Parents:

As a Parent / Grandparent / Legal Guardian, you may also complete a Student Referral Form at any time your child is in need of the NAEP services. Parents are their child's first teacher. Parents often are the first to notice when their child is having difficulties at school. Our office provides individual tutoring and can act as an advocate for academic or cultural situations. As a parent, you can request these services from our office. Complete the referral form and return it to your child's school office or to our office located at 435 East Glenn Street. The form may also be submitted by email to Kimberly Daingkau-Begay or by fax to 520-696-6953.

Teachers:

Teachers have daily contact with children and notice changes in student performance and behavior at school. If you would like to refer a student to our office, please complete the following referral form and send it to our office via district mail, by email to Kimberly Daingkau-Begay, or by fax to 696-6953.

Student Referral Form

Arizona Governor Ducey signed HB 2705 (Fifty-fifth Legislature, First Regular Session, 2021) into law and filed it in the office of the Secretary of State on April 20, 2021. HB 2705 includes an emergency measure that makes it operative immediately. The entire text HB 2705 is set forth below: 

15-348. Dress code policies; traditional tribal regalia; objects of cultural significance; graduation ceremonies; definitions

1. A school district governing board, a charter school governing body or any public-school may not prohibit a student who is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe or who is eligible to be enrolled as a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe from wearing traditional tribal regalia or objects of cultural significance at a graduation ceremony.
2. For the purposes of this section, "objects of cultural significance" and "traditional tribal regalia" include an eagle feather or eagle plume.

Sec. 2. Emergency

This act is an emergency measure that is necessary to preserve the public peace, health or safety and is operative immediately as provided by law.

A request may submitted to the Native American Education Program Coordinator for approval to wear traditional tribal regalia or objects of cultural significance at a District graduation ceremony. Please use the link above to find a printable or fillable PDF petition form for this purpose. Petitions should be emailed to Kimberly Daingkau-Begay, Native American Education Program Coordinator, at kbegay@amphi.com. For questions, please contact the Native American Education Program at 520-696-4088 or your school administrator. 

Download Request Form

For guidance on completing the form, please click this SAMPLE 506 FORM.

Does your student have a Title VI Student Eligibility Certification (506) Form on file?

Our office receives federal funding to meet the needs of Native American students in the Amphitheater School District.  Program funding is based on the number of enrolled Native American students in the district.  In order for students to be counted and have access to Title VI services, parents must complete the Title VI Eligibility (506) form and return it to their child's school or to our office located at 435 East Glenn Street.  

Title VI Student Eligibility Certification (ED506 Form)

Does your student have a Johnson O'Malley (JOM) Student Eligibility form on file?

Our office also receives federal funding for the Johnson O'Malley (JOM) program. The JOM program is a federally-funded educational program that allows for student, parent, and community involvement in meeting their educational needs which are both academic and cultural based. In order to qualify for student services through this program, students must be aged 3 years through Grade 12 -AND- One-fourth (1/4) or more degree American Indian blood descendant of a federally recognized tribe, or an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe. Parents must complete the JOM (305) Indian Student Enrollment/Certification of Eligibility form and return to their child's school or to our office located at 435 East Glenn Street.

Johnson O'Malley Student Eligibility Certification

In Loving Memory

Anna Mae Chana
1940 – 2013

Amphitheater Native American
Education Coordinator
1980 – 2003

It is a great honor to remember and share of Anna Mae (Coochwikvia) Chana with the Amphitheater Native American community. A member of the Hopi tribe, Anna was born on March 10, 1940. She attended and graduated from Phoenix High School in 1959. After graduation, Anna went to school for nursing, earning her LPN degree from the Albuquerque Nursing School. She then served as a nurse at the Phoenix Indian Hospital for several years before moving to Tucson.

After nursing, she found herself helping the Native community through education. On December 1, 1980 Anna began working with the Amphitheater Public School District, serving the Native American Education Program as the Coordinator. Anna gave cultural presentations to students within the Amphitheater Public Schools, the Deaf and Blind School, and the Native American community. In February 2001, Anna was invited to the University of Arizona to participate in a panel discussion on the role of culture and tradition in her life. She also gave a brief demonstration, dressing up an audience member in the full traditional Hopi attire women wear when performing ceremonial dances. "When I pass on, that's what I'm going to wear," Chana said about the outfit. "I've told my children this is what I'm wearing. I don't need anything else." After 23 years of service, she retired on June 30, 2003.

Anna passed on to her spiritual journey on December 3, 2013 at her home.

Since 2014, the Amphitheater Native American Education Program has accepted nominations for the annual Anna Chana Memorial Student Award. Anna demonstrated a number of personal characteristics throughout her life including being a positive role model, strong leadership skills, and a hard-worker. The role of culture and tradition in her life was very important to her by knowing her tribal language and having a commitment to the Native American community. Nominations are accepted every year from the high school administrators, counselors, or teachers in selecting outstanding Native students that have demonstrated exceptional characteristics. The NAEP commends each student recipient for their hard work and efforts portrayed and for being a positive role model for other Native students.

The Amphitheater NAEP extends our sincere appreciation to the family of Anna Chana for allowing our program to provide the prestigious Anna Chana Memorial Student Award to outstanding Native students every year. Her legacy continues through the intrepid influence she had in our community and is greatly missed. 

Anna Chana Memorial Student Award Recipients

2014
Kathlyn Caldwell
Ashley Goldtooth
Jeremy Harvey

2015
Sara Johanntoberns
Amanda Larmore
Alexander Martinez

2016
Emma Calabrese
Taylor John
Bailey Thompson
Honorable Mention Certificates:
Sara Johanntoberns
Haley Smith

2017
DJ Fallstrom
Cody Kimmel

2018
Darrell Joe
Melody Miguel
Darnell Moore

2019
Joyclyn Clyde
Joseph Zamora
Callyn Butler
Eliseo Flores

2020
Nathaniel Allen
Naataanii Gorman-Prow
James Johanntoberns
Joseph Renkert

2021
Due to COVID-19 and lack of student academic data, the student awards were not given. 

2022
Kaylynn Calvin
Ahyoka Hornbuckle
Persia Pablo
Aray Ramon

2023
Camille Hawkins
Kylie Lederhos
Madison Pablo-Wilson
Melaina Taylen

2024
Devin Godoy
Jayla Rivers

PARENT COMMITTEES

The Native American Education Program has parent committees to offer guidance and support of the NAEP Program. The goal of the committees is to support the Native American Education Program which meets the unique educational and culturally related academic needs of the Native American / Alaska Native students in the areas of reading, math, writing, and attendance.

There are two (2) parent committees for each of the programs our office receives funding; Johnson O'Malley and Title VI. For more information, please view the appropriate tabs on the left. Should you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office at (520) 696-4088.

PARENT MEETINGS

**NOTICE**
There are two options to attend:
1. In-person at the Wetmore Center located at 701 W. Wetmore
2. Virtually via Zoom

What concerned areas of our Native students need the most focus? What are your suggestions to include for next year's grant? What are your ideas for upcoming cultural events? YOUR VOICE MATTERS. As Parents, become involved to offer your suggestions and concerns that will affect your child's education. 

Johnson O'Malley
The JOM Indian Education Committee meetings are held the first (1st) Tuesday of every month from 6:00-7:30 pm (unless otherwise posted).

When election year, election meetings are held on the last Thursday of August at 6:00 pm.

Title VI Program 
The Title VI Parent Advisory Committee meetings are held immediately following the JOM meeting, at approximately 7:30 pm.

Indigenous Language Resource 

• • Gomyson (Navajo)
    A website that provides learning software to "preserve, perpetuate, and improve" the ability in learning the Navajo language
  • Omniglot (Sioux languages: Dakhota, Nakhota, Lakhota)
  • Language Geek (Indigenous languages)
    A website resource that provides the tools to communicate online or in print including FREE fonts and keyboard layouts for writing Indigenous languages.
  • Anishinaabemowin, language of the Anishinaabe Nation (Odawa, Ojibwe, and Bodwe'aadamiinh) )
  • It's Up 2 You! (Tohono O'Odham)
    Available in the iTunes/iPad Apps. A comic about three teens who learn about diabetes prevention. Written by Ryan Huna Smith (Chemehuevi/Navajo) and Lisa Falk. Illustrated by Ryan Huna Smith. Audio is in Spanish, Tohono O'Odham, and English.

Math Resource

• • Virtual Beadwork Designs (Learn how to bead using Math!)
  • Navajo Rug Weaving Designs (Learn how to weave using Geometry)
  • Cool Math Games (FREE)
  • Webmath (Math for everyone)
  • Math Worksheets (Create Your Own)

Language Arts Resource

• • Shepphard's Language Arts (All Ages, K-12 Grades)
  • Fun English Games (For Kids) 

Reading Resources

• • Recommended book list about American Indians
    Basic criteria for evaluating books about Native people, or that engage Native themes.
  • Children and Young Adult
    - Debbie Reese List on American Indians / Indigenous Peoples / Native Nations 
    - NIEA Recommended Reading List
  • College Bound Students
    - Indigenous Education Reading List (ASU)
  • Native American Authors List

Science Resource

• • NASA for Students 
  • Elementary Science Games 
  • Science for Kids

Miscellaneous Resource

• • Khan Academy
    Our library of videos cover subjects ranging from math and finance to history and art. Test Preps also available for SAT Math, GMAT.
  • Britannica Online (Encyclopedia)
    The following links are available if you have access through your local school:
    • • Elementary School
      • Middle School
      • High School

Get an Early Start

Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Available on October 1st every year!

Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step toward getting federal aid for college, career school, or graduate school.  There are more than $150 billion in grants, loans, and work-study funds each year, but you have to complete the FAFSA to see if you can get any of that money. Completing and submitting the FAFSA is free and quick, and it gives you access to the largest source of financial aid to pay for college or career school.  In addition, many states and colleges use your FAFSA data to determine your eligibility for state and school aid, and some private financial aid providers may use your FAFSA information to determine whether you qualify for their aid.  If you think you don't qualify, read Financial Aid Myths.

• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) 

Tribal Scholarship Information

• Tribal Scholarship List (courtesy of UA Native American Student Affairs
• There is not a uniformed criterion for the selected few tribal scholarships. Please search for your specific tribe if it is not listed. The scholarships have tribal enrollment requirements for each respective tribe holding the scholarship. Tribal enrollment criteria are set forth in tribal constitutions, articles of incorporation or ordinances. The criterion varies from tribe to tribe, so uniform membership requirements do not exist.

Scholarship/Financial Aid Resources

Scholarships for American Indian Students - resources maintained by BIE

American Indian College Fund Scholarship Information 

FastWeb - online resource to scholarships, colleges, financial aid

Financial Aid for Native American Students - online resource

Paying for College Information Booklet (PDF) - resource compilation

Specific Scholarships

• AISES Scholarships
• Arizona Indian Education Association 
• Cobell Scholarship
• Gates Millennium Scholars Program
• Native Vision Scholarship - May deadline
• SMA STEM $1,500 Scholarships - June deadline

College Listings

• • American Indian College Fund Tribal Colleges and Universities Map
  • Colleges that offer Native American Studies Courses

YouCanGo!

Meet Charlinda

Watch this video of how one Native student overcame being away from home. "Charlinda eventually learned about student organizations designed especially for Native Americans. Through these, she found mentors, tutors and Native American upperclassmen who offered valuable advice. Now she feels right at home."

Other Resources

The NACAC website provides tools for transitioning from high school to college. Tools provided include college preparation, college search, applying to college, paying for college, and succeeding in college. 

Developing Your Vision (PDF)
"Education is part of the web of life. We learn from our elders…we learn from nature. In the process, we learn to honor and support our own cultural roots and traditions. This information is devoted to helping you make a college education a reality so your knowledge can benefit you, your family, and your tribe. Now is the time for discovering your natural abilities and interests. Your education is a building block toward selfconfidence. While you’re learning math and science, you also should be learning about your culture and rich history. You are a thread in the web of life."

Sources for Native American Grants: Tribal Colleges and More
A great information resource for students that need assistance in researching their Native American ancestory to apply for scholarships/grants.  This site offers links to the resources needed to verify tribal heritage. 

Native American students have historically been under-represented in colleges and universities across the country. In an effort to address this imbalance, a large number of College grant programs, both private and public, have appeared to give financial aid to Native Americans dreaming of a college education.  Unfortunately, many students are not aware of these valuable programs, and miss out on the available financial aid. If you are of Native American ancestry, and are looking for ways to pay for college, then there are plenty of programs designed to help you. The trick is knowing where, and how, to look.

The Native American Education Program works directly with the Native American students enrolled within the Amphitheater public schools. NAEP's goal is to ensure that the academic remediation or social intervention needs of our Native American students are met in a timely and efficient manner as to prevent major negative events in the future. An Advisor/Tutor is available for direct academic tutoring, social and behavioral advising, and as a cultural resource to the student and you, the teacher. This also includes making home visits with the family or as a referral source for the student should they have needs beyond our office’s capacity.

Referring a student

If you need to refer a student, please complete a Native American Student Referral Form and send it back to our office via district mail. You can always access this form on our website under "Overview - Forms". If you have any questions about our program services, please do not hesitate to contact our office. We look forward to working with you to ensure the academic success of our Amphitheater Native American students. 

What services are offered for the Native American students in my classroom?
 

• Individual Academic Tutoring - Students who are referred for academic tutoring are assigned a tutor that will visit them at their school, up to 2 to 3 times per week. The tutors make contact with the referring teacher to ensure that the teacher's recommendations and concerns are addressed. Strategies that are based in Native American pedagogy may be utilized during tutoring sessions to promote academic success, unless parent requests otherwise.
• Individual Mentoring - Counseling and mentoring strategies that are based in Native American pedagogy are used by the tutors.
• Family Communication and Intervention - Staff from our office can make home visits and nurture positive dialogue to meet the needs of the student. Follow up visits are implemented to foster continuity.
• Referral Services - Our staff can make referral to agencies that address food, clothing, health, housing, and legal issues.
• Academic Events - Our office strives to recognize academic achievement by the student. We are also proponents of long term goal setting and will hold events to assist students and their families focusing on educational planning beyond high school. This could be college, technical school, certificate training programs and on the job training programs.
   

Teacher's Guide to Teaching Native Students

The Native American Education Program compiled the following "Teacher's Guide for Teaching Native Students" a few years ago to aid our district teaching staff in understanding and becoming familiar with our Native culture.  The Guide will also assist teaching staff in working with our Native students.

• Amphi NAEP Teacher's Guide to Teaching Native Students
• Amphi NAEP Resource Links Page

If you would like to have a cultural presentation or a discussion on a Native topic/issue for your students, the diverse staff is available to come to your classroom.  Please contact our office for any questions. 

Other important information for teaching students about Native American Heritage is listed below. The NAEP encourages you to implement these resources into your classroom to help educate ALL students on the most accurate rich heritage of Native American people.  

• Native American Heritage Month
  The Library of Congress
  National Education Association Resources for Teachers
   
• Indian Country Today Resources
  7 Things Teachers Need to Know About Native American Heritage Month
  10 Things Teachers Should Never Do When Teaching Native Kids
  10 More Things Teachers Should Never Do When Educating Native Youth
   
• Other Resources
  NMAI's American Indian Perspective on Thanksgiving (PDF)
  Oyate's Deconstructing the Myths of "The First Thanksgiving"
  NCAI's Ending the Legacy of Racism in Sports & the Era of Harmful "Indian" Sports Mascots PDF (Stereotyping)
  NCAI's Indian Country 101
  NAU's American Indian & Indigenous Education Links
   

Free Curriculum Downloads

Tribal Lands Curriculum: The Indian Land Tenure Foundation provides free Indian land tenure curriculum for all educational levels. Head Start & K-12 Curriculum. Lessons of Our Land is an interdisciplinary Indian land curriculum designed to align with existing state standards and is adaptable to include the history and culture of the region’s Indian nations.

Social Studies Curriculum: Meaning of Home Youth Media Curriculum: This curriculum integrates the Digital Media Arts Club model that the Public Media Corps has already developed, as well as the Standing Bear’s Footsteps standards-based Social Studies curriculum to broaden its reach beyond after-school and community groups and into the classroom as well. The curriculum, in implementation, will allow Native (and non-Native) youth to respond to the question: “What is the Meaning of Home?” through carefully crafted media responses.

Virtual Teaching Materials

Virtual Bead Loom: Native American beadwork is a great source of mathematics based on four fold symmetry. This website provides mathematical concepts used in creating beadwork designs, as well as a cultural background. The website also provides software to create virtual traditional loom designs for Grades 1-12. The Math tutorial game using graphs is a great way for your students to improve their math.

Navajo Rug Weaver: Weaving is a long-time tradition of Navajo history and culture. By looking at the intricate designs Navajo weavers use in making their rugs and blankets, the website highlights the math principles used. It also provides a link to Navajo Rug Weaver software, where students can create their own Navajo-inspired rug designs.

Engineered Ecosystems: Before colonization, Indigenous groups had established principles that kept humans and nature intertwined in complex but balanced relations. In this website you can learn more about the Indigenous tradition of engineered ecosystems, and create your own hydroponics system with electronic sensing to keep the system in balance.

Indigenous Knowledge and the Physical Sciences: Every culture has some knowledge about the physical laws of the universe. In this website you will learn about the wealth of physical science knowledge that can be found in Native American traditions. We will see that Native knowledge systems make less use of numbers, but still have deep insights into how physical laws work, and ways of approaching them that can be better for people and the planet.

The month of November is recognized as National Native American Heritage Month. In 1990 President George H. W. Bush designated November 1990 "National American Indian Heritage Month." Since 1994, every November has been recognized as such. There are many Native events scheduled throughout the month. We’ll provide community event dates, as they become available to our NAE program.

• Presidential Proclamation
• A History of National Native American Heritage Month

In honor of November being recognized as National Native American Heritage Month, the NAEP recognizes one week as "Native American Heritage Awareness Week”, where NAEP hosts several cultural events every day for our students and their families. We request participation through our social media Facebook Page throughout the week. Each day there will be a cultural expression, activity, or event theme for your opportunity to participate. If on social media, please add a photo of your participation with the hashtag #AmphiNAHAW.

• Virtual Cultural Movie Night
• NativEducate: “Mascama Ili Uusim Mahtawapo”
•  Walk Your Mocs, All Day
• Native Pride Afterschool Program
• Family Cultural Night
• “Traditional Dress to Impress” Day
• Native American Family Wellness Day

Thanksgiving Resources - From a Native Perspective

Please note, this is for educational purposes only.
For the younger generation of Native Americans across the nation, Thanksgiving can be a conflicting perspective. For some, it is a remembrance of the horrific massacre that was bestowed upon the Wampanoag people and the feast celebrating this massacre. The United American Indians of New England meet each year at Plymouth Rock on Cole's Hill for a Day of Mourning. They gather at the feet of a statue of Grand Sachem Massasoit of the Wampanoag to remember and reflect in the hope that America will never forget. 

For others, Western religion meshed within Native culture may create an even greater conflict. Native households each have their own distinct tradition during Thanksgiving and whether they celebrate or not. It is encouraged to assist in educating others about the history of Native peoples during that time.

• American Indian Perspectives on Thanksgiving
• Harvest Ceremony: Beyond the Thanksgiving Myth–a Study Guide
• The “First Thanksgiving”: How Can We Tell a Better Story?
• Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address: Greetings to the Natural World

Lists of recognized tribal nations

• Federally Recognized Tribal Nations (Via Federal Register)
• State Recognized Tribal Nations 

List of Laws and Treaties between the U.S. and Tribal Nations

• Indian Affairs: Laws and Treaties, Vol. II (Treaties) in part. Compiled and edited by Charles J. Kappler.  Washington : Government Printing Office, 1904.

List of Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) Schools

Tribal Leaders Directory: A resource to help connect with Indian Country

The Tribal Leaders Directory provides contact information for each federally recognized Tribe. The electronic, map-based, interactive directory also provides information about each BIA region and agency that provides services to a specific Tribe. Additionally, the directory provides contact information for Indian Affairs leadership.

NOTE: Tribal elections and other changes in tribal leadership occur throughout the year. The information contained in this edition was the most current information available at the time of publication.

A Guide to Tracing American Indian & Alaska Native Ancestry 

When establishing descent from an AI/AN tribe for membership and enrollment, an individual must provide genealogical documentation that supports his or her claim. Such documentation must prove that the individual is a lineal descendent of an individual whose name can be found on the tribal membership roll of the federally recognized tribe from which the individual is claiming. 

To determine if you are eligible for membership in a tribe, you must be able to:

1. establish that you have a lineal ancestor – biological parent, grandparent, great-grandparent and/or more distant ancestor – who is an American Indian or Alaska Native person from a federally recognized tribe in the U.S.,

2. identify which tribe (or tribes) your ancestor was a member of or affiliated with, and

3. document your relationship to that person using vital statistics records and other records a tribe may require or accept for purposes of enrollment.

Other Helpful Links:

• • CDIB (Certificate of Degree of Indian or Alaska Native Blood)
  • Geneaology (Bureau of Indian Affairs) 

Dawes Rolls

The Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes was appointed by President Grover Cleveland in 1893 to negotiate land with the   Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Seminole tribes. It is called the Dawes Commission, after its chairman, Henry L. Dawes, but the "Final Rolls of the Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory".  Tribe members were entitled to an allotment of land, in return for abolishing their tribal governments and recognizing Federal laws.  In order to receive the land, individual tribal members first had to apply and be deemed eligible by the Commission.  The first application process for enrollment began in 1896, but was declared invalid.  So the Dawes Commission started all over again in 1898. People had to re-apply in order to be considered, even if they had already applied in 1896. The Commission accepted applications from 1898 until 1907, with a few additional people accepted by an Act of Congress in 1914. The resulting lists of those who were accepted as eligible became known as the Dawes Rolls.
 

National Museum of the American Indian: Frequently Asked Questions about Native Americans

Teaching & Learning About Native Americans - Answers to some of the questions that educators frequently ask about Native Americans.

Social Media:

We are excited about this year's upcoming events and activities.
Please visit our social media websites for the most updated info.

Amphi Native
American Education

Amphi Native American EDU