Community Education Handbook

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

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.

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.

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, communication, goal setting, problem solving, and critical thinking; and

4. The ability to integrate culture, academics, physical, psychological, and spiritual behavior so that students can interface within a diverse world.

Little Priest Tribal College recognizes that the quest for knowledge is on-going, and attempts to achieve a balance between educational advancement and cultural preservation (Little Priest Tribal College, 2015-2016).

COMMUNITY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

The main objective of the Community Education Department is to provide quality education for the Winnebago and the surrounding communities in accordance with the mission and philosophy of Little Priest Tribal College (LPTC). The Community Education Department is a flexible program developed to identify workshops that respond to needs unmet by existing, traditional credit programs. This program provides a wide variety of non-credit instructional, remedial, vocational, recreational, and cultural workshops for individuals of any professional experience and educational level. The workshops are designed to develop and or improve new skills, jobs skills, employability, or prepare individuals to provide professional services. WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

Individuals with or without a degree or diploma are eligible. Formal admission to LPTC is not necessary in order to participate in Community Education events. The only requirement for most non-credit activities is the desire to learn. Community Education events are open to all persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex, marital status, beliefs, age, national origin, or physical or mental disability. PROGRAM GOALS

The goals of the Community Education Department are:  Provide the opportunity for testing to gain the equivalent to the high school diploma;  Share the knowledge about traditional cultural arts and skills, thus ensuring the continuation of tribal culture;  Actively promote the speaking of tribal language within the community;  Respond to employer needs for timely staff training and workforce development curricula or re-certification needs;  Promote lifelong learning as an enriching benefit to the individual and community. PROGRAM AREAS

Computer and Technological Applications Workshops in program applications, internet navigation, specific account applications, network management and other related topics are offered upon request. Employee Development

Workshops are offered to upgrade skills and knowledge about their function within their organization. Administrative Development Continuing education workshops are designed for supervisory and administrative personnel. Cultural Courses Workshops in this area explore traditional art forms and skills of work recognized as Winnebago. General Education Development GED is a high school completion program jointly sponsored by the Nebraska State Education Department and GED Testing Service. LPTC currently offers a Person VUE Certified Test Center that administers GED tests. Interested individuals can obtain information about: how it works, about the test, get study materials, request transcript, and register for tests at www.GED.com.

CUSTOMIZED WORKSHOPS

Most of the workshops offered through Community Education can be customized for you organization and may be developed to meet particular needs. Customized training can be held on campus or at your site. Please call the Community Education Department for more information.

CONTINUING EDUCATION UNIT (CEU)

DEFINITION:

The International Association for Continuing Education and Training’s (IACET) and U.S. Department of Education task force have defined the CEU standard of measurement as: 1 CEU =10 contact hours of participation in an organized continuing education training experience, delivered under responsible sponsorship, capable direction and qualified instruction (About the Continuing Education Unit or CEU, 2016). CRITERIA:

1. Each workshop is planned in response to educational needs, which have been identified for a target audience. 2. Each workshop has clear and concise written statements of intended learning outcomes. 7

3. Qualified instructional personnel are involved in planning and conducting each workshop. 4. Content and instructional methods are appropriate for the intended learning outcomes. 5. Each workshop may be evaluated by the participants. 6. LPTC has an identifiable unit, group, or individual with clearly defined responsibilities for developing and administering learning activities. 7. LPTC has a review process in operation that ensures the CEU criteria are met. 8. LPTC maintains a complete record of each individual’s participation and can provide a copy of that record upon request. 9. LPTC provides an appropriate learning environment and support services.

POLICY:

LPTC has adopted the Continuing Education Unit as the standard for all education and training programs within the Community Education Department. The Dean of Enrollment & Noncredit Education has been assigned the responsibility for reviewing and approving all education and training programs for adherence to the CEU criteria. Only those activities, which have been approved by the Dean of Enrollment & Noncredit Education, will be allowed to award CEUs. FEE SCHEDULE:

Charges that are assessed for services provided by the Community Education Department are used to pay instructors and cover costs associated with performing the requested workshops. If any revenue is generated from various workshops it is allocated back to the department to assist with the continuation of services. The fee schedule for Community Education workshops & trainings varies depending on the size and the overall costs. Below is a general guideline: 1. On-site with your own instructor a. Building Fee $50 b. You provide the instructor c. Participant fee (if applicable) 2. On-site without an instructor a. Building Fee $50 b. LPTC provides the instructor c. Participant fee varies depending on the cost of the instructor 3. Off-site with your own instructor a. Building Fee $50 b. You provide the instructor c. Participant fee (if applicable) 4. Off-site without an instructor

a. Building cost $50 b. LPTC provides the instructor c. Participant fee varies depending on the cost of the instructor REFUND & PAYMENT POLICY

100% Refund Refunds normally take 4 to 6 weeks to process. If there are any exceptions to this policy it will be noted on the registration form. You may receive a full refund if you provide written cancellation at least five working days prior to the workshop start date. Full refunds are issued for courses cancelled by LPTC. 80% Refund If you withdrawal within forty-eight hours of the workshop start date, you will receive a refund minus a LPTC fee of 20%. No Refund If you withdraw after the workshop has started, no refund will be awarded. Written Notice All withdraws and cancellations must be in the form of a written notice that accurately documents the correct timeline stated in the policy. REGISTRATION METHODS

In Classroom Workshops:

1. E-mail: Registration forms can be retrieved from our website or requested by e-mail from [email protected]. The registration form require a signature in order to process the request. 2. Walk-in: Registration information is available in the Dean of Enrollment & Noncredit Education’s office anytime Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Forms may be completed and handed directly to the Dean of Enrollment & Noncredit Education. 3. Telephone: Registration information can be requested during regular business hours. It can be either faxed or mailed to you.

Online MindEdge Inc. Trainings:

1. Visit www.littlepriest.edu 2. Under Community Resources, select Community Education

3. Click on MindEdge Learning 4. Locate desired course and click add to cart button 5. Click proceed to secure checkout button 6. Fill in registrant information 7. Review selected courses for accuracy 8. Enter billing information 9. Click the purchase button

PAYMENT INFORMATION

Payment is due at the time of registration. In class workshops, you may pay by credit/debit card, check, money order, or cash. Online MindEdge Inc. courses accept credit/debit cards only: MasterCard, Visa, AMEX, or PayPal. Special arrangements are allowable for organizations using purchase orders. Fees must be paid in advance to guarantee your placement in the workshop.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Attendance of participants is vital to the success of the workshop, so 100% attendance is recommended. There are unforeseen circumstances that will interfere with attendance. Instructors should direct participants to contact the Community Education Department to communicate any absences. CEUs are designed to deliver a certain amount of educational information. Attendance is closely monitored to verify that individuals are receiving an adequate amount of instruction time to justify the issuance of CEUs. A participant that attends less than 80% of the total contact hours will receive a Certificate of Attendance. This verifies the hours of attendance, but does not award CEUs. Each participant is responsible for signing in during each workshop. Individuals that do not sign in will not be counted as present for the workshop.

POSTPONEMENT/CANCELLATION POLICY

LPTC will promote the workshop through various advertising mediums. If there is not an adequate amount of participants registered the workshop may be postponed or canceled. It is the intent of LPTC to fulfill training requests received by the Community Education Department, therefore there must be enough participation to cover the associated costs.

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY

In case of inclement weather such as snowstorms, participants should check the school website, www.littlepriest.edu for any closings. Announcements are also made through Snowcap on KTIV. If an announcement is not made or if a student is commuting, they should use their own discretion and call the Community Education Department if they are unable to attend class. CONFIDENTIALLY OF RECORDS

The policy of LPTC is to keep records confidential. It is the intention of LPTC to fully comply with the provisions of the “Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)” (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99. FERPA is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records and provides the right to inspect and review any record, file, document, or other material which contains information directly related to them (Family Policy Compliance Office, 2015). If the participant is at least eighteen years old or attends a school beyond the high school level, the law specifically denies access to such confidential records to all other parties without the written consent of the student, except under limited and specific circumstances. Any participant wishing to release information to any other person or entity must complete a notarized Authorization to Release Information for each instance. The form is available from Student Service or the Office of Admissions and Student Records. FERPA does allow for the following “directory” type data to be given to any inquirer without written authorization from the participant: name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, dates of attendance, honors, and awards received (Family Policy Compliance Office, 2015). Any participant wishing to have directory information withheld from reporting must provide a notarized Restricted Release of Information form to the Office of Admissions and Student Records each semester (Little Priest Tribal College, 2015-2016). EVALUATIONS

At the close of a workshop the instructor may have evaluations to distribute. We prefer 100% compliance with returned surveys. Evaluations provide essential information, which assists with planning and analyzing instruction methods and workshop content REFERENCES

About the Continuing Education Unit or CEU. (2016). Retrieved from International Association for Continuing Education and Training's: http://www.iacet.org/ceus/about-the-ceu#

Family Policy Compliance Office. (2015, June 26). Family Educaitonal Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Retrieved from U.S. Department of Education: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html?src=rn Little Priest Tribal College. (2015-2016). Academic Catalog . Retrieved from Little Priest Tribal College: http://www.littlepriest.edu/images/CourseSyllabi/Offical%20LPTC%20Academic%20Ca talog_2015-2016%20final%20version.pdf