Community Education Handbook
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COMMUNITY EDUCATION HANDBOOK Maria Garcia LITTLE PRIEST TRIBAL COLLEGE 601 EAST COLLEGE DRIVE WINNEBAGO, NE 68071 Contents HISTORY OF THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE .................................................................................. 2 HISTORY OF LITTLE PRIEST TRIBAL COLLEGE.................................................................. 3 PHILOSOPHY & MISSION OF LITTLE PRIEST TRIBAL COLLEGE .................................... 5 PHILOSOPHY ............................................................................................................................ 5 MISSION .................................................................................................................................... 5 COMMUNITY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT ........................................................................... 6 ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT .................................................................................................. 6 WHO IS ELIGIBLE? .................................................................................................................. 6 PROGRAM GOALS .................................................................................................................. 6 PROGRAM AREAS ................................................................................................................... 6 CUSTOMIZED WORKSHOPS ................................................................................................. 7 CONTINUING EDUCATION UNIT (CEU) ................................................................................. 7 DEFINITION: ............................................................................................................................. 7 CRITERIA: ................................................................................................................................. 7 POLICY: ..................................................................................................................................... 8 FEE SCHEDULE: ...................................................................................................................... 8 REFUND & PAYMENT POLICY ................................................................................................. 9 REGISTRATION METHODS ....................................................................................................... 9 PAYMENT INFORMATION .................................................................................................. 10 ATTENDANCE POLICY ............................................................................................................ 10 POSTPONEMENT/CANCELLATION POLICY........................................................................ 10 INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY ........................................................................................... 11 CONFIDENTIALLY OF RECORDS .......................................................................................... 11 EVALUATIONS .......................................................................................................................... 11 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 11 1 HISTORY OF THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE The Winnebago people are the descendants of the Mound Builders who built ceremonial, temple, and effigy mounds from 500 BC to 1600 AD in the states of Kentucky, Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin. When the Winnebago Tribe first met the French in 1614, they number around 25,000 people. Due to smallpox and measles, the tribe was reduced to 150 tribespeople. After recuperating, the Winnebago population gradually increased despite the continuing warfare in the Great Lakes region. They fought in the Beaver Wars, 1681-1697; the Mesquakie Wars, 1703-1737; the French and Indian War, 1755-1763; the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783; the Border Wars 1789- 1794; and the War of 1812. The Winnebago Tribe signed their first Peace Treaty in 1816. They were also forced to sign three major cession treaties in 1829, 1832, and 1837. They were removed from Wisconsin the 1840 to the neutral ground in Northeast Iowa where they stayed until 1846 when they were moved to Long Prairie Reserve in Minnesota. The Tribe was removed to the Blue Earth Reservation in 1855. In 1862 they were moved to Crow Creek, South Dakota, and in 1865 to their current location in Northeast Nebraska. From 1887-1934, the Tribe lost three-quarters of their reservation due to the Allotment Act. The Winnebago Tribe was involved in the government boarding school movement from 1886- 1934. From that time on, education became the major way for a Winnebago person to succeed in the white man’s world. Sometimes education of the youth was halted, as they continued to fight in America’s wars; The Sioux War of 1863-67; the Spanish-American War; World War I and II; Korea, Vietnam War; Desert Storm, and Bosnia. Today there are 1,709 Winnebago Tribal members residing on the Nebraska reservation, with 5,260 people listed on the tribal rolls (P. Ware, personal communication, January 29, 2016). The Winnebago Tribe is involved with economic development as well as educational endeavors and their future outlook is bright. 2 HISTORY OF LITTLE PRIEST TRIBAL COLLEGE For many years, the goal of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska has been to provide quality education for its members. Past leaders, such as Rueben Snake, Jr. Sam Tebo, and Neola Earth Walker were instrumental in bringing about educational change. Today, leaders continue to realize that learning is a lifelong process and that there is a link between education and the economic success of the Tribe. In 1994, the administrators and staff of the reservation education programs from early childhood through high school were encourage to revise their core curriculum materials and provide children with a sequential education plan for every year of their growth. During the 1995-1996 school year, the new curriculum standards were pilot-tested from the Head Start Program through High School including St. Augustine’s Indian Mission. The Tribal Council, anticipating significant academic growth in the Winnebago students, appointed a task force to research and evaluate the higher education component of the total education plan. Part of this research was the studying of the general education and major programs at the existing institution of higher learning, Nebraska Indian Community College (NICC). The task force, after extensive research, determined that the programs of NICC would not meet the needs of future Winnebago students. After exploring several options, the Winnebago Tribal Council decided to withdraw from NICC and charter its own college: Little Priest Tribal College (LPTC). The college was named after Little Priest, the last true war chief of the Ho-Chunk people. The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska chartered Little Priest Tribal College (LPTC) in May 1996. Its major focus is to provide a two-year associate degree, and prepare students to transfer and successfully complete a major at a four-year institution. Another equally important part of the college’s mission is to provide language and culture classes and training opportunities for upgrading job skills and improving employability. The college was declared a land-grand institution in June, 1998, and received accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in August, 1998. It is a great credit to the Winnebago Tribe and to the college to have met all of the Association’s standards of excellence and have achieved the distinction of accreditation, awarded just two years after opening its doors to students. LPTC has signed the Nebraska Transfer Initiative, an agreement with four-year Nebraska institutions to accept the common core of general education courses in the associate of arts, academic transfer degree. LPTC issues two-year degrees, Associate of Arts (AA) and Associates of Science (AS), in the following areas: Business, Computer Information Systems, Early Childhood Education, Indigenous Science, Indigenous Studies, Teacher Education, and Liberal Arts transfer degree. The college operates on a two-semester system with sessions from late August to December and January to mid-May. Summer sessions are also offered. Enrollment for the fall and spring 3 semester is approximately 120 full and part-time students per semester. A variety of services are offered to students including career counseling, academic advising, tutoring, and one-on-one support. Class sizes are small and dedicated faculty members readily offer assistance to students. 4 PHILOSOPHY & MISSION OF LITTLE PRIEST TRIBAL COLLEGE PHILOSOPHY In the Winnebago heritage of respect, integrity, and self-reliance, Little Priest Tribal College is chartered by the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, a sovereign nation, to provide higher education opportunities. The college will prepare the students to succeed in a multi-cultural world by emphasizing quality education of the highest level, humanistic values, and life skills (Little Priest Tribal College, 2015-2016). MISSION The mission of Little Priest Tribal College is to implement two-year associate degree programs, certificate programs, and Community education programs, which provide students with: 1. The opportunity to learn about Winnebago language and culture so that they are grounded in self-esteem; 2. An academic plan of learning so that students can succeed at four-year institutions; 3. Competency in interpersonal skills such as self-discipline,