Clinton hires Indian Education coordinator, moves to expand outreach and culturally specific supports

Clinton City Schools introduced its newly hired Indian Education coordinator, Daja Emmanuel, at the board’s Jan. 27 meeting and heard a progress report on program activities, student identification and funding efforts.

Emmanuel, who the district hired this school year to revive and expand the Indian Education program, told the school board the program has started talking circles, family meetings and cultural events and has built a district page with a direct link for parents to begin the 506 eligibility process that establishes federal support for Native students.

The 506 form, Emmanuel said, “is a document that verifies Native American students’ eligibility for federal funding.” She told the board Clinton’s published data (2022–23) listed 2,854 students districtwide and 63 American Indian students (about 2.21 percent) but that local outreach and records work indicate “we have 101 students in total” who identify as Native American; many of those students currently lack completed 506 paperwork, birth certificates or other documentation needed to claim federal eligibility.

Why it matters: 506 forms determine eligibility for the federal Indian Education program and can increase the district’s federal allocation for Native-specific services and programming. Emmanuel and staff described outreach steps — table presence at registrations and parent nights, phone followups, social media links and partnerships with the Coharie tribal office and local community groups — intended to increase completed 506 filings.

Program activities and support Emmanuel summarized first-quarter activities: talking circles at Clinton High School aimed at students’ academic, mental and cultural needs; a CHS parent committee meeting; a high-school field visit to a local tourism center where students learned about kayaking- and tourism-related businesses; a fall festival at Butler Avenue that included traditional “Three Sisters” gardening (corn, beans, squash); cultural songs and social dances; and a “Taste of Culture” event. She said the district added a web page and enrollment link with the help of technology staff.

Emmanuel and Superintendent Wesley Johnson also described an effort to complete missing eligibility paperwork: “A lot of these parents have no idea how to enroll their students into the program,” Emmanuel said, adding that the program has started walking parents through 506 forms and collecting missing birth certificates with local staff assistance.

Student supports and next steps Board members asked how the district will identify students who are recorded as “two or more races” and whether outreach can target those families; Emmanuel and staff recommended outreach at kindergarten registration and other onboarding events so families can complete forms at intake. Emmanuel said she has begun outreach calls and has already helped roughly 10–11 families complete forms through partnerships with community organizations.

Emmanuel described planned student opportunities that will require board consideration, including a beaded cord recognition for Native students at graduation. She presented draft criteria (academic achievement, cultural involvement, community service, leadership and personal achievement) and said the proposal would require formal board approval and development of an implementation rubric. “Earning a beaded cord is a profound way for Native students to honor their heritage and celebrate their achievements,” she told the board, adding that the cord would not be a free-for-all and that she has draft criteria (including a 3.0 GPA threshold) she will share with the board.

Grants and travel Emmanuel discussed student interest in attending a June cultural/education event (referred to in the presentation as the June program). She said registration for that program is about $200 per student for dorm and meals (registration only; transportation not included) and that fundraising and donated funds are being pursued; she also said the Indian Education program received two $500 donations toward travel. Board members suggested partner grant sources (for example, local foundations) and that the program coordinate with school registration events to increase completed 506 forms.

Board response and next steps Board members and staff praised Emmanuel’s early outreach and asked staff to include 506-form guidance in registration packets and to provide copies of the beaded-cord criteria for review. The board did not vote on any of the program recommendations at the meeting; Emmanuel said she would email the draft cord criteria and follow up with a formal request for any policy or implementation approvals the board would need to take.

Quotations from the meeting "Hello. My name is Daja Emmanuel. I'm the Indian Education Coordinator, Clinton City Schools," Emmanuel said in her opening remarks. "A 506 form is a document that verifies Native American students' eligibility for federal funding," Emmanuel told the board, and later: "Earning a beaded cord is a profound way for native students to honor their heritage and celebrate their achievements." — Daja Emmanuel, Indian Education Coordinator

Ending District leaders said they will continue outreach to complete 506 forms and will return to the board with a formal proposal if they seek approval for a beaded cord or other new requirements tied to graduation recognition. Staff also said they will coordinate Indian Education outreach with kindergarten and registration events and post the 506 form link more widely on district communications and social media.