Programs

Native American Studies (NAS)I, II,and Leadership are aligned specialty elective courses with standards-based curriculum offered to all APS high school students through three instruction models shown below at the Career Enrichment Center (CEC/ECA) and Del Norte High School. One Middle school (McKinley) also offers NAS Studies through the district plan for middle school instruction models for grades 6-8. NAS promotes opportunities for culture studies, student self-reflection, and community building. NAS presents concepts that support AI/AN values and advocacy. Emphasis is on the development of critical skills including communication (reading, writing, and speaking), math, technology, and social skills.  The Indigenous Teaching and Evaluation Model (ITEM) is the cornerstone for instruction and evaluation. The middle school and high school’s courses include; Native American Studies 1 and 2, Leadership, Navajo Government and History, Native American History and Government.

Native American Government and Economics courses are aligned to state standards and incorporates Indigenous illustrations specific to AI/AN content that include treaties, business, laws, statutes, land and water rights, and more.

Navajo Government and History course for high school seniors is aligned to topic study requirements developed by the Navajo Nation Department of Education. This course provides graduating seniors with the opportunity to meet eligibility for the Chief Manuelito Scholarship. This class is offered during the regular school day through the instructional models listed.

Reading Intervention Programs supports literacy and content areasutilizing a combination of researched-based reading programs interwoven with culturally relevant literature that are effective in helping students improve their reading and writing skills. The curriculum is aligned to common core standards and designed to use the most effective components of the reading programs listed. The skill components are indigenized and they integrate AI/AN literature to strengthen vocabulary, sight words, and comprehension skills through use of appropriate student learning style. Teachers utilize the (Zais, 1976) Zais model in development of lessons for instruction.

Math Intervention Program is supported by (Briceno, 2009); (Jones & Bush, 2009) Carnegie math training that deepens the teacher’s own understanding of mathematics through instruction and allows the teachers to reflect on and develop their own teaching practices. The students experience mathematics in a problem-solving; student-centered environment. The concepts targeted in this program are: early number concepts-building integers, early fraction concepts, fraction sense and operations, connecting decimals and percent to fractions, proportional reasoning and linear relationships, and the development of algebraic thinking. The skill components are indigenized and integrate AI/AN story problems to strengthen mathematical vocabulary and comprehension skills through use of appropriate student learning styles.

*Navajo Language Programs and offered for dual credit through the Institute for American Indian Arts (IAIA)at the CEC/ECA. The curriculum utilized is Dine’ Bizaad Bi’nahoo’aah. Onsite coursework is conducted in one high school (Del Norte HS) with support to eleven high schools through transport during a regular school year to a centralized school (CEC/ECA) in the district. The teachers are state certified with a 520-teaching licensure.

*Zuni Language Program and offered for dual credit through the Institute for American Indian Arts (IAIA)for all high schools (districtwide) at CEC/ECA and Cibola High School and available in two elementary schools. The curriculum utilized is developed by the Pueblo of Zuni Bilingual Education Department. The teacher is state certified with a 520-teaching license.

Diné Bizaad & A:shiwi Language Programs: three 520 licensed Native language teachers with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees (2 Navajo and 1 Zuni) establish and sustain Native language classes in both Zuni and the Navajo. The purpose of the language programs is to revitalize Native languages through quality language instruction provided by highly qualified and well-prepared teachers. Navajo and Zuni students in five elementary and four middle schools will have the opportunity to learn their heritage language. The schools include; (Navajo) Jimmy Carter MS, Cleveland MS, McKinley MS and Chaparral ES). The additional five schools that will be served for the Zuni language. The schools include; Wilson MS, Hodgin ES, Chelwood ES, Janet Kahn ES, and Seven Bar ES.

The American Indian/ Alaska Native Values is a rubric based evaluation model. The values replicate the AI/AN medicine wheel, which represents over 13,000 years of AI/AN wisdom and child rearing practice. The model is non-threatening and non-judgmental that traces student progress over time and over multiple activities. It can be used for self-evaluation, peer evaluation or to provide teacher feedback. The medicine wheel reflects the circle of life, which is a researched based evaluation model developed by (Bendtro, Brokenleg, & Bockern, 1990) and uses four core spiritual values and four colors that represent four race of people in the world and the four major directions. Instead of numbers, it uses positions.  Students move from outside the circle toward the center with the ultimate goal of becoming wise in every aspect of self. Written details provide an opportunity for students to self-evaluate their own progress and use proper writing conventions and mechanics.

Indigenous Instructional Unit Plans are aligned to the common core standards and predominately-indigenous authors write the literature books recommended in the lessons. The instructional units for grades K-8 can used for instruction across the curriculum. They integrate with the district core-reading program. The recommended literature (fiction and non-fiction) is listed by grade and Lexile levels for difficulty.

 GradPoint Online Credit Recovery Program (English, Math, Social Studies and Science) is a support for students in grades 9-12. Students are referred by high school counselors to make up credit towards graduation. https://forms.gle/kt9Pay4LuwoP7zU76

Parent/Guardian Support is provided for training on technology use, advocacy, consultation, and education navigation.

Summer Enrichment Programs for all Native American students in grades K-12. The instructors for the program are community experts in particular fields including; drum making, rug weaving, dancing, singing, storytelling, and field trips to support integration of academic skills with culturally rich activities.