Granite School District’s Title VI program is designed to support and enhance Native American excellence by providing engaging cultural activities and encouraging academic and personal success of American Indian & Alaskan Native students.

Program

The Department of Access and Opportunity hires passionate and knowledgeable mentors to work closely with Native American students. The mentors provide the following services:

Elementary-We have literacy mentors including a Native American Elder who work with elementary students who need additional support to get their reading scores up

Junior High/High School-Mentors meet with these students once a quarter to review academic progress, set goals, share upcoming events/resources, and encourage personal and academic success. If the student needs additional academic support, the mentor will reach out to the student’s counselor and parent.

Mentor Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s – Mentors review academic progress -Mentors meet with students quarterly (Junior High/High School) -Mentors provide additional reading support (Elementary School) – Mentors communicate student needs or concerns with parent/guardians -Mentors connect students/families with resources  – Mentors plan events and educational activities

Don’ts -Mentors do not provide mental health services such as counseling or therapy -Mentors do not provide academic tutoring -Mentors do not investigate individual behavioral issues between the student and the school -Mentors do not provide daily academic, attendance, or behavioral tracking

History

The beginning of Native American Education began with colonization of the frontier. The federal government created “Indian Schools” as a way of dealing with the education of American Indians. Legislation in 1972 created the Indian Education Act, which established the Office of Indian Education, the National Advisory Council on Indian Education, and provides federal funds for American Indian and Alaska Native education at all grade levels.

In order for school districts to receive funding to provide services to Native students, families need to fill out a Form 506. Granite School District families can find instructions to fill out the form during registration or from your school’s registrar.