answers, said parent Leonard Thompson.

Nothing is getting accomplished, he said.

Among Daniels’ complaints is that Saxton has not returned phone calls, which he admitted to during the May 23 school board meeting.

Funding

Although neither Beck nor Saxton would specify what triggered the audit, it was discovered some of the 106 American Indian Education grant forms were missing tribal identification numbers.

Over the next two months, Sargent and parent CJ Molder contracted the parents to get the missing information.

According to the district, only 56 students qualified for the grant, and thus the American Indian education services, when the paperwork was audited.

But Sargent said the number is closer to 92.

There are also 10 to 15 American Indian students that have been adopted and no tribal number can be found for because of sealed adoption records, he said.

Reading Lesson Plans – For Comprehension and Fluency | How to find ...

Teachers across the country take advantage of the benefits of lesson plans for reading each day. It makes sense that having a sound plan in which to follow day by day will provide you with a path to follow even through the busiest of schedules. Here are a few ways lesson plans for reading can compliment your teaching experience.

A few key things to keep in mind when creating lesson plans for reading is to create a balance between having a structured plan and enough flexibility to allow for creativity. Contrary to what some teachers might believe, it’s possible to squeeze enough time to be spontaneous when necessary, even with the apparent rigid structure of a reading lesson plan. The earlier you can plan things, the simpler it will be. While it’s impossible to predict everything that will happen throughout the semester, it is possible to plan things in such a way as to leave you a bit of extra time for disruptions, mishaps, or a simple change in plans.

Lesson plans for reading are required to have approval in many school districts, therefor are put before a committee. Some basic things to include in your lesson plans includes different texts, classroom discussions, and related movies as well as mission statements, discussion topics, and classroom objectives among others. A basic outline plan is required in some districts, while in others a more detailed lesson plan is needed. In examining these plans, they are making sure that the material and texts you choose are suitable for your students’ skill levels, among other things.

Lesson plans for reading are also useful if you plan on pursuing self teaching. Whether you want to learn how to close read or you simply want to expose yourself to more literature, lesson plans such as these are perfect for helping you to navigate through the busiest of schedules. Along with organizing the different materials you’ll be covering, you’ll also be able to balance this work with other obligations, such as work or housekeeping.

These are just a few of the many ways lesson plans for reading can help you. By putting in the effort to make your lesson plans flexible and orderly, you will succeed in helping your concepts to stick in the minds of your students for much longer. Your students will thank you for creating a structured balance. Learn more today about how quality lesson plans can help your students!

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