The Hopi School System's Transition Team: Leading Education Across
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Planting Virtual COLUMN COMMUNITY Consumer prices LARRY’S CORNER Congratulation Seeds of Are cats ok in to the Class of shot up 0.8 the rain? 2021 of Hopi Knowledge Across Read more Day School Hopiland percent in April about it -More on pg. 3 -More on pg. 16 More on Page 11 More on Page 5 May 19, 2021 Volume 29 Number 10 72˚/ 52˚ Sunny ~Est. 1987 • OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE HOPI TRIBE • NEWS SOURCE FOR THE HOPI PEOPLE~ The Hopi School System’s Transition Team: Leading Education across Hopi and Engaging Stakeholders Story on Page 2 Hopi School System Transition Team Members seated as of December 2019 of which many are still a part of the HSS TT today. Photo by: R. Laban Managing Editor Hopi Tutuveni HOPI TUTUVENI PO BOX 123 KYKOTSMOVI, AZ 86039 1110-01600-7460 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Oak Flat draws support of religious groups -More on pg. 15 2 Hopi Tutuveni May 19, 2021 The Hopi School System’s Transition Team: Leading Indigenous Teacher Education Project – University of Ari- Education across Hopi and Engaging Stakeholders zona College of Education Graduates New Teachers in the Dr. Darold H. Joseph, Hopi School System The pandemic has played a role in ham- Class of 2021 Transition Team Chair pering the election of the HSS Board Mem- bers. The Hopi Board of Education Elections Kykotsmovi, Ariz. – May 12, 2021 the Hopi (HBEE) Strategic Planning Team (SPT), a School System (HSS) Transition Team (TT) subcommittee of the full transition team, along is comprised of 46 members representing, with stakeholders representing the Hopi Elec- parents and guardians, teachers, staff, and ad- tion’s Office and Board accepted applications Logo created by: Samuel Tenakhongva ministrators from the k-12 schools on the Hopi throughout the month of December 2020. Dr. Valerie Shirley, Co-Founder/Program yellow (North) and white (East) are represen- Reservation. The team also includes represen- Due to minimal response, the election was Director and Dr. Jeremy Garcia, Co-Founder/ tative of the cardinal directions. It symbolizes tatives from Hopi Law Enforcement Services, postponed and the HBEE-SPT and HSS-TT Program Co-Director – ITEP UA ITEP teacher candidates not only leaving and Hopi Social Services, Hopi Behavioral Health, returned to the drawing board. They are con- representing their ancestral homelands but also and University Institutions. The transition is sidering multiple options to solicit the interest Tucson, Ariz. – Thursday, May 13, 2021, signifies that they return to be educators serv- funded by a Bureau of Indian Education’s Trib- from Hopi/Tewa community members. through the Indigenous Teacher Education ing Indigenous communities. al Education Department (TED) Grant. “The Hopi Board of Education will be the Project (ITEP) – University of Arizona Col- In honor of the Tohono O’odham, whose The team’s officers are Dr. Darold H. Jo- new governing body of the Hopi School sys- lege of Education, Tohono O’odham, Hopi, traditional lands The University of Arizona re- seph, Chair, Mr. Alban Naha Vice-Chair, and tem,” stated Mr. Naha. “One of the HBE’s and Diné Nations will now have new teach- sides on, coyote tracks are integrated into the Ms. Samantha Honani, Secretary. The team primary functions will be to create policy that ers. Congratulations to UA Class 2021 gradu- letter P as a way to recognize the significance facilitates monthly public meetings on the sec- provides guidance to all roles and functions of ates Amy Spotted Wolf, Vanessa Holmes, and of coyote’s importance in their creation story. ond Monday of each month at 5:30 pm. The the new school system. We need our commu- Adree James are in order. Lastly, the moon symbol recognizes the Pas- meetings utilize a virtual meeting platform nity to be involved and for qualified individ- The love, creativity, deep thinking, and cua Yaqui people of the region who regard the enabling community members to participate uals to sit on the new HBE. This is a historic commitment has been there from day one from moon as the Mother of Creation as well as a online or via their phones. The goal is to bring opportunity to be a part of our first and very these three individuals. Their students will be deity that provides assurance and safeguards. the vision of the one Hopi School System into own Hopi education system that will shape the fortunate to have them as their teachers. The ITEP logos honor the unique relations a reality by engaging the team members’ ex- education of our students,” added Mr. Naha. In addition, gratitude also goes out to Ma- across Indigenous communities—histories, pertise and experience to foster community Community Involvement vasta Honyouti Wood Carvings by Mavasta perspectives, relationships to the land, tribal involvement and conduct open meetings in Monthly meeting attendance by the public Honyouti, Hopi artist for creating the ITEP sovereignty—in order to build solidarity. They which all community members are welcome has grown continuously. The desire for public “bling” in the form of wood carving earrings were created to honor this process as well as to to attend. Stakeholders include The Office of participation in our educational initiative is in- which was presented to the three graduates. recognize the inherent strengths of Indigenous the Hopi Department of Education and Work creasing as a result. The officers invite com- The symbolism represented in the ITEP values, languages, and cultures the teacher Force Development, who serves as an ex-of- munity input during public meetings through Logo, designed by Sam Tenakhongva, UA candidates embody.” ficio member, and the Hopi Tribal Council’s the public comment portion of the agenda. The Alumni - who is also a teacher at First Mesa The three individuals, Amy Spotted Wolf, Health and Education Committee. HSS-TT members support a collaborative pro- Elementary School located in lower Polacca Vanessa Holmes, and Adree James are true re- Hopi School System Transition Team Rec- cess but want the community to be aware that on the Hopi reservation, notes that the logo flections of what the ITEP program hopes to ognition the work of the strategic planning teams hinge reflects meaningful connections to our com- achieve with every graduate. Recruitment for The HSS-TT has six strategic planning on having positions filled of the Hopi Board of munities, knowledge systems, and the ITEP future program participants will soon be un- teams tasked with organizing activities such Education. In order to facilitate the transition framework. derway along with a 2-day virtual conference as Educational Services, Community Support, and maximize public participation, a govern- According to Tenakhongva’s ITEP Logo on Mobilizing Decolonial Praxis with amazing Finance & Human Resources, Transportation ing body must be in place. narrative, “From a seed, a corn plant grows and keynote speakers and presenters on June 21- & Facilities, School Support Services, and "We are fortunate to have a process with this for many Indigenous communities this image 22, 2021 from 9AM - 3PM. HBE Election. A committee chair leads each transition that allows our entire community to represents growth, nourishment, and respon- The conference, Indigenous Teacher Educa- planning team and its members rely on one be involved. Not only are our meetings public, sibility to a task. In the case of ITEP, a met- tion: Mobilizing Decolonial Praxis, will pre- another’s expertise and experience to address we provide access via Zoom, invite correspon- aphorical relationship is constructed between miere critical Indigenous education efforts that the goals & objectives assigned. As the teams dence with the team, and provide a call to the the seed and teacher candidates. The teacher mobilize a decolonial praxis in schools and accomplish goals and objectives, they report public during the meetings,” stated Ms. Hon- candidates (seed) will become the corn plant communities serving Indigenous students. The back to the HSS-TT. ani. She added, “Parents, students, community if given the proper attention and will be able to goals of the conference are to: 1) share ITEP Dr. Joseph said, “I speak for the officers members, and other stakeholders are welcome provide multiple resources to the community teachers’ efforts in indigenizing and decolo- when I say, I am very proud of our TT mem- to send their thoughts or inquiries directly to when they complete the program. nizing curriculum and pedagogy; 2) contex- bers for their commitment to contribute their the transition team by emailing s.p.honani@ Integral to survival in the arid southwest tualize the ways in which educators develop a time and efforts to carry out the transition to gmail.com.” US is moisture, specifically water which pro- critical Indigenous consciousness that engages the new Hopi School System. Every one of our Dr. Noreen Sakiestewa is also accepting cor- vides nourishment for land, animals, and peo- justice-centered pedagogies; and 3) create op- members including our community-at-large respondence on behalf of the Transition Team ple. Integrated into the logo are various water portunities for participants to engage critical was and continues to be impacted by the pan- at 928-734-3501 or email NSakiestewa@hopi. designs derived from Indigenous cultures that dialogues that further the goal of mobilizing demic in very personal ways. In the midst of all nsn.us. The next public meeting will be held are connected ancestrally to the land across the decolonial praxis. this, our members stayed persistent and con- virtually and is scheduled for Monday, June southwest region. In this instance, the water is We welcome new and seasoned teachers to tinue to participate in our monthly meetings.” 14, beginning at 5:30 pm. the knowledge the teacher candidates (seed) collectively reconceptualize Indigenous Ed- Dr.