The American Indian Early Childhood Education (AIECE) Program, California Department of Education, began in the 1970s. It is designed to develop and test educational models that increase competence in reading, language arts, mathematics, and self-esteem for American Indian children in pre-kindergarten through grade four. Funds are designated for schools with at least 10 percent American Indian students, and they are allocated through a competitive process for three-year cycles. There are nine counties participating in the program for 2007-2008.
Online Resources
This provides a compilation of web based resources useful to AIECE programming.
AIECE Program Directory
A directory of the nine 2007-2008 California AIECE sites with project descriptions is below.
Butte County
Butte County Office of Education
Four Winds School
Terri Tozier, Principal
2345 Fair Street
Chico, CA 95928
Phone: 530-879-7411; Fax: 530-879-7414
E-mail: ttozier@bcoe.org
The NeeSimPom Cultural Enrichment Program at the Four Winds School serves 20 pre-Kindergarten children and offers quality educational services to ensure their full potential as learners and supports parents to be the first teacher for their children. The program acknowledges that the family, school, and community are vital to the academic success of American Indian children. The NeeSimPom program employs the Positive Indian Parenting (PIP) curriculum to provide educational opportunities for parents to explore values and attitudes expressed in traditional American Indian child-rearing practices. Parents and family members develop attitudes, values and skills that have roots in American Indian cultural heritage. Fostering positive learning conditions at home to support student learning and achievement are central priorities of NeeSimPom philosophy.
Fresno County
Sierra Unified School District
Auberry Elementary
Sierra Elementary
Gretchen Cox, Director
Don Witzansky, Superintendent
29143 Auberry Road
Prather, CA 93651
Phone: 559-855-3662 x116; Fax: 559-855-3585
E-mail: gcox@sierra.k12.ca.us
The program serves 90 students, pre-K through fourth grades at two elementary schools and two Head Start programs. Students receive daily tutoring and support in language, reading, and math at both elementary school sites. The program also provides after school homework centers at Big Sandy Rancheria and Cold Springs Rancheria where the majority of the students reside. In addition, a four week summer program is offered at both Rancherias. The summer program reinforces academic progress and also builds their cultural knowledge. The students regularly participate in many cultural activities such as beading, basket weaving, native language lessons (for students and parents, native plant identification and uses from on-site Indian villages, storytelling, games, and music. The program offers a healthy balance between academic support and cultural awareness.
Humboldt County
Klamath-Trinity Unified School District
Hoopa Valley Elementary School
Jerry Nobles, Principal
P. O. Box 1308
Hoopa, CA 95546
Phone: 530-625-4223 x3; Fax 530-625-4697
E-mail: jnobles@humboldt.k12.ca.us
The program at Hoopa Elementary provides greatly needed, supplemental academic services in an environment that seeks to support student’s cultural experience and knowledge. Two exceptional instructors have been hired to work with teachers and students to incorporate cultural content into the curriculum. After-school tutoring services, cultural activities, and special events are provided for students in our program. In addition, staff members have also received training in the philosophy of the “Circle of Courage” which is based on a Native model of strength-based interventions for American Indian youth. This model demonstrates how to create a strong support system for students and to foster positive relationships with teachers and peers to strengthen a child’s resiliency. Our program also combines Native culture, technology and literacy to provide tools for students and their families to support literacy growth.
Imperial County
San Pasqual Valley Unified School District
San Pasqual Valley Elementary School
Taune Smith, Coordinator
676 Baseline Road, Route 1
Winterhaven, CA 92283
Phone: 760-572-0222, x2492
E-mail: tsmith@sanpasqual.k12.ca.us
The program serves 184 children. A top priority is placed on parent involvement with the How to Help Their Child Succeed in School series. Trainings on Family Math are held three times a year in three different sessions. Administrators, teachers, parents and community members work cohesively to increase student achievement. The school district is working in partnership with the Quechan Tribe in a joint effort to ensure parents have access to the variety of site events and parent trainings that are offered by providing transportation. Additional after-school support is provided by credentialed teachers to re-teach or pre-teach grade level standards in order to move targeted students in reaching proficiency levels in math and English Language Arts as measured by the California State Standards Test.
Madera County
Chawanakee Unified School District
North Fork Elementary School
Stuart Pincus, Principal
33087 Road 228
North Fork, CA 93643
Phone: 559-877-2215; Fax: 559-877-2377
E-mail: spincus@chawanakee.k12.ca.us
The program serves approximately 46 children. North Fork School is a K-8 school within the Chawanakee Unified School District. Located in the town of North Fork in rural northeast Madera County, the original school was established in the 1930’s, and it is one of the oldest schools in the mountain community. The current facilities were constructed approximately 40 years ago, and are located adjacent to the Mono Indian Museum. Situated next to the campus is a Mono Village, representing the ways of the past. Most school buildings underwent modernization during the summer of 2004, and all facilities are now in excellent condition. For many years, lumber was the primary industry in the North Fork area, but since the closing of the local lumber mill in 1992, the community has struggled for a new identity. North Fork’s population reflects an increasing variety of socio-economic conditions. More than 60% of the students qualify for Aid for Dependent Children and/or free and reduced lunches.
The North Fork School site has received funding through the California Department of Education for many years helping to serve the Pre-K through fourth grade Native American Students. We currently serve 46 Native children in grades Pre-K through fourth grade. The Early Childhood Education Program at North Fork School consists of 3 main components: Intervention, Language/Culture and a Preschool program.
The intervention component of the program is run through a Learning Lab environment. During the Universal Access time within the Houghton Mifflin curriculum, the American Indian Education tutors, guided by our Reading Specialist, interact with American Indian students who benefit most through supplementary instruction in the area of Language Arts. The students focus on phonemic awareness, fluency, decoding strategies, and comprehension strategies. Additionally, the tutors are able to front load lessons in grades 4th and 5th and re-teach when needed.
The second component consists of the teaching of the local Mono language and culture by Mono elders. Students attend classes two days per week. Some classes are taught within a classroom setting, especially in grades PreK-1. The 2nd through 4th grades have classroom setting lessons in the Mono Village. Seasonally, the Mono village is brought to life. We have community members and children who provide lessons focusing on the Mono language and culture in a natural Mono setting.
Our preschool is based on Creative Curriculum for Preschool. The program is a theme-based approach to learning using child-initiated activities such as play. The program emphasizes literacy, mathematics, science, social studies and Kindergarten readiness. We incorporate American Indian culture and language in all areas of learning. Our goal is to encourage children to be successful learners now, and in the future, by teaching them to think for themselves, solve problems, and get along with others.
Shasta County
Gateway Unified School District
Grand Oaks Elementary School
Shasta Lake School
Cindy O’Leary, Director
4411 Mt. Lakes Blvd.
Redding, CA 96003
Phone: 530-245-7982; Fax 530-245-7990
E-mail: coleary@gwusd.org
The program serves 122 children at two K-5 school sites. The BASKETS program has four key components:
- Culturally appropriate materials that are available to all families for home use.
- Additional in-class tutorial support.
- An after-school program that includes activities to develop oral and written language skills.
- Professional development for American Indian education staff as well as school staff members, parents and the community.
Tuolumne County
Summerville Elementary School District
Summerville Elementary School
Harriet Whitmer, Director
18451 Carter Street
Tuolumne, CA 95379
Phone: 209-928-4291; Fax 209-928-1602
E-mail: hwhitmer@sumel.k12.ca.us
The program serves students, pre-K through fourth grades. Students receive individual grade-level standards in language arts and math, tutoring for those students who need assistance in the classroom, after school support for American Indian students, and cultural activities which take place during or after school. Working closely with the Family Resource Center by providing adult literacy and parenting classes ensures authentic parent involvement.
Trinity County
Trinity County Office of Education
Sandra Sterrenberg, Indian Education Coordinator
PO Box 1256
201 Memorial Drive
Weaverville, CA 96093
Phone: 530-623-2861 x260
E-mail: ssterre@thegrid.net or ssterre@tcoek12.org
The program serves 65 pre-K through 4th grade children in three school districts. Trinity County’s American Indian Early Childhood Education program increases the visibility of the local American Indian community, enhances the presence of the rich native culture, and builds pride and respect. Program goals include enhancing self-esteem in students and adults by providing cultural support and activities, and improving student achievement through strategic intervention.
Each school provides tutorial assistance in reading, language arts and math. Cultural activities for students and their families are held during and after school and at Family Nights. An annual countywide Tribal Villages Celebration honors local elders and increases awareness. This event targets all 3rd and 4th grade students and their teachers and provides authentic activities aligned to the California standards in the Visual and Performing Arts, Social Science-History, Science, and Reading/Language Arts. Ongoing professional development for participating staff members and parental involvement activities supplement and enhance the supplemental program. Trinity County Office of Education has created a curriculum resource guide for teachers that focuses on local American Indian topics, including standards-based activities. Five Trinity County students were honored to have their artwork and poetry included in the 2006 edition of the Thoughts From Native Youth publication.
Yuba County
Marysville Joint Unified School District
Dobbins Elementary School
Yuba-Feather Elementary School
James Graham, Coordinator
1919 B Street
Marysville, CA 95901
Phone: 530-749-6196; Fax: 530-741-7840
E-mail: jgraham@mjusd.k12.ca.us or rdunmore@mujusd.k12.ca.us
The program in two elementary schools serves 94 children in pre-school through fourth grade. The Child-to-Child educational model assists American Indian students by providing a supportive and creative forum that focuses on many aspects of traditional and modern native culture. With this model, the program utilizes legends, puppetry, food, music, technology, science, nature, cooperative learning, and leadership to create fun, educational projects that foster deep conceptual understanding. The Child-to-Child philosophy of older students modeling for younger students permeates every feature of the program.
