APAC urges more staff, space and PSEO support as Saint Francis board hears American Indian Education update

Haley Giggle, the district's American Indian Education coordinator, told the Saint Francis Area Schools board on Jan. 26 that the American Indian Education Parent Advisory Committee (APAC) voted "nonconcurrent" in its annual compliance review and identified several areas for improvement.

APAC's priorities include hiring an additional full- or part-time staff member dedicated to Indian Education, streamlining the process for reserving district spaces, increased communication about district progress on APAC requests and greater support navigating PSEO (Postsecondary Enrollment Options) registration. "This year, we held the vote on January 8, and they voted non concurrent," Giggle said, adding the committee wants more face time with the board and clearer budget prioritization for Native students.

Giggle described program activities across grade levels: elementary students are making bandolier bags, middle-school students have learned beadwork and partnered with the Multicultural Student Union, and high-school students helped create a Wikipedia page for the Blue Earth Reservation as a social studies project. She reported the program served roughly 124 students at the time she prepared the slides (the district's last update showed 127), and announced a multi-district powwow Feb. 28 at Saint Francis High School.

Board members asked about an APAC request for a designated liaison at elementary and secondary levels. Giggle said the program currently has a coordinator and a temporary liaison, Abby Wilding, who primarily serves middle school; APAC described recurring problems reserving rooms and asked for a predictable schedule or designated space. "Ideally, we would have a liaison" to serve elementary and secondary students, Giggle said. Students and board members also discussed an Ojibwe language class offered this year at the high school (about nine students currently enrolled) and options to expand levels to meet graduation requirements.

Why it matters: APAC's annual 'nonconcurrent' vote is a formal signal required by state statute that the advisory committee believes the district still has areas to improve in serving Native students. The committee's requests — staffing, facility scheduling, PSEO navigation and more frequent presentations to the board — would require administrative and budget attention.

Next steps: The superintendent and administration will use APAC feedback as part of ongoing program planning and the board encouraged the group to present more frequently. APAC listed meeting dates for Feb. 5, April 12 and May 7 and said it will continue outreach; the district will include APAC in relevant future agenda items.