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American Indian Parent Advisory Committee votes district is in compliance on APAC grant areas; program includes Ojibwe class and cultural activities
Summary
The district's American Indian Parent Advisory Committee (APAC) voted that school district activities supported by the American Indian Education grant meet compliance across six grant areas; highlights included tutoring, book clubs, an introductory Ojibwe class and an APAC‑sponsored trip to Camp Ripley.
Chris Midberg, the district's WIN interventionist at Lindbergh and American Indian Education coordinator, presented the annual compliance vote of the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee (APAC) at the Feb. 10 board meeting and reported that APAC voted the district is in compliance across six grant areas.
Midberg outlined the six areas of the grant and the SMART goals for each area. Highlights the APAC reported as meeting goals included: - Postsecondary preparation: contact with high school students about postsecondary options and an APAC‑supported trip to Camp Ripley where students discussed career pathways; APAC voted in compliance on this area. - Academic achievement: tutoring, after‑school book clubs and individualized interventions were cited; Midberg noted a reported reading gap of 13.5% between district American Indian students and statewide averages and a MAP gap of 7.1%; APAC voted compliance for the academic supports described. - Culturally relevant curriculum: purchases planned for tribal flags and an introductory Ojibwe language class were cited; the instructor said the initial session feedback had been “very, very positive,” and APAC voted compliance. - Positive self‑image activities and surveys: APAC voted that measures to improve representation (books by Native authors, posters, cultural awareness for staff) were in compliance; district staff are preparing pre/post program surveys (midyear and end year) to measure impact. - Intercultural awareness: APAC reported quilling and other family events and staff training that covered cultural practices such as the significance of long hair; APAC voted compliance. - Supplement/not supplant: APAC confirmed grant funds are used to supplement existing programming rather than supplant state or federal funds and voted in compliance.
Midberg answered a board question about the number of American Indian students in the district; he said the district enrolls about 40 Native American students, with the largest numbers at the elementary level. Board members asked about grant timing; Midberg explained that state grant deadlines changed and that for the coming cycle the grant is due June 1 (previously due in November), which required writing two grants in one year for the program.
Why it matters: the APAC compliance vote is part of the district's stewardship of targeted state grant funding for American Indian students and documents programs intended to close achievement and engagement gaps while supporting cultural inclusion.
Follow up: Midberg said the district is preparing the pre/post surveys for the self‑image measure and will have them ready in about a week for midyear distribution and end‑of‑year follow up; the APAC's compliance documentation will be retained as part of grant reporting.
