Entry #30: On New Mexico's high plateau,
Navajo people are creating exemplary schools



Alamo Navajo Community School, New Mexico -- We are now in our tenth community on our journey of twelve and have found (at least to date) the one most unlike our home in Bothell, Washington.

We are in West Central New Mexico, on the Alamo Navajo Reservation, visiting their K-12 Community School. How did our search for middle level parent involvement and community collaboration bring us here? Well, we were originally scheduled to stay in Albuquerque but felt that Madison, Orlando, Corpus Christi, and San Diego (next month) will give us a good sense of partnership practices in urban areas.

Then, I remembered reading an article from the Bureau of Indian Affairs highlighting outstanding school reform programs at Bureau schools. The criteria for selection included "partnerships with other community organizations" and "parental and community involvement." Exactly what I'm searching for! With the Bureau's help, I narrowed it down to Alamo. I was encouraged to visit by Gail Campbell, Federal Programs Coordinator at the school. Besides, I figured our boys could use some exposure to our nation's Native American heritage.

What has surprised me the most is not the altitude (about 6,500 ft.) nor the remoteness (nearest store: 30 miles) but the educational obstacles the school is navigating. At first look, you would think this might be every teacher's nightmare. Here is a community where most parents lack basic parenting skills and only 25% can be reached by phone. In addition, all of the students are learning English as their second language and the majority of the business partners are a half-hour to an hour away. Sounds bad, doesn't it?

However, there is more to see here than the beauty of the high plateau.

First, let me cover a bit of history. Until 1979, all school age Navajo children were sent away to boarding schools as they had been for a century. The government policy was to "assimilate" the native people by removing the kids from their families and culture for most of their growing years. While this immersed the kids in the "American life," it also prevented the parents from playing an active role. Over the generations, parenting skills declined to an all-time low.

With the closing of the boarding school, the community of about 2,000 created a six-member school board, secured funding and built an up-to-date K-12 facility in the midst of their 63,000 acre reservation. While they are governed in part by the larger Navajo Nation to the north, they are for the most part on their own to find their way. For the last 20 years, they have been working on Bilingual education, and they have created an effective school-to-work program beginning at the middle school level. They've also established an exemplary early childhood education program for parent and child while steadily improving the basic education skills.

Oh, and I forgot to mention the community has their very own Public Radio Station, KABR 1500 AM. While visiting with station manager Sarah Apache and crew in the studio, I found out how much a station can assist a school. First, there is the daily school news featuring events and information from campus. Then, there are the parent programs which feature practical skills and advice from national experts but are tailored for these parents. They also go into classrooms and tape activities, interviews and discussions for later airing. With the remote location of this community, the station provides communication for all families and does it in both Navajo and English.

I will be finding out more about specific middle school activities, how they went from a 1% turnout at Open House to 25% turnout at a recent "Parent and Teachers as Partners" conference. Also, with the absence of a retirement home, does it make a difference having the grandparents involved? We will be participating in a middle school field trip, 8th grade promotion and senior graduation.

So, while we are far from home, I think there are some practices here that can be applied to Bothell and beyond. Stay tuned.


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