Upcoming Events

Issue 1 | November 2019 | volume 1

BUFFALO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

NATIVE AMERICAN RESOURCE PROGRAM TITLE VI NEWSLETTER

This Issue

Page 1 In Memoriam

Native American Night

Page 2 Program

Staff

Page 3 Seneca Nation

Tutoring

Program & Tutors

Language Corner

Cornell Visit

Page 4 Reminders

Upcoming Events

Reminders

Registration & 506 Forms When registering your child, please make sure that your child's

information is up to date and correct. We often find that we

have students misidentified who have a 506 form (Native

American eligibility form) on file. If you are submitting a 506

form, you should also verify that your child is being self-

identified as Native American. We also find that we have many

students identified as Native American who do not have a 506

form on file. If you are not sure if you have a 506 form on file,

please call our office at (716) 816-3183. We can check and

answer any questions you may have.

Parent/Student Committee Your voice is important in your child’s education. Please

consider joining us at the next Native American Parent/

Student Committee Meeting. Should you have any

questions, please email: bpsna19@gmail.com .

Date: Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Time: 6:00pm-7:30pm

Location: NAMS #19 Cafeteria

Native American

Night 2019 On September 25, 2019, we held

our annual Native American

Night at NAMS #19. The night

included Seneca Language

BINGO, crafts, fry bread tasting,

lacrosse demonstrations, singing

and dancing.

Our event was a success thanks

to the generous support and

collaboration of Native American

Community Services and the

Seneca Nation Education

Department.

A special thank you to everyone

who attended and helped make

our event successful. We look

forward to next year’s Native

American Night.

In Memoriam

Dr. Llyold Elm Oct. 11, 1934-

Oct. 3, 2019

On October 3, 2019, Lloyd

M. Elm, Sr. “Biddy”, 84 en-

tered into rest.

Dr. Elm was the founder and principal of Buffalo’s Native American

Magnet School #19. He spent most of his life advocating for Native

American students. He was a high school teacher, principal, college

professor and a nationally recognized advocate for improving

education for Native American students.

Dr. Elm grew up in Nedrow on the Onondaga Reservation outside of

Syracuse, N.Y. He was a star athlete who became the Kansas State

High School mile champion in 1953 as a long-distance runner at

Haskell. He would later excel at football, basketball and track while a

student at the College of Emporia in Kansas where he was inducted

into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

He then went on to serve in the Marine Corps and further his

education. He earned a master’s degree at Pennsylvania State

University and a doctorate from Penn State. Dr. Elm began his

teaching career in the Lafayette School District where he taught

biology. As a result of the high drop-out rate of Native students and

the lack of cultural programs, Dr. Elm led a two-day boycott of classes

in 1971 that led to a summit meeting of State Education Department

officials and Onondaga leaders.

In 1973, he became the first Native American principal of the

Onondaga Indian School. Dr. Elm was brought to Buffalo in 1983 by

the associate superintendent of the Buffalo Public Schools, Joseph T.

Murray, as administrator of Native American programing and in

1984, he established Native American Magnet School #19 where he

served as principal until 1997.

Dr. Elm was a great man and we are forever grateful for all that he

did for our Native American students in Buffalo. He will be deeply

missed.

Native American Resource Program, Title VI

Native American Magnet School #19

97 West Delavan Avenue

Buffalo New York 14213

1

Saturday,

November 2 7:00pm

2019 Native American

Music Awards Gala

(NAMMY’s) @ Seneca

Niagara Event Center

Monday,

November 11

11:00am-

6:00pm

Commemoration of 225th Anniversary of the

Canandaigua Treaty @ Canandaigua Primary

School

Monday,

November 11 9:00pm

Watch: “The Warrior

Tradition” (on PBS)

Wednesday,

November 13

5:00pm–

8:00pm

Annual Community

Dinner & Social @ Seneca

Allegany Event Center

Saturday,

November 23

8:30am-

4:00pm

Educator Day

@ Ganondagan

Saturday,

November 30 11:00am

Annual Fall “Sing” in Oneida

(London, Ontario)

The Seneca Nation Buffalo Tutoring Program is housed at the Native American Magnet School #19 which is located at 97 W. Delavan Street. The tutoring program is a branch of the Seneca Nation Education Department which is located on the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation. The program has a partnership with the Native American Resource Program at which also supports the Native American student population in the Buffalo Public School District. The tutoring program serves any self-identified Native American Student regardless of Nation at BPS #19, 65, 72, 81, 93, 304 and 305. If you would like your child to receive academic support from the Seneca Nation tutoring program, please call (716) 816-3185 for an enrollment form.

Cornell University American Indian and

Indigenous Studies Program Visits

Hutch Tech Cornell University American Indian and Indigenous

Studies Program representative, Wayva Lyons, came

for a visit to Hutch Tech on Friday, October 25, 2019.

Ms. Lyons spoke with our students about the AIIS

program, funding, housing, events and activities. Our

students asked wonderful

questions and were given

information on Cornell’s

Promising Futures event in March

from the 13th-14th.

Seneca Language Corner

(den dwa known: nyoat)

We all give thanks

2 3

My name is Charity Hill and I am the Native American Program Coordinator with the Buffalo Public Schools. I am Oneida. I am a graduate of the Buffalo Public Schools where I was a student in the Native American Resource program. I attended Native American Magnet School #19 as a child and graduated from McKinley High School.

I come to the position with over 12 years of educational experience, 11 of which were working with Native American youth and families. I am a certified, grades 5-12, English Language Arts teacher with an ABD in Curriculum, Instruction and the Science of Learning. I have worked for the Seneca Nation as a Johnson O’Malley/Academic support teacher at Gowanda High School and as the Native American Studies teacher where I taught Native American History and Native American Culture through Film at Lake Shore and Silver Creek High Schools as the Native American Studies teacher for the Seneca Nation. I also taught Native American Studies as an Alternative Education teacher at Erie 2 -Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES. As the Native American Coordinator, I will be an advocate for our Native American students, families and the Native American Resource Program to ensure that each student receives the assistance and resources they need to be successful. Please feel free to reach out to me anytime by email at chill@buffaloschools.org.

Sge:no’ Swa:gwe:go’ (Hello Everyone)

My Name is Alisa C Myke, I am a Resource Cultural Specialist. I have been working in the Native American Resource Program

since 1981. I am Gayogoho:no’ (Cayuga) from Grand River Six Nations Reserve and I belong to the Otahyo’:ni: (Wolf) Clan.

This year I will be at the following buildings: NAM #19, Roosevelt ECC #65, Lorraine Elementary #72, Pfc. Wm. J. Grabiarz #79,

and P.S. #81 on a six-day cycle.

It is very important that the students know their Nation and Clan, it helps a great deal when we are in class and doing our

Identity projects. I look forward to working with your child(ren) this school year. If you have any questions I will be more than

happy to talk to you. Our NARP Office Number is 816-3183, you can leave a message or reach me by e-mail at

amyke@buffaloschools.org with any questions or concerns. I am looking forward to a great year!

Charity Hill

Native American Program Coordinator

Alisa C. Myke

Resource Cultural Specialist

Abigail Tallchief

Resource Cultural Specialist

My name is Abigail Tallchief, I am a Resource Cultural Specialist with Buffalo Public Schools. I am from the Seneca Nation,

Cattaraugus Territory and I belong to the turtle clan. I have been with the Native American Resource Program for a little

over 6 months. I have worked and continue to with Native American Community Services at Native American Magnet

School #19 in the afterschool program for approximately 12 years. I have also worked for the Seneca Nation with the

Recreation and Early Childhood Departments.

For the 2019-2020 school year, I will be working with the high school students. I will be providing services at South Park

High, I -Prep @ Grover, McKinley, Hutch Tech (2 days) and East Community. My focus for this school year will be to provide

college and career readiness, cultural history and awareness, language, academic support and college fieldtrips. My main

goals for this year will be to increase graduation rates, attendance and grades.

Lorna Thompson

Resource Cultural Specialist

Nya:wëh Sgë:nö! Ms. Thompson ni:’ gya:söh. Age’nehsi:yo’ Ononda’ge:ga ni:’ah koh. Ga’dä:gësge:ö’ tknöge’. I am thankful

you are well! Ms. Thompson I am called. I am of the Snipe Clan and I am Onondaga Nation-People of the Hills. I live on the

Cattaraugus Indian Reservation — Stinky Banks.

I began working for the Title VI Native American Resource Program in February of 2019. This year I will be working at the

Native American Magnet School #19, BPS #43 and 187 with Native students in grades pre-k -12th.

Matilda “Tilly” Martin

Teacher Aide

She:kon, my name is Matilda “Tilly” Martin. I am Mohawk and I belong to the Wolf clan. I work for the Buffalo Public Schools’ Native American Resource Program, Title VI, as a Teacher Aide. I have worked with the Native American Resource Program for almost 2 years. I have also worked with Native American Community Services with their Afterschool Program at school #19 as a tutor. For this school year, I will be supporting NAMS #19, BPM #32, Houghton Academy #69 and Southside Elementary School #93. My goal is to help our Native American students academically, so that they can be successful!

Throughout November, we celebrate the

ancestry and time honored traditions of American

Indians & Alaska Natives in North America. It is

important to note that there are over 500

American Indian nations in the United States.

Each of these nations are distinct and highly

individualistic. All nations have their own

language, which many continue to speak. While

there are similarities, the values and beliefs are

uniquely applied in each individual nation/tribe.

There will be numerous activities and events this

month throughout the district to celebrate and

spread awareness of the Haudenosaunee. Be on

the look out for updates.

Vanessa Clifton– Ms. Clifton supports

students at Native American Magnet School #19.

Julia Heath- Ms. Heath supports students

at Roosevelt #65, Loraine Academy #72 and

Southside Elementary #93.

Juddson Logan- Mr. Logan supports

students at BPS #81, Hutch Tech and McKinley.